Don't know what to do with slugs getting in the house

Hi all

I am having an issue with slugs getting in my kitchen through the sink and through a small gap behind the washing machine.

I am getting the gap sealed soon and I do now put the plug in the sink at night but until I can get the entry points sealed off I'm trying to figure what to use to prevent them coming in.

I can't put slug pellets down because I have a Golden retriever who believes he's a trash can and even though I got pet safe ones he did try to eat them so it's not safe to put them down and he has to go through the kitchen to get out to the garden.

I tried beer traps which were ok but not as successful as I'd like I put up a camera to see what happens and some of the slugs just had a drink and then left so not all drowned and still had them in my kitchen.

I've tried strong smells like garlic , peppermint but again doesn't seem effective at all on these slugs. Copper I tried but again they just go over it.

Sharp sand and diatomaceous earth also didn't stop them.

I did have some success with white vinegar as I had less slugs coming in but still had a few that would ignore it.

As horrible as it is the only thing I've had success with was Epsom salts which seem to make them turn back around and the next morning I only had one slug who crossed it and died in my kitchen but the rest of the salt line was intact and no other slugs had gone over it but I only had it down one night as my neighbor told me that salt can attract other pests like ants , mice ect so I've not used it since.


I don't care if salt is cruel by the way it's the only thing that seems to work and my boys safety and health is more important since dogs can get lungworm from slugs.

I wanted to ask if anyone knows if I put Epsom salt down to prevent slugs if it will attract ants or mice?

I tried looking this up and the majority of articles say salt can kill ants or mice/rats but a few say that even a spec of salt will attract mice.

There is mice in our neighborhood because next door leaves cat food out as well as she grows fruits and vegetables so we get a lot of field mice however they have never been interested in my house they just sometimes hide in my garden when her cats are out. My boy ignores them thankfully.

I like mice I just don't want them in my house.

 

I think you really need to stop them entering, killing them once inside is not something you should have to be doing.
Do you live in a fairly old house.

 

Thank you for your reply, let's just say the overflow is not before the trap hence why they use it as an entry point.

Thank you for your reply. Yes it's fairly old and really I need a new kitchen but it's rented and landlord (social housing) won't let me redo the kitchen it's a mess to be honest the lino flooring comes away from some of the cabinets and I wanted to redo it as I can afford to buy nope they said you'll have to just wait till we do new kitchens in your area.

I agree my best bet is to block off all entry points.

Can I ask if you block all entry points but they still come in that means you missed an entry point doesn't it because my neighbor gets them too and she said she's blocked all entry points but they still get in so I'm thinking that means she has blocked all entry points because if there is no entry then they can't get in?

 

Social housing, have you told them that slugs are a problem in your kitchen?
Maybe the health department of your council could help, it's sounds like you have very old plumbing and it's allowing this to happen.
It's a definite health hazard.

Can you loosely plug the overflow outside with newspaper just enough to stop them getting in but not so tightly as to stop the overflow working if it needs to.

Do you have wooden floors down stairs, rotted floor boarding could allow them access as well.

 

Yes I have but they weren't bothered so I did tell the council who told them that I need a new kitchen because not only is it old but slugs are dangerous to my health , they have agreed but I have to wait til I get to my area which they said will be in the next 12 months which the council were ok with as it will be sorted.

My floors are concrete not floor boards never lived in a house with no floor boards before.

Thankfully the council warned my landlord about this and that's getting sorted but not till next month.

 

I know I'll be glad when it's done but they won't budge on doing it quicker but it's not long to wait it's being done on the 12th of July.

I have seen on other forums of people who had pictures of slugs in there sinks and they have the normal u bend type sink.


Why would the slugs go in there since they don't swim?

 

I was under the impression that your over flow was the old fashioned straight through the wall job and entirely separate from the waste pipe.
Modern ones tend to go into the waste pipe just before the trap.

Slugs will be looking for any damp places at this time of the year.

 

I don't understand plumbing at all I was just told by the guy who came out from the council that my pluming for my sink is hazardous and he was the one who said my overflow should be before the trap and as mine wasn't it needs to be replaced which my landlord agreed with.

They also come through the pipe that's meant for the washing machine and as I don't have a proper washing machine as I don't use the pipe and so it's dry they also use that do you think if I put mesh wire over it , it will stop them using that as an entry?

 

If you don't use the washing machine waste pipe I'd just jam something in it, rolled up newspapers or rag.