Lizards are not friendly creatures, even though they keep big, nasty insects away from our homes. Every household has a few members who quiver in fear when they see lizards, as they would when they see cockroaches.

Fear no more, because with these home remedies, you can get rid of lizards within no time. It is time you took charge of your home again.

Onions

Onions may make us cry, but they also make lizards cry. Chop a medium-sized onion into slices and hang them against a wall or place them in the usual nooks and crannies where lizards hide.

Onions’ pungent odour helps in repelling the lizards, but don’t forget to change the onion slices once they have dried up.

Egg shells

Egg shells help in tricking lizards to abandon their usual spot, since they assume that another being is now living in that area. Place an egg shell on a plastic pizza tripod/pizza saver that you receive with any home delivered pizza; this will help keep the egg shell in place while you can also move it around without much hassle. It is generally a good practice to change the egg shells once every month.

Garlic

Much like onions, garlic too drives away lizards. You can use garlic in one of two ways: either place cloves of garlic in various spots, or spray an onion-garlic mixture in various places. To create the mixture, add onion juice, water and a few drops of garlic essence. Pour the mixture into a spray gun and shake well. You should now be able to spray it in vulnerable corners in your home.

They gobble up nasty insects but they also make people squeal, jump and flee in fear. Try these home remedies to drive lizards away from your home

Coffee powder bombs

Think of this remedy as creating your very own gunpowder to shoo away any and all lizards. Mix coffee powder with some crushed tobacco, and prepare small balls of this mixture. Next, fix these balls on toothpicks or any other sharp, pointy object that can be placed in small nooks and crannies. Leave these toothpicks for lizards to consume; they will die instantly.

Naphthalene balls

Naphthalene balls are often put in storage suitcases to keep insects away, but the same principle applies when it comes to driving lizards away. Naphthalene balls act as a great pest controller, and should be placed in your wardrobes and cupboards. Do ensure that these are out of children’s reach; else you’ll be putting your child’s life in danger too.

Pepper spray

Among the most effective do-it-yourself pesticide remedies to drive lizards away is the pepper spray. Mix pepper into water and pour the mixture into a spray gun. Sprinkle the mixture particularly in your kitchen: racks, under the stove, inside cabinets, behind cabinets, and even windows and doors. The smell of the spice should drive away any lounging lizards.

Tabasco sauce

Again, create a water-based mixture with two to three teaspoons of tobacco sauce. Pour the mixture into a spray gun and shake well. As with the pepper spray, the smell and pungency of spice will keep your house lizard-free.

Published in Dawn, Sunday Magazine, November 8th, 2015

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