How to get rid of slugs in my house?

Last Updated on 29 April 2021 by Colette

“How to get rid of slugs…”

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve Googled that phrase yet have still to come up with a reasonable solution to my slug problem. Sadly it is not a problem with slugs munching up my garden but indeed a problem with slugs deciding it’s OK to come and use my house like a little sluggy crack den of a night. Yes, these horrible, slimy little blighters invite themselves into my house most nights and leave grotty little slug trails all over the shop – its not even confined to one room – they can be found in the dining room, the living room and the kitchen.  I’ve found slug trails in the cupboard under the stairs and even on the ceiling in my living room.  Thankfully though they do seem to mainly stick to exploring the floors – I’d be beside myself if I thought they were partying on the kitchen surfaces or the dining room table!!  

How are slugs getting into my house?

Of course the obvious solution is to find out where the slugs are getting into my house and block the gap up but it would seem that a) slugs can get in through the most ridiculously tiny gap and b) I can’t actually find where they’re coming in. They don’t leave much of an obvious trail on my floor to follow – perhaps if we had carpet that would be easier, I don’t know.  

Solutions I’ve tried for ridding my house of slugs

I’ve tried scattering slug pellets around the perimeter of our house however this causes a few issues:

1. The pellets are neither safe for children nor dogs

2. The bright blue pellets look unsightly scattered all over the place

3. The ensuing slug (and snail) graveyard is really rather unpleasant

4. It’s only a temporary solution, the slugs come back as soon as you stop using the pellets  

When we had a similar problem with slugs in our student house I remember spreading salt around the edge of the kitchen floor but really this is just messy – and not ideal with a crawling baby!  (Oh and a salted slug is really unpleasant to clean up I can tell you!)   I’ve tried putting out bowls of beer in the garden to try and trap them before they even get in the house but much as I’m led to believe slugs like a good drink, I’ve yet to find any in my bowls – perhaps they don’t like the beer I’m offering?! 

Nobody wants to stand on a slug!

At the moment, if I come downstairs in the night (which is relatively often) I wouldn’t dare to come down in my bare feet as yes, I have indeed stood on a slug on my stairs before now – bleurgh. I have to put shoes or slippers on before I come down and then put all the lights on as I move through the rooms for fear of coming face to face, or rather slug to foot with one of them.  Of course once I’ve seen one I can’t just leave it to roam free during the night – but I can’t bear to pick them up either, so they get trapped by a nearby mug ready to greet Dave or Ben in the morning when they will deal with them for me!  At worst I found ten in one night, more often it’s around four.  They’re not even small slugs.

I had hoped the problem of slugs in my house would be lessened as the “old” walls are no longer external since we had our extension built.  A lot of small gaps around the front door and a significant hole in the dining room wall have now been filled and re-plastered.  I thought perhaps some of the entrances would have been blocked up but nope, last night I found another four slugs roaming the living room and kitchen.

So dear reader . . . I’m asking for you help!! Have you got any suggestions on how to get rid of slugs in my house?! Is this a problem you’ve overcome or one you still battle?  Help me free my house of slugs!!