Slugs in the kitchen can be extremely problematic, especially if you have pets or children. They can easily spread lungworm to your pets if they eat the slugs, among other diseases and viruses, so they can be dangerous if they venture into the kitchen.
To get rid of slugs in the kitchen at night simply follow their slime trail. Once you have found where most of the slugs are coming from it is time to fill all the gaps that they use to come inside with filling foam. Sprinkle salt inside the kitchen where most slime trails are coming from, and if they are coming through a vent from outside then sprinkle as much salt as possible in front of the vent. After this, you should use vinegar to clean your kitchen as it is deadly to slugs and is also an excellent cleaning agent.
If your home tends to be humid then slugs will be attracted inside, you will have to address the humidity problem to get rid of the slugs permanently, in this case, my personal recommendation is to use a dehumidifier Click here to check it out on Amazon.com
Most people feel disgusted when they see slugs crawling in the kitchen at night, and for the most part, this is understandable. Slugs usually come out to feed during the night, this is when they feel the safest, if they would be in the garden they would be safer from predators at night. If you have been seeing slugs in the kitchen during the night for some time already then it means that the slugs have found a food source and as they are safe in your kitchen they are very unlikely to leave.
On the other hand, if you have only seen slugs in the kitchen during the night maybe once or twice, then odds are that the slugs have simply moved out as they dint find any food. If you want to know more about why slug infestations occur inside a house then check out my recent article Slug Infestation In House ( How To Get Rid Of Them ).
Slugs In The Kitchen At Night
Discovering slugs in the kitchen at night can be quite alarming. Slugs are nocturnal creatures that are attracted to areas with food and moisture, making the kitchen an appealing environment for them. They can enter through small openings, such as gaps under doors or cracks in windows. Finding slugs in the kitchen may indicate a larger slug infestation in or around the house. To address this issue, it is important to identify and eliminate potential entry points, such as sealing gaps and cracks.
Additionally, practicing good sanitation and cleanliness in the kitchen, including proper food storage and cleaning up spills promptly, can help deter slugs. If the infestation persists, using natural slug repellents, such as diatomaceous earth or copper tape, can be effective in keeping them away from kitchen areas.
How To Get Rid Of Slugs In The Kitchen At Night
Before you think of how to get rid of them, you have to understand why they are in the kitchen in the first place. Slugs love humid or even moist environments, preferably dark as well, they will use these places to hide during the day. If you see slug trails all over your kitchen then it means that they are actively searching for food, at this point, they are either living in your home or venturing in from the outside to feed. If you want to know what slugs eat then check out my recent article What Do Slugs Eat? ( Top 21 Slug & Snail Food Sources ).
Look At The Slug Trails To Find Out From Where They Are Coming In
Slugs leave a very visible slime trail after them, which you can use against them to determine where they are coming from. By following the slime trail you will either find their hiding spot in the kitchen or the spot from where they are entering your home. If you find most trails coming and going from the same spot, then check everything in that area, look for damp and moist areas as these are the ones that slugs tend to seek out.
Slugs tend to hide under objects that cover them, so anything from your trash can to a couple of cardboard boxes can be ideal places for them to hide. If you do not find their hiding spot, but all slime trails point to the same location, then head outside, it is very likely that the slugs come in from the outside. As slugs do not have a skeleton they can squeeze through very small spaces.
Once you are outside your home, you should look at obvious slime trails on the walls, usually, these slime trails are used by a lot of slugs as they conserve energy and the bigger the slime trail is the higher the chances are that they will find food. If you have trouble seeing the slime trails then go out in the evening and use a flashlight, it will be a lot easier to see as the slime will actually reflect light. If the slugs only use a small crack to enter the kitchen then you can use WD40 to stop them, for more information check out my recent article Does WD40 Stop Slugs? ( 3 Things To Know ).
Use Foam Filler If The Slugs Are Coming From The Outside
Find all the cracks where slugs might come into the kitchen, and fill them up. If the wall is mostly made out of wood and it is damp or wet then, you might want to replace it, as there could be numerous spots where the slugs come inside. In addition to this, damp or wet wood will attract slugs, especially on hot summer days. If you have some kind of vent that leads right into the kitchen then the slugs are most likely using it to enter the kitchen.
Covering up the vent is probably not a good idea, so in this case, you have to prevent slugs from using the vent as a highway to your kitchen. There are numerous home remedies, from eggshells, copper tape, and so on, but you probably shouldn’t waste time in experimenting with these. Instead, get a bag of salt and just dump it near and around the vent, salt will kill all slugs and they will avoid it like the plague.
Salt Will Get Rid Of Slugs
As I have previously mentioned slugs really hate salt, and even a small amount will hurt them. Find where most of the slug slime trails are coming from inside your kitchen, try to clean the area as well as you can, and then start sprinkling salt. The effects of the salt should be immediately visible, and you should notice less, or even no more slugs crawling in the kitchen during the night.
Areas that you can not sprinkle with salt like the side of the furniture, will most likely be used by the slugs to escape, at which point you can simply collect them and get rid of them. Keep in mind that if you have pets then you should keep them out of the kitchen for a couple of days, the slugs that are dying due to salt will release a potent smell and your pets might eat the slugs.
Clean The Kitchen With Vinegar And Water Solution
You should clean the kitchen either before or after you got rid of the slugs with a vinegar and water solution. Vinegar is deadly to slugs, as it simply melts them away. Vinegar is also a very good cleaning agent and you will have a really easy time cleaning off the slime trail left by the slugs. Vinegar also acts like a powerful slug deterrent, your house might smell of vinegar for a couple of days but you will at least see no more slugs in your kitchen.
To create the vinegar and water solution just pour 50% water and 50% vinegar into a spray bottle and there you go. In closed spaces like under the sink, where most likely the slugs are you can use just the vinegar without the water, this way the smell will stay inside the cupboard, and all slugs will avoid that area like their life depends on it because it does.
Slug Pellets Are Not Effective Against Slugs Indoors
Slug pellets do work, but they tend to be a slower method of getting rid of slugs. Slugs that ingest the slug pellets will have plenty of time to crawl away to their hiding spot, where they die and start rotting. Dead slugs have a very nasty smell, and they will actually attract other slugs, so it is very important to get rid of the dead ones as fast as possible. If you also have pets or children then you should definitely avoid using slug pellets.
Copper Tape Won’t Work In This Case
Copper is toxic to slugs, although only if they ingest it, copper tape will stop slugs due to a chemical reaction or a small static shock. With that being said, copper will not work if slugs are in your kitchen. The main reason why copper tape works so well against slugs for potted plants is that the only way for the slugs to get through to the plant is to cross the copper tape, and in most cases, they won’t.
When it comes to slugs in the kitchen, there can be dozens or hundreds of access points to the kitchen, and unless you cover all of them with copper it won’t work.
Key Takeaways
- Don’t experiment with home remedies when trying to get rid of slugs, you will need to be as efficient as possible.
- If you see slime trails on your walls inside the house then they might come through the roof.
- A good cleaning with vinegar will usually solve the slug problem indoors.
