6 Solutions to Prevent Geckos from Entering Your Home
Six natural strategies to prevent geckos from invading your home effectively and safely.
Sealing Entry Points
Natural Repellents
Reducing Insects
Decluttering
Eggshell Trick
Moisture Control
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Geckos are harmless creatures that eat insects and rarely cause damage, but that doesn’t mean you want them crawling across your walls, ceilings, or lampshades. For many homeowners, the sudden appearance of a gecko inside the house is unpleasant, surprising, and unwelcome.
The good news?
You don’t need harmful chemicals or professional extermination to keep geckos away.
A few natural, practical, and highly effective strategies can prevent them from entering your home and make your living space less attractive to them.
Here are six proven solutions to stop geckos from entering your home — safely and naturally.
1. Seal All Entry Points — The Most Important Step
Geckos don’t magically appear inside the house — they enter through tiny gaps, cracks, and openings.
The first step to stopping them is securing your home’s entry points.
Where geckos usually enter:
Gaps under doors
Window cracks
Ventilation openings
Loose screens
Wall cracks
Spaces around pipes
Damaged door frames
How to fix these entry points:
Install door sweeps under all exterior doors
Use silicone caulk to seal small cracks
Repair window screens (or install new ones)
Cover ventilation openings with mesh
Fix loose tiles or wall gaps
Why this works:
Geckos are small, flexible, and fast — if there’s even a 1 cm gap, they can squeeze through.
Closing their access is the strongest long-term solution.
2. Use Natural Repellents with Strong Smells
Geckos hate certain smells and will avoid places where these scents are present.
These natural repellents are safe, cheap, and easy to use.
Effective natural repellents:
Garlic cloves
Onion slices
Pepper spray (mild)
Coffee powder + tobacco mix
Lemongrass essential oil
Peppermint oil
How to use them:
Place crushed garlic or onion near entry points
Spray diluted peppermint or lemongrass oil around windows
Sprinkle coffee powder in dark corners
Use repellent cotton balls soaked in essential oils
Why this works:
Strong smells irritate a gecko’s respiratory system, encouraging them to stay away from your home.
3. Reduce Insects — The Gecko’s Primary Food Source
Geckos don’t come into your home for fun — they come for food, and that food is insects.
If your home has mosquitoes, flies, ants, or moths, geckos will follow.
How to reduce insects indoors:
Keep lights low at night (light attracts bugs)
Use window screens to prevent insects from entering
Clean up crumbs and spills immediately
Store food in airtight containers
Take out the trash regularly
Fix leaks that attract insects
Use natural insect repellents or traps
Why this matters:
If there are no insects, geckos have no reason to stay.
Removing their food source is one of the smartest ways to make your home gecko-free.
4. Keep Your Home Clean and Clutter-Free
Geckos love hiding in warm, dark, undisturbed areas — especially behind furniture, inside cupboards, and around clutter.
Decluttering tips:
Move furniture away from walls periodically
Clean behind shelves, cabinets, and appliances
Avoid storing cardboard boxes (geckos love them)
Keep closets and storage areas organized
Dust and sweep corners frequently
Why this works:
A tidy home leaves fewer hiding spots and makes your space less appealing to geckos.
5. Use Eggshells — A Popular Traditional Method
Placing broken eggshells near windows, balconies, or doorways is a well-known trick used in many cultures to keep geckos away.
Why eggshells work:
Geckos mistake eggshells for larger animals and instinctively avoid the area — thinking a predator might be nearby.
How to do it:
Use clean, thoroughly washed eggshells
Place them in corners, near doors, or on windowsills
Replace them every 2–3 weeks
Extra tip:
Never leave eggshells with yolk or residue — this attracts insects, which attracts even more geckos.
6. Reduce Moisture — Geckos Love Damp Places
Moisture attracts insects, and insects attract geckos.
A dry home is less appealing to both.
How to manage moisture:
Fix leaking faucets and pipes
Use exhaust fans in kitchens and bathrooms
Improve ventilation in closed spaces
Dry wet areas immediately
Keep sink areas clean and dry
Use a dehumidifier if needed
Why this helps:
Moisture creates warm, humid environments where insects thrive — eliminating it helps reduce both pests and geckos.