Commonly known as the house gecko due to his propensity for sneaking into our homes, the gecko is more of a beneficial animal than a pest.
However, his presence in your home could be a sign of a more serious infestation of insects. Worse, if a house gecko dies in your home without your knowledge, you’ll be left with a wretched smell and often a carcass that attracts flesh flies, ants, and other nasty pests.
Do you know how to get rid of house gecko invaders and keep them from coming back? If not, don’t worry. That’s what we’re here to discuss today.
But before we begin, let’s take a moment to talk a bit more about what a house gecko is and why they are truly beneficial animals.
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What Is A House Gecko?
Also known as the common house gecko, the gecko is a reptile commonly found in the United States.
There are thousands of species of lizards throughout the world, but there are only two that win the title of being some of the most common culprits to invade our homes. These lizards include the tiny green anole and, yes, the house gecko.
Though not common throughout the entire United States as of yet, the house gecko has been documented in Hawaii, Florida, California, Georgia, and Alabama. Native to Southeast Asia, the house gecko was likely introduced to the United States via human travel, though no one knows for certain.
Today, geckos are one of the most widespread lizards throughout the world, and while they can consume several resources, they are typically seen as beneficial animals as they primarily feed on pests like crickets, mealworms, flies, and more.
They are not dangerous to people or pets as they are relatively docile and non-venomous. However, larger house geckos can bite if distressed, and they can spread a bacteria known as salmonella, which can be serious in people.
What Does The House Gecko Look Like?
If you’re wondering how to get rid of house gecko problems in your home, it’s important that you properly identify the animal first.
House geckos are small, growing to be between three and six inches. They have four legs, a long tail, and are often green, brown, gray, yellow, brown, or a pinkish tan. They also often have spotted patterns on their bodies.
Are you dealing with a house gecko problem? Let’s talk about why you might have found a house gecko inside your home.
Why Do I Have A House Gecko In My House?
Geckos do not bite and are not venomous, however, they can spread diseases if they get into your food.
Like many home-invading pests, the house gecko is after four essential things he needs to survive. These things include food, water, shelter, and warmth.
In general, house geckos prefer to be outdoors where there is an abundance of food for them in yards and gardens. However, the house gecko in particular is a tropical lizard, and he does not do particularly well in the cold.
Most people begin looking into how to get rid of house gecko invaders once the seasons change and the weather cools down.
However, dropping temperatures may not be the only reason you have a house gecko in your home. House geckos are also commonly attracted to homes with an abundance of food.
House geckos are beneficial lizards because they eat so many common pests, but when they find their way into your home, this could be a sign of a worse pest problem, as we’ve mentioned.
But how do house geckos find their way inside?
These small lizards are crafty. They are able to climb almost any type of surface and can find their way into entry points as small as a dime depending on their size. This means that gaps in doorways or windows, vulnerabilities in your siding, or even open doors can allow a house gecko access to your home.
Most people stumble across house geckos in their home hiding behind furniture or in corners, and sometimes on walls. They often infiltrate mudrooms, basements, window wells, and crawl spaces where food sources are more likely to be hiding as well.
Although having a house gecko inside could potentially help rid you of some insects, a house gecko that dies in your home could lead to more pests. This is especially true if you are unaware that a house gecko has died and decayed.
So, how do you get rid of house gecko invaders as well as the prey that may have attracted them to your home? Keep reading to find out.
How To Get Rid Of House Gecko Using Traps And Repellents
Getting rid of a house gecko often means also removing the insects from your home.
For the immediate removal of a house gecko, you have a few methods, but one of the easiest and most effective methods for how to get rid of house gecko invaders is to use traps. There are several kinds of traps for house gecko removal, and not all of them are made equally.
Be especially careful of using traps that could cause harm to a house gecko if you plan to release it back outside. You also have the option of using glue traps, which can capture a house gecko as well as many of the other pests that may have attracted him there.
While glue traps are controversial when it comes to the capturing of animals and like lizards, snakes, and rodents, there are ways you can humanely release a critter from a glue trap using olive oil and a spatula.
Not sure which traps would be best for how to get rid of house gecko invaders? We have listed the ones we would most recommend for you to consider below.
Lizard Defense Lizard Traps and Spray
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First on our list of products for how to get rid of house gecko invaders is a two-in-one lizard defense spray and glue trap kit.
This product includes five glue traps designed to capture and monitor lizards in your home, (as well as the insect prey that may have attracted them there). It also includes a repellent spray made with non-toxic ingredients that help to repel any geckos in the home and keep new ones from coming back around. You can use both the traps and the spray indoors and out.
The ingredients are natural and include essential oils that leave a pleasant smell for people but are repulsive to pests. These ingredients in the repellent spray can also help deter other pests as well like spiders, roaches, and ants.
Catchmaster Glue Boards
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Remember, while glue traps may be controversial for those looking for a more humane way for how to get rid of house gecko pests, you can use a bit of olive oil to remove the pest gently and release it back outside.
With that noted, when it comes to glue boards we recommend the Catchmaster Glue Boards listed above. The above order comes with 72 glue boards, and what we like best about this product for how to get rid of house gecko invasions is that it folds, providing what appears to be a safe “dwelling” for house geckos to retreat before they get stuck.
The folded design also means curious pets and children are less likely to get caught up in the sticky glue.
Place these glue boards behind furniture, in corners, in basements, and in the back of cabinets to capture not only house geckos but also other pests like rodents, spiders, and roaches.
Colton’s Naturals Lizard Repellent Spray
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We like Colton’s Naturals Lizard Repellent Spray because it uses essential oils like peppermint oil and cinnamon oil to repel reptiles like the house gecko, anoles, snakes, and other pests.
The spray is 100% natural, and it is not only environmentally safe but also kid and pet-friendly. It provides you with a safe and humane way not only how to get rid of house gecko invaders inside your home, but also to keep house geckos outside of your home where they belong.
This product provides long-lasting protection and even leaves a pleasant, fresh-smelling scent you‘ll enjoy. You can use it both inside and out and it is so safe you can even spray it directly in your garden.
Best of all, peppermint oil is repulsive not only to house geckos, but also to other pests that may have attracted them to your yard and gardens like spiders, flies, and other insects.
The Neatmaster Ultrasonic Pest Repeller
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We like ultrasonic pest repellers for how to get rid of house gecko problems because they are low-maintenance, humane, environmentally friendly, and family-safe. These products can be set and forgotten about, as they work using vibrations and ultrasonic sound waves that are highly annoying to pests like house geckos while being harmless to people and pets.
The above ultrasonic pest repeller can be used year-round and as a preventative measure as much as a repellent.
We also like that the above product has different frequencies depending on the seriousness of your pest problem, and you can set it according to your needs. Just note that when this ultrasonic pest repeller is set to its highest function it can be irritating for some pets.
BuyBlocker All Natural Lizard Repellent Granules
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Last on our list of products you can use for how to get rid of house gecko problems are the above granules by BuyBlocker. These granules are for outside use, which is perfect considering all house gecko invasions begin outdoors.
If you want to protect your home from house geckos and other pests, we do recommend you begin outside in your garden and use some form of pest control. For geckos specifically, the Lizard Blocker above is an all-natural, garden-safe, kid-safe, and pet-safe solution to repel these pests quickly.
How To Get Rid Of House Gecko – Best Products For Prevention
There are different methods you can use for getting rid of a house gecko.
We always say prevention is key when it comes to pest control, and this is especially true for critters like house geckos. While they may not infest your home in large numbers, a house gecko inside is often a sign of a larger pest problem.
Remember, house geckos are after four things – water, food, shelter, and warmth. Their food is primarily going to be insects, as we mentioned above, which means if you continuously spot house geckos in your home or your yard, you likely have an abundance of insects there that are attracting them.
One of the best ways to reduce how often you deal with house geckos and house gecko invaders is to use preventative measures to get rid of their food source. This means implementing a good pest control regiment year-round.
Some of the best products for how to get rid of house gecko prey are listed below.
Wondercide Indoor Pest Control Spray
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Since knowing how to get rid of house gecko pests means getting rid of their food source, you’re going to want to start with a quality pest control spray. For inside your home, we recommend using Wondercide Indoor Pest Control Spray because it is all-natural and safe enough to use in areas where food is stored and prepared.
This product is safe for children and pets and does not contain any harsh ingredients or toxic chemicals. In fact, like many of the products in today’s article, Wondercide is an all-natural spray that uses plant-based ingredients and essential oils to repel pests like flies, gnats, fleas, spiders, roaches, ants, and more.
In some cases, Wondercide may even help to repel the house gecko.
Wondercide Outdoor Pest Control Barrier
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If you like the Wondercide indoor spray, chances are you’ll love the Wondercide outdoor spray and barrier. This product comes in a 32-ounce container and includes a spray nozzle for easy application. It is specifically designed to create a barrier of protection around your home to repel pests like mosquitoes, flies, gnats, fleas, ticks, and other insect pests that could attract more house geckos to your property.
There is no spray and wait time with this product, which means both children and pets can be present while you use it. It is safe enough to spray directly on playground equipment and gentle enough to spray in your garden and on your lawn.
Cutter Indoor Home Defense
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If you have a serious pest problem in your home, we recommend investing in a more heavy-duty pest control spray like Cutter Indoor Home Defense. This spray comes in a gallon container and kills pests on contact using a wand applicator so you can reach all those cracks and crevices where pests may be hiding.
The product works against ants, fleas, roaches, spiders, and more. It is free of odors, though it does contain chemicals that could be toxic to children and pets. Be sure to use this product only as directed when using it for how to get rid of house gecko prey, and keep it out of reach of children when it is not in use.
Ortho Home Defense Max
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Ortho Home Defense Max is another trusted product you can use not necessarily for how to get rid of house gecko invaders, but for how to get rid of house gecko prey like insects. This product even works on dangerous pests like fleas and ticks.
It too includes a comfort wand for easier application, and its fast-acting formula kills insects on contact. It provides long-lasting protection for pests like roaches, ants, spiders, and other pests that could potentially attract house geckos.
While this spray is effective, do keep in mind that it contains chemical ingredients that could be toxic to people and pets. Again, use this pest control spray only as directed and store it out of reach of children.
Mighty Mint Insect Pest Control Spray
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Mighty Mint is a natural spray that can help repel pests and potentially even the house gecko thanks to its peppermint smell. It is an all-natural spray that works using non-toxic, plant-based ingredients like peppermint essential oil and helps repel pests like spiders, roaches, ants, flies, and more.
This product is safe to use inside and outside, though the order is small and this is not the ideal pest control product for very large infestations of insects that may be attracting the house gecko.
With that being said, this spray can work well as a preventative and keep both insect pests and house gecko pests from wanting to come inside your home.
Pestless Ultrasonic Pest Repellent For Outdoors
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Since nearly all house gecko invasions begin outdoors, your preventative efforts should include using methods to keep geckos out of your yard and garden. When it comes to how to get rid of house gecko problems outside, we like the idea of using ultrasonic pest repellent stakes.
These stakes are solar powered and come in a package of four. They are ideal for the yard and garden and can help not only how to get rid of house gecko pests but also snakes, mice, gophers, and moles. These are safe and humane repellents that are environmentally friendly, child and pet safe, and easy to use.
Like other ultrasonic pest repellent products, you can set these repellents up and forget about them, which is a nice plus.
How To Make Your Own House Gecko Repellent
Getting rid of a house gecko does not always have to mean a trip to the store.
Though house geckos are frustrating and sometimes even unnerving to stumble upon in your home, they are relatively simple to control. Best of all, control methods for how to get rid of house gecko problems don’t always require the use of harsh chemicals or lethal poisons.
House geckos are quite sensitive, and they are repelled by several smells. One of these smells is the smell of peppermint, which means you can use peppermint oil to make your house gecko repellent at home on your own.
There are two ways to use peppermint oil for how to get rid of house gecko invaders. The first way is to make your own essential oil spray.
To make this essential oil lizard repellent spray, you will need:
- 1 Spray Bottle
- 2 Cups of Water
- 15 to 20 drops of Peppermint Oil
- Cayenne Pepper (Optional)
Combine the above ingredients into the spray bottle and then mix it thoroughly. To keep the house gecko from getting in your home and to use this peppermint repellent spray as a preventative, spray it around windows, doors, and other entry points in your home.
To get rid of house geckos in your home, spray this solution anywhere you have noticed house gecko activity.
Along with naturally repelling house geckos, this DIY lizard repellent spray will also repel spiders, roaches, flies, mosquitos, crickets, and other home-invading pests.
You also have the option of using cotton balls soaked in peppermint oil for how to get rid of house gecko invaders.
Again, you can use this method as a preventative for future house geckos and also as a method for how to get rid of house gecko invaders that are in your home currently.
To use this method and get the best results, place cotton balls soaked in peppermint oil around doorways and entry or exit points. You can also place soaked cotton balls in areas of your home where you suspect house gecko activity.
For the best results, replace these soaked cotton balls with freshly soaked cotton balls once every two to three days.
Tips On Preventing A House Gecko From Getting Back Inside
Keeping house geckos outside where they belong is best for everyone, including the gecko.
Working on how to get rid of house gecko problems can be frustrating, especially if you have other pests in your home that have brought them there.
The best way to deal with pests like the house gecko is to use preventative measures so you can tackle the issue head-on before it gets out of control or overwhelming.
With that in mind, we have some expert tips and tricks for how you can protect your home and keep house geckos outside where they belong in the future.
Keep Up With Routine Lawn and Garden Care
As we’ve mentioned a few times now, all house gecko invasions begin outdoors. An abundance of house geckos in your yard or garden often means an abundance of insects. To reduce the number of house geckos in your garden, work to reduce the number of insect pests.
This can be done by ensuring you keep your lawn trimmed short and that you remove any excess debris around your homes like water buckets, gardening tools, leaf litter, tree branches, and empty flower pots that could fill with water.
It’s also a good idea to remove potential shelter areas for pests like the house gecko, as they are less likely to invade your property if they don’t feel safe there.
Repair Vulnerabilities Around Your Home
And speaking of invading your property, remember that the house gecko often finds his way inside your home via vulnerabilities. You can stop him from getting inside by simply keeping up with routine home maintenance.
Be sure to caulk and seal cracks and crevices that seem large enough for a house gecko to get through. Repair screens that don’t fit correctly and ensure there are no gaps in doorways. We also recommend refraining from leaving doors or windows open without a screen barrier.
This should not only help prevent house geckos from invading your home in the future but also the other pests that will likely attract them there.
Keep Foliage At Least Three Feet From Your Home’s Siding
Plantlife that touches the sides of your house may look attractive, but they also provide shelter for pests like insects and lizards. This foliage may also provide pests with easier access to your home, so keep foliage trimmed back and make sure it’s at least three feet away from your home’s siding.
Use A Routine Pest Control Regiment Year-Round
Since insects are often one of the main reasons you’re dealing with a house gecko, one of the best ways to prevent a house gecko invasion is to prevent the bugs. It’s a good idea to use a quality pest control regiment year-round to prevent these pests from becoming problematic so that you won’t have to look up how to get rid of house gecko invaders again.
So, what do you think of house geckos and our methods of removal? Have you tried any of the products listed above?
Share your thoughts with us on house geckos in the comment section below.
Jack founded our blog after two decades of working in the pest control industry. His vast experience dealing with a wide array of pests allows him to diagnose issues quickly and get to the heart of pest problems quickly and effectively. He has serviced more than 2,000 homes over his career and there is hardly any pest situation that he has not seen before.