Despite being a household pest, lizards can help reduce the population of flying insects in the home by preying on files, mosquitoes and moths, says pest control company Rentokil.

Nevertheless, homeowners should prevent their homes from being infested by lizards, as they may carry germs and parasites on their bodies.

What are some steps you can take to prevent lizards from even appearing at your doorstep? Here are four things you can do:

Eliminate the food source. Lizards come out in the open to look for food, so don’t keep any lying around! Throw away the contents of your trash can frequently if they contain food scraps, or else cap it tightly on top so lizards can’t squeeze their way through. You’ll be surprised at how pliable their bodies are! In doing so, you will get rid of insects as well, which lizards also eat.

Mop your floor after cooking and eating, and if you spill food on the floor, wipe it up immediately.

Lizards also eat flies, so wash your dishes and clear away garbage to prevent flies from entering your home.

Minimise clutter. Lizards hide in newspapers and plastic bags, but also frame handles on the walls and garbage cans. So, clean out newspapers, magazines and clutter, so the pests have nowhere to hide. They also love to hide behind picture frames, and furniture. By leaving a 15cm gap between the furniture and the wall, you’ll be able to spot and clean them out easily.

Try natural prevention methods. A mixture of pepper, chilli and water, sprayed onto corners and tight spots will keep lizards out. You can also leave egg shells out in the open. The scent will fool lizards into thinking that larger predators live in your home. Don’t wash out the egg shells, and be sure to replace them every week.

Already infested with lizards? 

To clean out lizards from your home, block their entry points, get rid of the items that attract them, and then use humane, natural repellents to keep them away. To completely seal your home off from ventilation would be tough, but you could reduce the number of entry points into a space, such as covering up the gap between the base of the door and the flooring. Don’t keep your windows, and main door or gate, open for too long as well.

Keep them away for good with natural repellents that don’t harm your family. From coffee powder and tobacco powder to unwashed eggshells, try these DIY methods to get rid of lizards before engaging professional pest control services.