How Do I Get Rid of Slugs in My Home?
Whether you’re particularly green fingered or just have a modest garden that you like to keep looking nice, you’ll be well aware of the dangers that slugs can pose to your plants.
But, away from the fact that your prize plants may make a tasty snack for slugs, can they really do any harm?
And what about if they get inside your house? Is that a problem?
Well, in this article we are going to be answering all of your questions about slugs, looking at the damage they can cause, preventative steps you can take to rid your home of slugs and, above all, answering the question ‘how do I get rid of slugs in my home?’
Read on to find out more.
What Are Slugs?
Before we look at how to get rid of slugs in the house, let’s first explain exactly what a slug actually is.
While you’ll likely be well aware of what these slimy creatures look like, few people are aware of what they actually are.
In short, a slug (also known as a land slug) is the common name for any terrestrial gastropod mollusc that does not appear to have a shell. In fact, the term slug is regularly used to describe a wide variety of different mollusc types and even some that have partial or small shells.
Some people think that slugs are just snails without their shells. But, despite the visual similarities and the fact that they come from the same family, they are technically different animals. Both slugs and snails are molluscs, however, and other molluscs include oysters, squid and clams.
In the UK, the most common type of slug you will likely come across is the yellow cellar slug. It is roughly 13cm in length and has a yellow, green or brown body.
While most common outdoors and in gardens, this slug has been known to enter the home.
Are Slugs In The House Dangerous?
No, while unpleasant and potentially a bit frightening, slugs are largely harmless and are not dangerous in your home.
Their creepy appearance makes some people fear that they may be poisonous, but this is not the case with slugs in the UK.
At most, a slug’s radula (its teeth) may cause mild skin irritation if it crawls over you.
Furthermore, they can sometimes carry parasites but these will only cause harm if you eat the slug (I think we can agree this is unlikely). However, if you have pets in the house it is wise to deal with a slug problem as if they consume a slug that is carrying a parasite, it could cause damage to their brain which may be fatal.
Why Are Slugs Coming In My House At Night?
Slugs will only enter your home during the night. This is because they are mostly nocturnal creatures and so it is unlikely you will actually see the slug in your home. More likely is that you will spot the mucousy trails that they leave behind before sliding out of sight before you wake up in the morning. During daylight hours, they will likely be hiding in drains or vents around your home.
The main reason a slug will enter your house is in search of warmth, shade and protection. With this in mind, it is more common for slugs to enter properties during the colder, wetter months of the year. As a last resort, they may enter a home to look for food but as they mainly eat moss and algae this is unlikely – although it will go for pet food or compost as a last resort.
As slugs are invertebrates, it means they can easily slip through small gaps on your property to gain access to your home.
How Do I Get Rid Of Slugs In My Home?
As mentioned above, slugs will not cause you any harm if they are coming into your home.
However, they are still unpleasant and may be harmful to pets if ingested so it is still a good idea to try and tackle the problem.
Fortunately, there are a whole host of things you can try to stop slugs coming into your house.
This includes:
Copper Tape
If you’ve ever noticed copper tape wrapped around the plant pots of your neighbours’ or friends’ plants, it’ll be because they’re trying to keep slugs away. Slugs love to eat plants, so many people wrap copper around the bottoms of pots to stop the slugs from crawling up them. The copper gives off a small electrical charge when it comes into contact with a slug, and while it is nor harmful it will deter them from proceeding any further.
To stop slugs coming into your home, you could consider attaching copper tape to vents and other small openings into the house.
Salt
Salt is a slug’s kryptonite and has been used for generations by gardeners to stop slugs from causing damage to plants.
As soon as a slug comes into contact with salt, it will begin to rapidly dehydrate and eventually die. If you want to use this method, it’s important that you sprinkle the salt on a dry surface near a potential opening to your home. This is because if the salt becomes contaminated, it will no longer be effective.
While it is one of the most effective ways to stop a slug in its tracks, many people opt for alternative options that are considered more humane.
Fix Damp
As well as warmth and shade, slugs also enjoy damp conditions.
So, if your home is suffering from a damp problem it may be more attractive to slugs that are looking for somewhere to go.
With this in mind, dealing with any damp issues your property may be suffering from is a good way to counteract the problem. You should also consider wiping any condensation from windows as this may also attract slugs.
Furthermore, damp can trigger health conditions so promptly dealing with it is recommended whether you have a slug issue or otherwise.
Encourage Local Wildlife
While slugs can cause problems in your garden, encouraging local wildlife to visit will do the opposite. Hedgehogs, birds and frogs can actually stop slugs from entering your home as they act as natural predators.
All of these creatures will eat slugs if they see them, so adapting your garden to make these predators more likely to stop by is a great way to stop them.
For instance, you could install a bird table or hang feeders, use a hedgehog house or even make small holes at the bottom of fences to encourage such animals to easily move into your garden.
Use Slug Traps
Most garden centres will sell slug traps that don’t kill the slug, but will keep them trapped so you don’t have to worry about them entering your property.
These traps work by luring a slug into it by placing beer or a sugary liquid inside. Once the slug has been enticed, it will not be able to exit the trap and you can then take the trap and release the slug away from your home and garden.
Use Sheep Wool Pellets
Another product you can get from local garden centres or hardware stores that is worth a try is wool pellets.
These pellets have been known to deter slugs without harming them. The slugs will be irritated by the pellet when it comes into contact with it and will make a sharp getaway and likely not return. You can use these pellets by placing them at potential entry points to your home.
Rough Surfaces
Slugs love to slide around on smooth surfaces. This is because they have very delicate skin and any rough surfaces feel unpleasant to them.
With this in mind, intentionally creating rough surfaces is always a good tactic to stop slugs from entering your home.
Use eggshells or garden cuttings and place them near entrances to your property. If the slug comes into contact with them, they’ll likely not continue. Sand and gravel can also be used.
Use Scented Plants
While slugs will eat a lot of plants, certain plants will repel slugs so placing them near entrances is a great way to stop them coming into your house.
Some scented plants that have been known to have success include astrantia, wormwood, rue, anise and rosemary.
Check Doors and Windows
Take some time to review all of your home’s windows and doors. If you notice any gaps then it is worth resealing them to stop slugs from slipping through them.
What Garden Plants Do Slugs Like?
As previously mentioned, slugs are more of a problem to our gardens than our homes.
They are particularly attracted to some plants more than others and this includes:
- Sweet peas
- Hostas
- Lettuce
- Dahlias
- All young plants and their seedlings
Specifically, slugs love the soft, fleshy foliage and stems that the above offer so if you’re growing them in your garden then you may notice a greater presence of slugs.
