Noticing slugs in your kitchen is extremely revolting but also not particularly uncommon. And fortunately, removing them and preventing them from coming back is extremely easy as well. In this article, we’re going to look at both of these things as well as what causes slugs to enter your kitchen in the first place, and other things to think about if you notice slugs in your kitchen.
So keep reading to find out everything you want to know about slugs in your kitchen.
First Of All, Why Are Slugs Entering Your Kitchen?
There are four main reasons that slugs are entering your kitchen. They’re looking for a warm, moist, shaded area with plenty of food for them to eat. And unfortunately, certain parts of your kitchen provide all of this. Unfortunately, when we talk about the food they want, we don’t just mean scraps left over. They also feed on mold and fungus, so if either is in your kitchen, this is going to attract them as well.
So How Do You Remove And Prevent Slugs In Your Kitchen?
Fortunately, there are SO many different ways you can prevent slugs from entering your kitchen, and if you do notice them in there, it’s not going to be hard to put a stop to it quickly. Here are all the different methods you can try to remove them!
1. Find Where They’re Hiding
The first thing you’re going to want to do is to find where they’re hiding. To do this, turn the lights in your kitchen off when it’s dark and then shine a torch around your kitchen. All you have to do then is look for slug trails, and once you find them, just follow them back to their source.
When you’re looking for where they’re hiding, make sure you’re checking all the joints, holes, and gaps in your walls, as well as under doors, behind pipes and cabinets, and under doors and cupboards.
2. Seal All Gaps They Might Be
Once you’ve found all the places that slugs be hiding, the next step is to seal the gaps. This sounds complicated, but all you have to do is fill them up with sealant or expanding foam. And the best part is, not only will this stop slugs getting in, but it will also stop the elements from getting in as well.
3. Kill Them
If you’re not squeamish, or you don’t mind, the easiest way to get rid of a slug is to simply kill them. All you need to do is stab them with something sharp and then drop them into a bucket of water, and they’ll just die without any hassle.
However, remember, there are much more humane ways to deal with slugs.
As well as this, you can also chuck salt on them to dehydrate them to the point they die. Sea salt is the most effective choice for this.
4. Copper Tape
Copper tape is a great deterrent for slugs, and while it’s normally used for gardens, it can definitely be used in the home. To use copper tape effectively, you just have to place it around areas slugs are entering or trying to hide. Once this is done and they slide over it, it’s going to give them a shock which will deter them from going back to that area.
5. Reseal All Doors And Windows
The next important thing to do is make sure you’re resealing all the doors and windows to your house. Slugs can get through tiny cracks and holes, and you’ll be amazed at how small a gap can be for them to get through. This is the perfect time to go round and reseal everything. Not only will it keep slugs out, but it will also keep a draft out as well.
6. Clean Your Kitchen
It goes without saying, but if there are slugs in your kitchen, that means it’s a good time to give it a solid clean. Make sure you get into any crevice you think slugs could be hiding, and check the kitchen for mold and fungus as well (which slugs love to eat).
7. Check For Leaks
While you’re cleaning your kitchen, you should also be checking for leaks. Slugs like cool, moist areas, and if there’s a leak in your kitchen, it could be creating the perfect habitat for slugs. Check for any places your dishwasher may be leaking, and then get it fixed as soon as possible.
8. Use Slug Repelling Plants
Rosemary, geraniums, lavender, and euphorbias are all plants you can add to your kitchen whose smells are going to repel slugs. Just putting a few of them close to the kitchen sink should be enough to make slugs avoid returning to it.
9. Use Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous earth is a great choice if you’re willing to sprinkle it around the areas you think slugs are entering and exiting. Once you sprinkle it over these areas and the slugs crawl over it, it will draw the moisture out of them and slowly dehydrate them until they die. Just make sure that you don’t breathe it in as it’s known to be an irritant to people.
10. Create A Slug Trap
You can also create a slug trap to catch slugs. Just add beer to a shallow beer with an inch of sugary water or beer. This should draw the slugs out for a drink, and once they fall in, they won’t be able to leave again. Just make sure that you empty it quickly as otherwise, the slugs will likely die.
11. Use Slug Repelling Plants
You should also add slug repelling plants to your kitchen to reduce the number of slugs that are going to want to stick around. Hydrangeas, lavender, and euphorbias are all great choices that slugs will positively hate.
12. Keep Plant Pots Away From Your House
If you like to tend to your garden, then try to keep plant pots away from your house if possible. The slugs will be attracted to these plants, and once they’re close, they may decide to enter your house when the weather isn’t suitable for them.
13. Slug Baits
You can also try slug baits as well. However, when you’re choosing slug baits, be extra careful if you have pets or small children. Some slug bait is toxic, so if you’re sprinkling it around your kitchen, you definitely don’t want it to harm anyone. Once you find the right one for you, just sprinkle it where you think slugs are getting in and out, and the rest will be history.
(If you’re not sure what slug bait to get, then you should try Sluggo Plus Wildlife and Pet Safe Slug Killer.)
14. Try Adding A Bird Feeder To Your Garden
Lastly, you could also try adding a bird feeder to your garden. If slugs are getting into your house, they’re probably getting in through the garden. With birds frequenting your garden, the chances are a lot more slugs are going to end up getting eaten by them. So you won’t have to worry about as many slugs entering your home.
How Are Slugs Getting Into Your Kitchen?
There are a number of different ways slugs may be entering your kitchen; remember, they have no bones or shells, so they can slip through incredibly small gaps. On top of this, they can also climb walls and even hang from a roof without falling off. So there could be a number of ways slugs are getting in.
Recap
As you can see, there are a whole bunch of reasons that slugs might be entering your kitchen; however, there are plenty more ways to stop them. If you do notice slugs in your kitchen, as long as you stay proactive, you should be able to remove them in no time at all.
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