Help slug proofing the back door

[SprigatitoYouAndIKnow]

The slugs seem to have recently decided that outside no longer meets their tastes and they want to live it up in my kitchen instead. I am utterly disgusted having never had a slug problem anywhere I have lived. I have added sugru around the washing machine outflow pipe, as there was definitely a gap, so that is now sealed.

The back door is the next problem area and I don't really know what to do. I can identify gaps where the door close isn't particularly tight and also some foam at the base seems to be dissolving. What do I do to fix this and keep the bastards at bay?

Silicone sealant or expanding foam in the gaps?? They sometimes hitch a lift on my cat the dirty little buggers. Maybe a thin line of sand near the door?? Apparently it stops them

Line of salt is the only thing that works around my plants!

I could try expanding foam where the old foam is. Not where the actual door is though, or couldn't close it! No cat here. Pretty sure the odd one might hitch a lift on the kids wellies as ds2 spends a lot if time in the garden. Not many though, most are squidging in by themselves.

Two words.

Beer Dish.

@SprigatitoYouAndIKnow you have my sympathy I hate the slimy little buggers

@GasPanic two words.....flame thrower!! 😁😁

Wouldn't that be bad for the bricks though? And just wash away in the rain. I am fine with murdering them, just needs to be effective.

Copper tape is supposed to deter them - you can buy it in garden centres to wrap around plant pots.

Ugh, I stood on one in the middle of the night when going to the loo recently.

Another day I saw the glittering trail and it just stopped. Where the hell was it? It had headed downstairs via the wall.

Slimy fuckers...

Sorry, no helpful advice 😂

I had one in the downstairs loo one morning. I mean actually in the pan! It must have come up from the sewage system as the loo lid was down. Fortunately, it had drowned. 😕

Apparently beer traps attract the slugs from far & wide, copper tape isn't that great. Salt is cheap.

If you made sure anything was protected inside you could have a line of salt inside the door.

Does your back door not have a lip that would help protect the salt from the rain?

Forgot to say, being bird safe is a priority too.

I definitely don't want to do anything that could harm other wildlife. I don't even kill them if I see them outside, just inside that given me the rage.

I could salt inside, but the thought of coming into the kitchen in the morning to find a puddle of dissolved slug by the door is too grim to contemplate.

Two words: move house.

I literally would have to. My worst nightmare.

Sadly don't have the budget for that 😁. Also I lived here a good decade with no incursion, why now?! I am hoping for a very cold spell in winter to kill as many off as possible.

I don't know - they can get into my kitchen through the patio door and the back door, despite these being well-fitting, not the hint of a draught.

I did put a line of salt on the lower frame of the patio door for a while but it's a bit messy.

Has anything changed inside your house that might be attracting them in eg a different or moved kitchen bin?

Same. We have never had an issue but keep finding slugs in our utility room bin. It's an old house so there must be various gaps they are finding. It's vile.

Nothing changed near the door, other than changing the washing machine. As that definitely did leave a gap, I have filled it in.

Further away from the door and at window height, we have greatly increased our house plant collection. Ds2 is obsessed with growing things, so it is possibly enticing. Still quite far from the door and there are lots of plants in the garden they would need to go past first.

@NewGreenDuck I hate to tell you this but slugs can't swim. However they could easily squeeze through the hole between a toilet seat and toilet.

Salt around potential entry points. You do have to keep at it. Beer traps and going out at dusk with scissors.

Copper tape worked for me, I used to get them in my conservatory most nights in the winter. It’s only about a fiver on Amazon so worth a punt. I have a dog so was reluctant to try the salt!

I read that they can swim

Gits aren't they. when i have to be up early for work i sometimes find one sauntering across my dining room floor.