If you want to know how to get rid of lizards, the safest approach is simple: remove the lizard without touching it, reduce the insects that attract it, seal entry points, and make porches, garages, patios, and indoor hiding places less inviting.
- Do not chase it wildly; that usually sends it deeper into hiding.
- Close interior doors so the lizard stays in one room.
- Open an exterior door or window and gently guide it outside.
- Use a container and cardboard if you need to catch and release it.
- Seal entry points around doors, windows, vents, pipes, and foundation gaps.
- Reduce insects, because lizards often come indoors to hunt bugs.
Are House Lizards Dangerous?
Most small house lizards, geckos, anoles, and skinks are not aggressive and do not want to be near people. They are usually more interested in insects than in humans. In many homes, they are accidental visitors rather than true infestations.
The main concern is hygiene. Like many animals, lizards can carry germs on their bodies or in their droppings. You do not need to panic, but you should avoid handling lizards with bare hands, clean up droppings carefully, and wash your hands after touching surfaces where a lizard may have been.
If you find droppings and are not sure what they are, see our guide: What Does Lizard Poop Look Like?
Why Do Lizards Come Into the House?
Lizards usually enter homes for one of five reasons: insects, warmth, shelter, moisture, or open gaps. If you remove the attraction, they are less likely to keep appearing.
| What Attracts Lizards | Why It Matters | What to Do |
|---|---|---|
| Insects | Lizards eat flies, ants, moths, spiders, crickets, roaches, and other small bugs. | Reduce indoor insects and outdoor insects near lights. |
| Outdoor lights | Lights attract bugs, and bugs attract lizards. | Use motion lights, yellow bulbs, or turn lights off when not needed. |
| Open doors and gaps | Lizards slip through small openings around doors, windows, vents, and utility lines. | Install door sweeps, repair screens, and seal gaps. |
| Clutter and hiding spots | Lizards hide behind furniture, shelves, boxes, curtains, and wall decor. | Declutter walls, corners, garages, and storage rooms. |
| Moisture and shelter | Porches, bathrooms, garages, sheds, and patios can provide water and cover. | Fix leaks, reduce standing water, and trim vegetation near the house. |
Where Do Lizards Hide Indoors?
Lizards prefer dark, quiet, protected places. If one disappears inside, check areas where it can stay hidden without being disturbed.
- behind sofas, beds, cabinets, and bookshelves;
- behind paintings, mirrors, curtains, and wall hangings;
- under appliances, tables, desks, and chairs;
- inside garages, sheds, closets, and storage rooms;
- near windows, sliding doors, vents, and utility openings;
- in cluttered shelves, boxes, or piles of fabric.
A lizard is easier to remove if you keep it in one room. Close interior doors, block gaps under doors with a towel, and avoid moving quickly toward it.
How to Remove a Lizard Safely Without Touching It
The safest method is to guide the lizard outside. This avoids harming the animal and avoids direct contact.
- Stay calm. Fast movement makes lizards run deeper into hiding.
- Close interior doors. Keep the lizard contained in one room.
- Open an exterior door or window. Create a clear escape path.
- Turn off extra lights. Keep the exit area brighter than the rest of the room if possible.
- Use a broom, cardboard, or towel as a guide. Do not strike the lizard; gently direct it toward the exit.
- If needed, use a container and cardboard. Place a clear container over the lizard, slide cardboard underneath, and release it outside.
- Clean the area afterward. Wash hands and clean surfaces if droppings were present.
Avoid harsh or unsafe home remedies. Do not use mothballs, tobacco balls, poison, cold water, homemade pepper spray, or chemicals in living areas to control lizards. These methods can be unsafe for children, pets, wildlife, and indoor air quality.
If you cannot remove the lizard safely, or if they keep returning, focus on sealing entry points and reducing insects instead of trying to kill them.
How to Keep Lizards Out of the House
Long-term lizard control is mostly prevention. If lizards cannot get inside and cannot find easy food, they are less likely to stay around the home.
Seal Entry Points
Lizards can squeeze through small gaps. Inspect the places where they most often enter:
- door gaps and worn door sweeps;
- window screens and sliding door tracks;
- vents, pipe openings, and utility penetrations;
- foundation cracks and siding gaps;
- garage doors, shed doors, and porch openings.
Use caulk, weatherstripping, mesh, screen repair, and door sweeps where appropriate.
Reduce Insects Around Lights
Lizards often gather near porches and patios because insects gather there first. Reducing insects around lights can reduce lizard activity naturally.
- turn off porch lights when not needed;
- switch to yellow or warm outdoor bulbs;
- use motion-sensor lighting;
- keep doors closed when lights are on indoors;
- clean up dead insects around windows and doorways.
Remove Outdoor Hiding Places
Yards and porches with dense cover give lizards places to hide and hunt. You do not need to strip the yard bare, but you can reduce shelter directly against the house.
- trim bushes and vines away from siding;
- move stacked wood away from the foundation;
- remove leaf litter, boards, pots, and clutter near doors;
- avoid standing water near the house;
- keep grass and dense groundcover trimmed near entry points.
Declutter Indoor Hiding Spots
If lizards keep appearing indoors, check the spaces where they hide. Move furniture slightly away from walls, reduce clutter in garages and storage rooms, and keep boxes off the floor where possible.
Do Lizard Repellents Work?
Some commercial lizard repellents may help in limited outdoor areas, but repellents are usually not enough on their own. The best results come from combining prevention steps: sealing gaps, reducing insects, adjusting outdoor lights, and removing hiding places.
Be careful with strong-smelling DIY remedies. Eggshells, garlic, onion, coffee, and similar methods are not reliable long-term lizard control. They can make the house smell bad and may attract other pests if left around.
How to Keep Lizards Away From the Porch or Patio
Porches and patios attract lizards when they provide insects, warmth, and hiding spots. Start with the areas closest to doors and windows.
- Turn off unnecessary porch lights at night.
- Replace bright white bulbs with warmer outdoor bulbs.
- Clean dead insects from windowsills, porch corners, and light fixtures.
- Move potted plants, storage bins, and clutter away from the door.
- Trim vegetation that touches the porch, siding, or steps.
- Install or repair door sweeps and screens.
How to Reduce the Insects That Attract Lizards
Lizards are predators. If they are showing up often, the real issue may be an insect population around the house.
Look for:
- flies around trash or compost;
- ants around food or moisture;
- moths and mosquitoes around lights;
- crickets in garages, basements, or crawlspaces;
- roaches or spiders around clutter and damp areas.
Reduce insect pressure with better sanitation, sealed food, fixed leaks, less outdoor lighting, and pest-proofing around doors and windows. For broader prevention, see our guide to DIY pest proofing.
When Should You Call a Professional?
Most lizard problems can be handled with safe removal and prevention. A professional may be useful if lizards keep entering, you cannot find the entry points, or you suspect a larger insect problem is attracting them.
Lizards keep coming inside?
Get pest control quotes from local pros
If lizards keep appearing indoors, the source may be entry gaps, outdoor insects, porch lighting, or hidden moisture. Through Angi, you can describe the problem once and get matched with local pest control companies. Quotes are free, with no obligation to hire.
Free, no obligation · Local pros · Takes about 60 seconds
FAQ
What is the safest way to get rid of a lizard in the house?
The safest method is to close interior doors, open an exterior door or window, and gently guide the lizard outside. If needed, place a container over it, slide cardboard underneath, and release it outdoors.
Why do lizards keep coming inside?
Lizards usually come inside because they find insects, warmth, shelter, moisture, or small entry gaps. Reducing insects and sealing gaps are the most effective long-term fixes.
Are house lizards harmful?
Most house lizards are not dangerous and do not attack people. Avoid touching them with bare hands, clean up droppings carefully, and wash hands after contact with surfaces where lizards were active.
Do lizards mean my house is dirty?
Not necessarily. Lizards can enter clean homes through open doors, gaps, windows, garages, or porches. However, food waste, insects, clutter, and standing water can make the area more attractive.
Do mothballs keep lizards away?
Do not use mothballs for lizard control. Mothballs are pesticides meant for specific labeled uses and can be toxic to people, pets, and wildlife when misused around the home or garden.
Do eggshells, garlic, or onion repel lizards?
These remedies are unreliable and usually temporary at best. They can also create odors or attract other pests. Sealing gaps, reducing insects, and removing hiding places work better.
How do I keep lizards away from my porch?
Reduce insects around lights, trim plants near the house, remove clutter, repair screens, install door sweeps, and keep doors closed at night when indoor lights are on.
Should I kill lizards in my house?
Usually, no. Most lizards are harmless and eat insects. Safe capture and release, followed by prevention, is a better approach than killing them.
Bottom Line
The best way to get rid of lizards is to remove them safely, then fix the reason they came inside. Most lizards are not dangerous, but they can be unsettling indoors and may leave droppings behind.
Start by guiding the lizard outside or using a container-and-cardboard method. Then reduce insects, seal entry gaps, adjust porch lighting, remove hiding places, and keep garages, patios, and storage areas less inviting. Avoid unsafe home remedies such as mothballs, tobacco, poison, cold water, or harsh sprays in living areas.
Leave a Reply