6 Best Ways to Sweep Doors to Keep Cold, Stain, and Smelly Pests away

To help lower your energy bills, add soundproofing, and keep unwanted dust and critters at bay, you need the best door sweep that's sized to cover the gaps under your door and features a sturdy sweep blade that works securely through adhesive Fix or screw. Taped door sweeps are cheaper and easier to install, but usually only last a season or two, making them ideal if you rent or only need draft stoppers during the hottest or coldest months. Spiral attachments are more permanent but require drilling holes in the door to install, making them a more permanent fixture that can improve the insulation of your home year-round.

Door sweeps can come with several different styles of sweeping blades, but in most cases, it's best to use a sturdy flip-up blade. While you can find brush-style blades that sweep the floor as the door moves, the bristles allow air to pass through, so it's not as effective at insulating a home. However, be aware of the material used to make the solid blade, as this will affect its functionality:

  • Plastic: For rainy or humid climates, plastic frames won't let heat or moisture into your home like aluminum frames will.
  • Steel wool: If you want to keep mice or other rodents out, look for sweeping blades made from a material that rodents can't chew, such as steel wool. This can be expensive, but it works.
  • Silicone and other softer materials: Softer materials are easy to downsize if you can't find the right width for your door.

Thicker door sweeps, whether insulated with foam or composed of multiple sweep blades, can further protect against sound, light, and outdoor elements.

No matter which blade style and attachment design you choose, be sure to measure before purchasing to make sure it will fit your door. While most doors in homes are 36 inches wide, widths can range from 24 inches to 42 inches, and your door sweep should be the exact width of your door so there aren't any exposed gaps or overhangs. You should also measure the distance between the door and the floor so you can find a door sweep that's long enough to cover the gap, but not so much excess length that it drags on the ground and makes it difficult to open and close. Door. Door.

Once you've measured your door and gap, read on to find the best door sweep for your home.

1. Permanent door sweep suitable for any climate

KS Hardware Adjustable Double Bubble Door Sweep

Featuring a plastic frame that does not conduct heat or allow large amounts of moisture to enter, this unique door sweep from KS Hardware is ideal for rainy or humid areas but will work well in any climate. Not only does the plastic frame not collect condensation or emit too much heat, but it has a durable U-shape that effectively blocks both sides of the door for double the insulation.

On rainy days, the drainage holes on the outside allow rainwater to drain away from the door instead of leaking into the home. Additionally, the 36-inch size fits most standard doors, but those with wider doors have the option of purchasing a 42-inch version that can be downsized. For smaller doors, there is also a 32-inch version.

According to one reviewer: “I used this to replace our old, leaky rear door seal. This product was designed to solve the problems we had with our old seal. The drip channel is a great design feature and works The screws hold it in place, which is also a good design.”

2. Thick silicone door glue

Suptikes Door Draft Stopper

Three thick layers of silicone allow Suptikes door sweeps to provide the best thermal and acoustic insulation of any bonded door sweep. The 39-inch draft stopper can be easily cut to size with a sharp pair of scissors, and the peel-and-stick installation method makes it super easy to install, so you can complete this home improvement project in minutes.

Adhesive door sweeps come in four different colors (white, grey, black and brown) to closely match your door, and they adhere cleanly to almost any surface, including wood, plastic, metal and even glass. These easy-to-install, extra-thick door sweeps are a popular choice, boasting an overall 4.4-star Amazon rating from more than 31,000 reviewers.

According to one reviewer: "Almost a year later and there are still zero improvements to any of these. I also wanted to mention that they look great too. I bought them in white and if you have white doors you You don't even notice them."

3. Inexpensive and Adjustable Permanent Door Sweepers

Frost King Vinyl Slide-In Door Base

The Frost King door sweep has a full vinyl frame and six vinyl sweep blades that provide excellent insulation and keep out dust and critters. The U-shaped frame slides easily under the door, and the soft vinyl material easily cuts to size if your door is narrower than a 36-inch door sweep. The screw-in design should be suitable for all seasons, and the U-shaped design can give you double the insulating power since you can block both sides of the gap under the door.

One reviewer said: “For the price, these are the best option for sealing a door quickly and cheaply. They can easily be cut to width, slide right in, and install with the included screws. Each installation costs only A few minutes, so far so good.”

4. Detachable sticky door sweep

MAXTID Adjustable Door Draft Stopper

MAXTID's easy-to-install adhesive door sweep has a unique removable design. Once it's in place, simply detach the sturdy foam-filled sweeper blade from the hook-and-loop straps to remove it. This way you can remove it within a few months when you don't need it, so it doesn't wear out as quickly as other bonded designs. This provides additional soundproofing and light blocking, so it's a good choice for light sleepers who need to reduce noise and light at night.

If you don't like how bulky it is, the foam insert is removable when you leave it in. The convenient design is available in three sizes from 30" to 36", each available in black, brown, gray and white to better match your door.

According to one reviewer: "I installed it during a thunderstorm and immediately noticed that the wind that always blew in through the huge gap under the door was gone. My husband even looked up from the book he was reading and said, "Wow , much quieter! "We haven't seen any rainwater leaking in from under the door since it was installed."

5. Anti-rat door sweep

Xincluder Residential Rat-Resistant Door Sweep

The broom blade is stuffed with steel wool, making this permanent door sweep from Xincluder a must-have for any home dealing with rodent problems. Featuring a sturdy aluminum screw-in frame and industrial-strength rubber sweep blades, this door sweep is built to last and keep everything you don't want outside. The pet-safe steel wool and fiber blend inside the rubber blade ensures rodents can't chew no matter how hard they try.

According to one reviewer: “Have had it installed for 6 months and the rats have completely stopped all winter. Best of all, my heat has stopped so much. I had no idea what was coming in through the door I put this on How bad the wind was. What a difference it made. I paid for it easily within two weeks of installation.”

6. Extra long adhesive door strips suitable for larger gaps

Suptikes Large Gap Door Draft Plug

For doors with larger gaps underneath, this extra-wide adhesive door sweep from Suptikes provides the extra coverage you need. It's 3.4 inches tall and can be used to cover under-door gaps up to 1.8 inches tall. It also features the same extra-thick triple-layer silicone sweeping blades and easy peel-and-stick installation that make the brand's other door sweeps such a popular choice. Once in place, it can help block wind, heat, sound, light, dirt, and bugs from entering the interior. Plus, it comes in four different colors.

One commenter said: “I cleaned the door as recommended before installing and peeled the paper off the tape. Man that’s how clingy it is! I just touched the door with it and it held on great. I Press it to confirm. This scan covers the oddly shaped gap at the bottom of the door (just a quarter of an inch on one end and an inch on the other).