Gecko control in Harat Al Mazloum, Jeddah

Targeted, not broadcast

Product goes into cracks and runways, never sprayed across open surfaces.
Told before we start

What we will use, where it goes, and what to cover or move before we arrive.
A follow-up visit

We return after the first treatment, because what survives it does not show on the day.
Homes and businesses

Apartments and villas, and kitchens and stores that need a record of each visit.

Why they keep coming back in Harat Al Mazloum

Old coral stone houses have deep cracks between the stones, and the timber rawashin have rotted from centuries of humidity. Geckos enter from low openings in the foundations and hide in cracks between stone and wood. The method is set out in full on how we approach Gecko control.

The first reason

Decayed stone and timber

Old coral stone buildings and timber rawashin have been worn by centuries and moisture. Cracks between stones and between stone and timber offer many gecko and insect shelters. We treat these cracks and voids with care, avoiding damage to the foundations.

The second reason

Gaps under doors and windows

Old house doors and windows have sagged and the gaps around frames are large. Geckos and insects slip in easily. We seal these openings and treat gaps around doors and windows.

The third reason

Old popular markets

Souq Al Jami and the nearby eateries and sweet shops leave food scraps in the lanes. Insects cluster in the narrow alleys and geckos become active at night around shop openings. We treat shop entrances and cracks around the souqs.

Landmarks of Harat Al Mazloum

Work in Harat Al Mazloum requires knowing its lanes and boundaries: Al Alawi Street marks the north, and Bab Makkah and Souq Al Badu the east. Souq Al Jami in its centre is the work reference point, and Al Shafi'i Mosque, Dar Qabil and Baeshen House are historic markers of the quarter.

Al Shafi'i Mosque
Souq Al Jami
Baeshen House
Bab Makkah
Al Alawi Street

Before treatment

The food, the opening and the crevice decide the method

The quarter is close to the harbour and sea, with very high humidity all year. The narrow lanes trap water and damp, and old timber and crumbling foundations create many cavities and gaps.

A small house gecko resting on a pale wall

The house gecko

Geckos in Harat Al Mazloum hide in cracks between stones and gaps around timber. Coral stone houses offer countless shelters, so we treat prominent cracks and surface voids.

Outdoor lighting

Lighting in the narrow lanes is dim and attracts night insects. Geckos wait around lights, openings and windows. We treat corners and cracks around bulbs and gaps.

An insect screen on a window, seen close up

Window mesh

Window mesh in old houses is ancient or missing. We fit new mesh or repair existing mesh and treat gaps around frames.

Air-conditioner pipes passing through an outside wall

The air-conditioner sleeve

Air conditioner sleeves and pipes in old houses are direct holes through the wall. Gaps around pipes are large so we seal and treat them carefully.

An electrical distribution board mounted on a wall

Meter boxes and electrical panels

Old electrical panels and exposed wires in alleys shelter insects. We treat around panels carefully, keeping away from live wires.

A garden wall with watered planting beside it

The garden and the irrigation

Parks and irrigation are scarce in the narrow alleys but pipe leaks create damp in foundations. We monitor gaps around pipes and foundation seams.

How we work

1
Inspect at night and find the source

We come at the hour it is actually moving, and establish which wall face it is living on, which lights are gathering its food, the entry points and the crevices it wedges into by day.
2
Treat the food source

We treat the flying and crawling insects on the wall faces, around the perimeter and around the lighting. Once the food goes, the wall stops being worth staying on.
3
Close the openings and clear the crevices

We seal the air-conditioner sleeve, screen the vents and drain outlets, deal with the underside of doors, and place a repellent in the crevices and behind panels so they move out before anything is closed.
4
The follow-up visit

We come back once the glued eggs have hatched, check the seals held, and re-treat any wall face where activity has returned.

What gecko control includes

A recorded night inspection

Wall faces, lighting, entry points and egg sites, all established before anything is applied.
Treating the insects on the walls

Targeted treatment around lighting, windows and the building perimeter, because the food is what keeps it there.
Placed repellent in the crevices

Behind panels, in wall joints and at the ceiling-void entries, where it sits out the day.
Screening vents and drain openings

Shafts, vents and the condensate outlet, which are entry points nobody looks at.
Aftercare instructions

Ventilation, what to cover, and the change to the outside lighting that stops the insects gathering again.
A scheduled follow-up

A set date after the first treatment, a check on the seals and re-treatment of anything still active.

What is different about Historic Jeddah Municipality

The Historic Jeddah municipality covers the quarters of Al Balad inside the old wall: Al Mazloum, Al Sham, Al Yaman and Al Bahr. The buildings are tall houses of coral limestone and timber rawashin, centuries old, standing shoulder to shoulder on narrow lanes that see little sun, many under restoration or partly vacant. The ground is low and close to the sea and the harbour, humidity stays high through the year, and popular souqs and eateries trade late into the night. Old timber, voids between walls and goods stores create conditions favoured by termites, cockroaches, rodents and wood boring beetles.

Questions about this district

Do geckos live inside the walls of an old coral stone house?

Yes, cracks between stones and voids between stone and timber are ideal shelter. Geckos sleep there by day and emerge at night. We treat cracks with care because the structure is ancient and fragile.

Why does humidity help geckos in the old quarters?

Moisture attracts more insects and geckos follow them. Humidity also keeps a gecko's skin moist, so they choose damp places. Wet stone and narrow lanes are their favourite refuges.

Will treating the cracks harm the foundation and ancient structure?

We use materials safe on old buildings and do not fill structural cracks. We focus on surface voids, surface-level cracks and gaps around doors and windows.

How often do old houses need treatment in a year?

Old houses may need two visits yearly because cracks are numerous and eggs hatch several times. We set the schedule after the first inspection of openings and cracks.

What about windows and openings in the old house?

Old windows often lack mesh or have torn mesh. We fit new tight mesh or repair existing mesh and treat gaps around the frame.

Do you treat restaurants and shops in the old alleys?

Yes, popular restaurants and shops in the souq leave food scraps that draw insects. We treat their entrances and gaps around doors and kitchen openings.

How much does gecko control in Harat Al Mazloum cost?

It is set after the inspection, because the price follows the type of infestation, the size of the space, how far it has spread and the number of visits it needs. Send a photo and a description on WhatsApp and we will give you an estimate before we reach Harat Al Mazloum.