If something seems too good to be true, oftentimes it is. The citronella geranium has lacy green leaves and purple, pink or white colored blooms. Lemongrass is a spa essential, can be made into a soothing drink, and most importantly, is a natural insect repellent. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Azaleas are fatal. When removed from their natural habitat, geckos frequently will eat anything that looks like familiar food. Garlic and onion scents are overwhelming for a lizards powerful sense of smell and naturally, they will choose to avoid them. What are the precautions to take while using essential oils? Citronella is a common natural and effective essential oil that works against mosquitoes. What Is The Difference Between Bonding And HardWall. If youre in need of an exterminator or wildlife professional, you can learn more about our nationwide network of pest control professionals. These include cinnamon, clove, eucalyptus, lemon, and peppermint oil. Simply add a few drops of each oil to a diffuser and place it in the room where youre seeing the most activity. Topical application can be used for things like muscle pain, skin conditions, and even headaches. The plants themselves can keep lizards out of certain areas, and essential oils can be vaporized, mixed into a spray, or even using soaked cotton balls strategically placed to act as a deterrent. Use 10 drops of citronella to a pint of warm water. Citronella, an essential oil extracted from grasses in the Cymbopogon family, helps repel bugs largely thanks to the way it masks the scent of people. With kitchens being a warm and humid area in the house, it is not unlikely that lizards find their way into food and cooking supplies. Citronella will not eliminate flies in the sense that the flies go bye-bye forever, BUT, citronella will repel them so that they are eliminated from your spaces. Keep an eye out for signs that there may be geckos living and reproducing around your home, like shed skins and small, leathery egg casings. A common myth for preventing lizards is to use crushed eggshells to drive them away. Learn more Citronella oil is an essential oil which is made from a variety of Lemon Grass named Cymbopogon. Lemongrass and citronella are two plants that typically grow well in climates where lizards thrive and can serve as an attractive and natural option. Avoid spraying areas that you and your family frequent too heavily. If you have small children or pets, be careful not to let them get near the traps you've set. We do not condone any individuals putting themselves or their homes at risk by taking any extreme measures towards keeping lizards away. Citronella candles and oils are a popular mosquito repellent, but the citronella plant is toxic to pets. Pour the water with the essential oils into the mason jars. Products that contain natural repellent ingredients like essential oils are only worth a try if they contain Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus, since this is the most effective natural alternative . "wikiHow is a silver ray between dark clouds!". Eucalyptus is another effective essential oil that is incredibly effective at keeping most species of reptiles at bay. Trap them and release them outside, as far from the home as possible; Once you've taken these steps, it will just be a matter of cleaning up the surrounding environment to reduce the number of hiding places where others may be making their home. When she's not blogging or spending time with her family, you can usually find her rooting around in the garden or at the hardware store. Essential oils are a natural and effective way to keep these pesky critters away. Ask a veterinarian what cleaners are safe to use around geckos--many recommend chlorhexidine. If you just barely brush is as you walk by and you will get a blast of citrus/ floral fragrance. Use caution when using citronella products around your pet, and make sure they don't have access to any citronella plants in your garden. Citronella is toxic to pets. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 41,432 times. Tend to the landscape. However, it is also found to be useful in deterring insects like: Flies Ticks Ants Gnats This is shaken and sprayed onto infested areas. Essential oils have been known to provide a whole lot of benefits to humans. Open windows to hasten fresh air drying. Some of the most commonly used oils include peppermint, citrus, and eucalyptus. These include the elimination of moisture such as leaky pipes, properly storing fruits, and sealing up holes and cracks around your building. Dry out. This process should be repeated whenever the scent wanes. Cuteness may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story. To apply citronella essential oil, youll need a spray bottle. Some people also find them to be irritating to the skin. While this isnt true because lizards will be drawn to eggshells as a food source, there is some truth to it because eggshells draw in birds who will then eat lizards. Reptiles also strike fear in many people no matter how big or small they are, and the constant fear that they might crawl on you at night is enough to give anyone the heebie-jeebies. Use it to try out great new products and services nationwide without paying full pricewine, food delivery, clothing and more. These include antifungal properties, antibacterial properties, serving as an antioxidant, prevention gastric ulcers, relief for nausea, eases diarrhea among several others. Another is to use a mixture of garlic and water. You dont need to know where they live. Youll also need to apply the oil directly to the skin, as snakes and geckos have a keen sense of smell and will be able to smell the oil from a distance. Be sure to check with local laws if you plan to use anything more intense than the recommendations on this list. Are there any natural alternatives to using essential oils? Citronella candles are suitable for repelling insects and mosquitoes in the home and on porch areas. This is the most common way to use essential oils and it can be used to help with a wide variety of issues, including stress, anxiety, headaches, and even pain relief. These diseases can be potentially serious to humans if contracted. That doesn't mean Citrosa plants are worthless. To create this article, volunteer authors worked to edit and improve it over time. Pests that Lemongrass Repels Citronella is the most effective in repelling mosquitoes. This one is also easy to know when to reapply the scent- when the oil diffuser stops, you can refill it easily. link to How Do You Get Rid Of Hard Calcium Deposits In The Shower? The expiration date on food is there for a reason. If you're simply after a fresh aroma, use pine, eucalyptus, cedar or any woodsy essential oils. However, there is only so much this fragrant oil can do to keep mosquitos at bay. Apart from essential oil treatments, there are other ways to rid your home of lizard presence. However, there isn't any objective evidence that just having Citrosa plants around will repel mosquitoes, even though they give off a citronella odor. If youre considering using essential oils to repell snakes or geckos, its important to choose an oil that has a strong scent, such as eucalyptus or lemon. "The smell of citronella, in a more concentrated way like you get with a candle's . Research source One is to use a mixture of cayenne pepper and water. There are a few pros and cons to using essential oils. However, research has shown that this mosquito repellent plant is actually ineffective. Not only with the smell of tansy repel most flies, it will give you clusters of pretty yellow flowers to brighten up your home. As Doug writes in a post about essential oils as bug repellents, "Repellents such as picaridin and DEET, on the other hand, block a much wider number of receptors on a more consistent basis . Most of these smelly plants are also pretty and useful and could make good snake repelling plants. This website primarily references personal learning experiences. In general, lizards pose the risk of spreading salmonella through their skin, urine, or feces. Practicing good hygiene and cleaning is the best prevention method in case a lizard does make it inside! The oils evaporate quickly. Use a DEET-based insect repellent on your clothing, and wear long sleeves and long pants to provide a barrier against bites and irritation. People who live in tropical areas, such as Hawaii, Asia and Australia, live with geckos in the house pretty much as a fact of life. Now, spray onto walls or other areas where lizards often visit. It has been shown to repel dangerous Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which are capable of spreading dengue fever and the Zika virus. Burn citronella oil, incense, or sandalwood to repel swarms of insects in the summertime. The dog may not be a fan of this delicious smell; this is the reason it's used as dog repellent, so if you start thinking citronella is safe for dogs, then the answer is yes. If you have wasps in, Read More 7 Ways Wasps Got Into Your House (And How To Get Them Out)Continue, Raccoons can often find their way into your home or your personal property. Apart from repelling lizards, citronella oil is also an excellent remedy for mosquitoes, fleas, cockroaches, ticks and so many other pests. Lemongrass doesn't harm those nuisance pests; it helps in deterring them away from your property and home. The Verdict. The naturally occurring oil does repel insects. There are a few natural alternatives to using essential oils to get rid of snakes and geckos. Citronella has been registered as a gentle, plant-based bug spray ingredient in the U.S. since 1948. Lowering the temperature in your house is a great way to make it inhospitable to lizards and drive them out. 4. The occasional cleanup is good for your property, even if youre not combating an infestation. Many common flowers, including morning glories, calla lilies, Christmas cactus, hyacinths, periwinkle and rhododendrons, are toxic to your little lizard friends. Foster & Smith:Leopard Gecko Habitat. Therefore, it is important to speak to a doctor before using essential oils. Birds are the number one predator of lizards and will effectively scare any lizards away from their location. Walk on eggshells. There are two types of citronella oil named Java and Ceylon which are derived from Cymbopogon winterianus and Cymbopogon nardus grasses respectively [1] If you're in a hot and steamy climate, you probably will get better insect control from geckos than from insecticides anyway. Citronella grass You're probably most familiar with citronella candles to repel mosquitoes, but the smell comes from a plant called Cymbopogon nardus, which gives off a distinct beach grass. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/e\/e0\/Get-Rid-of-Geckos-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Get-Rid-of-Geckos-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/e\/e0\/Get-Rid-of-Geckos-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/aid9504164-v4-728px-Get-Rid-of-Geckos-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"