The 6 Best Door Sweeps To Keep Out Cold, Dirt, & Pests

To help lower your energy bill, add soundproofing, and keep out unwanted dirt and critters, you’ll need the best door sweeps, which are the right size to cover the gap under your door and feature a solid sweeping blade that attaches securely via adhesive or screws. Door sweeps with an adhesive strip are cheaper and easier to install but generally only last for a season or two, which makes them great if you’re renting or only need a draft stopper during the hottest or coldest months. Screw-on attachments are more permanent but require drilling into your door to install, making them a more permanent fix that can improve insulation in your home all year round.

Door sweeps can come with a few different styles of sweeping blade, but in most cases, a solid flap-style blade is preferable. 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 for insulating your home. Pay attention to the material used to make the solid blade, though, as this can affect its function:

• Plastic: For rainy or humid climates, a plastic frame won’t let as much heat or moisture into your home as aluminum.
• Steel wool: If you’re trying to keep out rats or other rodents, look for a sweeping blade made with a rodent-proof material that they can’t chew through, like steel wool. This can be pricy, but effective.
• Silicone and other softer materials: Softer materials are easy to cut down to size if you can’t find the right width for your door.

Thicker door sweeps, whether insulated with foam or made up of multiple sweeping blades, can add further protection against sound, light, and outdoor elements.

Whichever blade style and attachment design you choose, be sure to take measurements before you buy to ensure it fits your door. While most doors in residential homes are 36 inches wide, they 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 overhang. You should also measure the distance between your door and the floor so you can find a door sweep that’s long enough to cover the gap but doesn’t have so much extra length that it drags on the ground, making it difficult to open and shut the door.

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

1. A Permanent Door Sweep For Any Type Of Climate

With a plastic frame that won’t conduct heat or let in a lot of moisture, this unique door sweep from KS Hardware is ideal for rainy or humid areas but works just as well in any climate. Not only does the plastic frame not collect condensation or let in much heat, it also has a durable U-shape that effectively blocks both sides of your door for double the insulation.

For rainy days, drainage hole on the exterior side lets rainwater flow away from your door instead of leaking through the door sweep into your home. Plus, the 36-inch size fits most standard doors but those with a wider door have the option to get a 42-inch version that can be cut down to size. For smaller doors, there’s also a 32-inch version.

According to one reviewer: “I used this to replace our old, leaky rear entry door seal. This product's design addressed the problems our old seal had. The drip channel is an excellent design feature, and the accommodation for attaching this with screws is a nice touch.”

2. A Thick Silicone Adhesive Door Sweep

Three thick layers of silicone allow the Suptikes door sweep to offer some of the best insulation and soundproofing of any adhesive door sweep. The 39-inch draft stopper can be cut to size easily with a pair of sharp scissors, and the peel-and-stick installation makes it super easy to install so you can get this home improvement project done in minutes.

The adhesive door sweep comes in four different colors (white, gray, black, and brown) to get a close match to your door, and they can adhere cleanly to just about any surface including wood, plastic, metal, or even glass. These easy-to-install, super thick door sweeps are a popular choice, boasting a 4.4-star overall Amazon rating from over 31,000 reviewers.

According to one reviewer: “Almost a year later and all of them are still on the doors with zero lifting. I also wanted to mention that they look great too. I bought the white ones and if you have white doors, you don't even notice them. They blend right in.”

3. A Cheap & Adjustable Permanent Door Sweep

The Frost King door sweep boasts an all-vinyl frame and six vinyl sweeping blades to provide great insulation and protection from dirt and critters. The U-shaped frame slides easily under your door and the soft vinyl material is easy to cut down to size if your door is narrower than the 36-inch door sweep. The screw-on design should last through all seasons and is U-shaped to give you double the insulation power since you’re blocking both sides of the gap under your door.

According to one reviewer: “For the price, these were the best option to quickly and cheaply get the doors sealed up. They cut down to width easily, slipped right on, and the included screws were installed. Installed each one only took minutes and they've worked great thus far.”

4. A Detachable Adhesive Door Sweep

This easy-to-install adhesive door sweep from MAXTID boasts a unique detachable design. Once you’ve stuck it in place, the solid, foam-stuffed sweeper blade can be removed by simply separating it from the hook and loop strip. This allows you to remove it during the months you don’t need it, so it doesn’t wear down as quickly as other adhesive designs. This provides extra soundproofing and light blocking so it’s a great pick for light sleepers who need something to reduce noise and light during the night.

The foam insert is removable if you don’t like the bulkiness of it but when you leave it in. The convenient design comes in three sizes ranging from 30 inches to 36 inches and each size comes 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 draft that always came through the huge gap under the door was gone. My husband even looked up from what he was reading and said, “Wow, it just got a lot quieter!” We also didn’t get any rain coming through under the door after installing it.”

5. A Rodent-Proof Door Sweep

Steel wool stuffed into the sweeping blade makes this permanent door sweep from Xcluder a must-have for any home that’s dealing with a rodent problem. With a strong aluminum screw-on frame and an industrial-strength rubber sweeping blade, this door sweep was built to last and keep everything you don’t want in your home outside. The pet-safe steel wool and fiber blend inside the rubber blade ensures that rodents can’t gnaw through, no matter how hard they try.

According to one reviewer: “It's been installed now for 6 months and through the winter and the mice have completely stopped. On top of this, my heat stopped running so much. I had NO IDEA how bad the draft was coming through the door I put this on. What an absolute difference this made. It easily paid for itself in the 2 weeks I had it installed.”

6. An Extra-Long Adhesive Door Sweep for Larger Gaps

For doors with big gaps beneath them, this extra-wide adhesive door sweep from Suptikes provides the extra coverage you need. At 3.4 inches tall, it can be used to cover under-the-door gaps up to 1.8 inches in height. It also features the same ultra-thick triple-layer silicone sweeping blade and easy peel-and-stick installation that makes other door sweeps from this brand such a popular choice. Once in place, it can help block wind, heat, sound, light, dirt, and bugs from getting inside. Plus, it comes in four different colors.

According to one reviewer: “I did the recommended cleaning of the door before installing, then peeled the paper off the sticky tape. Man is that sticky! I just touched the door with it and it held well. I pressed it down to make sure. This sweep covered my oddly shaped gap at the bottom of my door (barely a quarter of an inch at one end to one inch at the other).”