If you don’t like lizards, you don’t have to put up with them anymore. There are simple and economic remedies to help you repel these creatures. If you are looking for a simple and cost-effective solution, you should try naphthalene balls.
Do naphthalene balls repel lizards? Yes, apart from driving away small insects and pests, naphthalene balls also drive lizards away due to their peculiar smell.
There are several reasons why lizards keep entering your home, including open doors and cluttered areas for hiding places. While they are not ideal for indoor living, lizards make a great pest control service since they prey on cockroaches, spiders, ants, and other harmful garden pests.
Although naphthalene balls are a great method, there are a few things you need to keep in mind to prevent health risks.
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What are naphthalene balls aka mothballs?
They are white solid balls composed of naphthalene which is a hydrocarbon with a strong mothball odor. I bet you know very well how mothballs smell and you’ll probably have an old lady picture in your head.
They are commonly used in households to repel pests in diverse areas. Most commonly, they are stored among clothing to kill and repel insects with their pungent smell. They can also repel rodents and reptiles like lizards.
How do naphthalene balls work?
Naphthalene balls work via sublimation: they begin as a solid, then form into gas and release noxious fumes. These fumes are toxic and deter lizards and insects.
In order for this repellent to work well, the balls must be kept in an enclosed environment where the lizards are trapped with the fumes. Otherwise, the fumes will have little to no effect on the pests.
Are mothballs effective against lizards?
You can place naphthalene balls in the corners of your house including the entrance of the dwelling, and in the bathroom or kitchen sinks.
These balls will interfere with the lizard’s sense of smell and make them go away. The peculiar smell of mothballs will distract and eventually repel lizards.
These pellets are a cheap and effective option that will help get rid of lizards as well as other pests, such as moths. You can use these balls as a simple method for repelling lizards from your home.
Plus, since naphthalene balls also function as an insect repellent you’ll be driving insects away too. Put naphthalene balls in all possible lizard hideouts like nooks, recesses, crevices, corners, etc. and they will leave your house.
Is this method humane?
House lizards are harmless animals. They help with pest control so you could learn to live with them, but this may not be possible if you are scared of them or have children and pets.
Naphthalene balls repel lizards by irritating them. The smell of this chemical is harmful to these creatures and it is hazardous if they eat them. In short, naphthalene balls aren’t entirely humane but they are effective.
Are naphthalene balls safe?
Naphthalene is a toxic chemical. As the balls are exposed to air, they become a gas. This gas is irritating to the eyes and lungs and may cause headaches, dizziness, and nausea.
In fact, naphthalene is suspected of causing cancer. People who are exposed to it regularly especially in industrial settings are at higher risk.
Overexposure to naphthalene may damage or destroy blood cells, a condition called hemolytic anemia. This occurs when there is an excess hemolysis in the body and a low number of red blood cells.
Due to this hazard, it is important for you to be careful when using them, especially if you have children or pets around your house or property. The temptation for children or pets to play with the balls will be reduced completely if there are no naphthalene balls around.
Babies are the most vulnerable to these risks because they are less able to clear toxic naphthalene byproducts formed in their blood. If you suspect that your child has ingested a naphthalene ball, you should seek medical care immediately.
Exposure can come in other forms aside from ingestion, such as skin contact or inhalation. In any case, all are risky but ingestion is the worst form of exposure so it is imperative to monitor your child and pets if you opt for this pest control method.
If you don’t have children or pets, naphthalene balls can be the perfect solution for repelling lizards. However, you’ll still have to use them the right way. Read below to find out how!
How to use mothballs as a lizard repellent?
It’s important to use naphthalene balls in the safest way possible to repel lizards. Although it works via sublimation, there are a few steps that can be taken to enhance the methods.
Step 1
Lizards find their way into the house through windows. Simply placing naphthalene balls on your window sills (outside) will deter the lizards from entering your home. Also, you can seal the cracks with caulk if there are any gaps in the seal of your window.
Step 2
Scatter a few naphthalene balls near entrances and doors to deter lizards and other pests from entering the home. The smell of these balls may repel lizards and snakes. You can put them in an open container if you do not want to scatter them on the ground.
Step 3
Put one to three mothballs in potted plants to repel lizards and other pests. Ensure you replace the balls after it rains.
Step 4
If you intend to repel lizards from your garden, place the naphthalene balls about one foot apart within the perimeter of the garden, or up and down the rows to ensure full coverage.
What’s the bottom line? Do naphthalene balls repel lizards?
Yes, naphthalene balls are an easy solution for repelling lizards. However, you must use them correctly in order to see (or not see!) results, which is why we advise you to follow the steps we have outlined.
It is also important to avoid overexposure in order to minimize health risks, particularly if you have kids or pets.
Of course, there are other ways to get rid of lizards such as repellent, removing them, and decreasing the population of bugs in your house, but as we have seen, naphthalene balls are an effective solution.
If you used naphthalene balls and it didn’t work, it could be that you have a severe infestation. If that is the case, you should contact a pest control service to handle the problem.
