How To Keep Toads Out of the Garage

Toads can sound pleasant in the beginning when you think of their importance to the ecosystem.

However, it only takes a matter of days when one toad multiplies into several, and your yard is filled with a chorus of croaking sounds.

Besides creating annoying noises that disrupt sleep, toads can also be poisonous. They can even mess up your garden and damage your property, so they should be kept out.

But it is advised not to kill toads as some of these amphibians are endangered. So we must think of more humane ways of getting rid of them.

However, if you think the species is not endangered but is poisonous and may harm your children and pets, then as a last resort, you may euthanize them.

So, without further ado, let’s dive into knowing all the different methods of getting rid of toads.

3 Ways To Keep Toads Out of the Garage

Below we have discussed in detail all the remedies you can adopt to keep toads out of your garage:

1. Making Your Garage Less Attractive to Toads

One of the essential measures you can take to keep toads out is to adopt preventative measures. These measures will help ensure that your garage becomes inaccessible to the toads in the first place.

A. Turn Off the Outside Lights

The primary thing that attracts toads to your garage is the presence of insects and pests. For example, when lights are turned on, many insects get attracted to them and will stay in your garage because of it.

So, when the toads smell this potential food source, they hop into your garage. Therefore, make sure your garage lights are always turned off if not being used.

B. Get Rid of Water Sources

Another thing that attracts toads is the presence of any water source. These slimy creatures will hop after them, be it a pond, fountain, or your pet’s water bowl.

This is especially true in the breeding season because, during that time, toads lay their eggs in the water.

The eggs will then eventually hatch into more toads leading to an increased population of these amphibians.

Therefore, it is advised to drain out standing water, empty buckets filled with water, and even bird baths that are low enough to attract toads should be kept out.

C. Remove Pet Food Bowls From the Garage

Pet food also brings the toads to your garage. This is because insects get attracted to pet food, and toads are attracted to insects.

So, relocate your pet’s eating area inside the house so that the toads and the insects don’t go after it. Make sure your pet also does not take its food outside.

D. Clear Out Dark and Hidden Areas That Toads Like To Use As Hiding Spots

Toads seek refuge in places that are dark, damp, and away from the sun. So if you think your garage has spots that can become potential hiding spots for toads, such as old cardboard boxes, pots, or any other container, you should get rid of them.

This is an excellent way to deter toads.

2. Removing Toads Manually

If the toads have already invaded your garage, then you can try to remove them manually. Here is how you can manually remove toads:

A. Pay a Professional

You can call a professional pest control operative to come and remove the toads. If the toads in your garage are poisonous and you do not want to kill them, getting help from professionals is the best way to get rid of them.

Otherwise, if the toads in your garage are few and harmless, you can remove them or pay someone to do it for you.

B. Remove the Eggs From Water Bodies During the Breeding Season

As mentioned above, toads get attracted to water during the breeding season to lay their eggs. So, before the eggs get hatched into more toads, you should remove them instantly.

The breeding season is typically between March and June. This is when you will notice small and dotted caviar-like eggs in the water body present in your house. Wear a glove, scoop the eggs out, and place them on a dry surface so they don’t get hatched.

C. Use Home Remedies

Another effective way of getting rid of toads is to use home remedies. These remedies include:

• Saltwater spray
• Vinegar spray
• Coffee grounds
• Bleach spray

The sprays are easy to make. For saltwater, mix 1 part salt with 4 part water and spray in all of the affected areas. The exact measurement is true for both the vinegar spray and the bleach spray.

However, it would be best to be careful while handling the bleach as it can damage your skin. Wear a glove when making the mixture.

You can sprinkle coffee grounds across your garage if you don’t want to use the sprays.

These ingredients work because toads have wet skin, so any kind of irritant, such as coffee or salt, gives them an unpleasant feeling, so they keep away from them.

3. Euthanizing Invasive and Poisonous Species

You can use euthanizing techniques as a last resort for getting rid of toads. First, however, you must ensure that the toads you are willing to euthanize are not endangered or poisonous.

To euthanize toads, you must first identify the species that are not native to your area. You can use two methods to euthanize these toads. They include:

A. Using Benzocaine Ointment

You can buy the benzocaine ointment from your local pharmacy. Wear gloves and apply about an inch of the ointment on the frog’s spine. Wait for about 40 minutes when the toad is nearly dead. Then, remove it and place it in the trash.

B. Using a Citric Acid Solution

if you are scared of applying the ointment, then you can use a citric acid solution that you can spray from afar. All you have to do is add about half a kg of citric acid powder into 1 gallon of water. Spray the solution directly on the toads. This solution will kill the toads.

Conclusion

The worst-case scenario is not when toads get noisy and annoying. It’s when they are invasive and poisonous, so removing them from your garage is essential.

You can make your yard less attractive, remove toads manually, or euthanize them if they are poisonous. Knowing all the methods to get rid of the toads is better than killing them for good.

We hope this article helped solve your problem and that you can make your garage toad free.