Indoor Slug Infestation

[Plot10]

Technically this is not a gardening question but I'm sure there must be a wealth of experience dealing with slugs on this forum so I hope someone can help.

Part of my job involves tenancy management and one of the properties we manage has a problem with slugs inside the house. They are leaving trails all over the carpets and furniture and our tenants (and us) are at their wits end.

We thought they were coming in through tiles in a disused fireplace but we've sealed up all the gaps and that seemed to solve the problem for a few days but now they are moving along until they find any kind of gap in the skirting or floorboards and coming out there.

We've had pest control in, put down loads of salt, cleared away leaves and debris, covered gulleys, filled gaps but they're still there.

The tenant says they are mostly babies so we think they must be breeding under the floor or in the walls. Other than ripping the place apart, does anyone have any suggestions as to how to get rid of these slimy critters.

[Alison]

Yuck! Reminds me of a student house an ex boyfriend of mine used to live in, really horrible. Don't know how to help though, being students they kind of lived round them, applying salt at odd intervals and finding the rats that went into the kitchen more of a worry as was the toilet bowl which leaked - it really was a vile house and I tried not to visit!

[Plot10]

Alison

Thanks. These aren't students, in fact the tenants are very houseproud, so they find it particularly upsetting. We never had any problems before but the house was vacant for a few weeks before they moved in so the slugs may have claimed squatters rights.

[Nicos]

We had them in the kitchen in our first house- they were coming in through the gap around the sink outlet in the wall, so once that was sealed the problem was sorted.

You know- I've had 2 thoughts on this.
Firstly- don't they leave a fine trail- so you can track where they are emerging from?
Also- they live in damp areas- and move away to find food.
Have you got a small damp spot under the floor/behind a wall where they may be sleeping?
I'd be tempted to pull up the edges of any carpet and put bathroom sealant at the base of the skirting boards and so preventing access from there- but does that mean you may have a small leak under the floor boards?
Maybe you need to get under the floor ( fun job) and see if that's a problem .
Oh - another thought...air bricks?or ventilation grill? might be squeezing through them?

Thing is - why are theyy coming in? They like damp- and lots of yummy food to nosh.
Is the area behind the kitchen kickboards and under the floor cupboards due for a vac and wipe?

Just some thoughts

good luck

[Plot10]

Thanks for your help Nicos. We did have the sink out as our clerk of works thought that might be where they were coming from. It probably was originally but now they've got inside and are breeding.

They do leave trails but when I went to visit the property, there was a circle of trails in the middle of the carpet with no obvious entry or exit to the sides of the room, like they'd come up through the floorboards, had a ceildidh and gone back down.

I'm not sure what they're eating, I can imagine our tenant's reaction if we suggested she cleans her kitchen as she's really obsessively clean (she was looking under the kickboards with a torch at one point).

None of the neighbouring houses has a problem so I'm not sure what the attraction for the slugs is with this one.

[Nicos]

But eggs need to be kept moist...I'd have a look under your floorboards- there may be a small leak from the central heating pipe- or something.

[OllieMartin]

... had a ceildidh and gone back down...

I've found Ollie's word of the day. Thanks

[Two_Sheds]

I reckon it's snails, not slugs (not that it helps much). Snails are much more mobile, thanks to having their protection on their backs.

They can be tucked inside/under sofas, or inside gas meter cupboards ...have you tried putting bait down?

[rustylady]

I have them too. I live in an old cottage. Trails on the carpet but they don't lead anywhere. I put down slug pellets a few times, but can't now as I have a baby grandson at the crawling stage.

[Jeanied]

I get them round the cat food bowl in the kitchen. You could tempt them into the open with a sachet of cat food then nab them - a night-time vigil will be needed though. Jar of salty water to put them in as well.

[Flummery]

Our first flat - ground floor - had the same problem. The damp proof course was iffy and they got in behind the sink where the exterior finish on the wall had spalled off in the winter. We weren't in a position to do anything to the property but we sprayed the outside wall with *****' Fluid. It certainly put them off!

[Annthedrwhofan]

I'm having the same problem I have to make sure every night to put every thing away in the kitchen as the come out at night when I see them I get a small plastic bag and put the critters in with salt. A friend has also filled in holes and still keep coming back.

[alldigging]

Go mad with salt one night in the room they're in.
A good even layer and work out where they come from by seeing the marks in the salt.

[Bren In Pots]

We have a kitchen slug problem from time to time, best way to get rid of them is to come down stairs at 3am and catch them slithering across the floor.

[Stew_L]

Crank the heating up, although I wonder how hot you would have to get your house to make them want to move on?

FLoorboards not carpet? If carpet I would suggest a steam clean but dunno for floorboards.

I would suggest to the tenants to spend time tracking them. I would be obssesive over tracking them if it was my house!