In case you end up finding a cockroach in your vehicle, it can be a disgusting and frightening experience after all. As a matter of fact, you might not have heard about cockroaches invading your vehicle, and therefore, you might be surprised if you find the real fact. Now, the question that might arise is whether it will be possible for you to get rid of the roaches once and for all. In this article, we have provided a suitable answer to this particular query.
Dangers of having cockroaches in your automobile
The reason why these annoying creatures enter your car is the same as why they enter your house. Their primary reason will be to search for food, a place for laying eggs, and shelter. But the question here is that although it might be frustrating to find cockroaches within your vehicle, is it really dangerous? The actual fact is that it is possible for cockroaches to transmit over 30 various types of bacteria that can cause serious health conditions in the long run. Consequently, it would be wrong to say that these roaches are not harmless. While invading your house and vehicle they will leave behind their bodily fluids and feces. It is possible for the small space within your vehicle to turn out to be their breeding ground in the long run.
How to get rid of cockroaches in the car?
- Inspect the vehicle
At first, you need to comprehend the level of infestation done by these annoying creatures in your car. For this, it will be imperative to make a comprehensive inspection of the car. Make it a point to check every single concealed spot such as car vents, door frames, as well as seats. Look out for any other symptoms of the existence of these pests like body parts, droppings, or even a strong smell. If you find any of these in the vehicle, it will surely indicate that there are cockroaches out there.
- Get rid of the seats
Your subsequent step after inspecting the vehicle will be to clean the bottom of the seats after removing them. Moreover, vacuuming the seats comprehensively will not be a bad idea after all. In case you are of the notion that there might be fool particles in the seat cracks, try to steam clean or pressure wash the seats.
This will also help you to get rid of the stains that might have gathered under the seats over time. For this, you might take the help of carpet cleaners that will also assist you in cleaning the carpets underneath the seats. Moreover, it will be possible to get rid of the sticky debris that can invite cockroaches once again in the future.
- Light cleaning
After becoming sanguine that there are cockroaches in the vehicle, the time is perfect for you to perform some light cleaning. For this, it will be a fantastic idea to make use of car shampoo which will also allow you to get rid of the stale smell caused by these insects. Make it a point to take care of the exterior of the vehicle after finishing the interior. Make sure to allow the interior of the car to become dry after completing the cleaning. If the car’s interior has not dried properly, it might result in the development of fungi that can prove to be a food source for the cockroaches in the long run.
- Clean the floor of the vehicle
Clean the floor mats of the vehicle using hot water after getting rid of them. A cleaner can also be used by you for disinfecting the car and deep cleaning them. Make it a point to try the floor mats in the sun such that there is no possibility for the water to remain on the mats which can result in the development of mold or mildew in the vehicle.
- Clean the vehicle’s trunk
It is possible for the trunk to become a breeding ground for cockroaches in the long run. This is due to the fact that many things are carried in the trunk and these can spill resulting in the ideal dwelling place for the roaches. It will be especially true in case food items have been spilled by you in the trunk or you might have placed a bag containing cockroaches in the trunk.
Make it a point to steam clean the carpets present in the trunk and also clean the trunk mat in the same manner the floor mats were cleaned by you in the previous steps. Always use a light that will help you to see the corners of the trunk properly while making the inspection.
- Take the help of herbs and plants
It will be possible to get rid of the cockroaches from your car with the help of strong-smelling herbs and plants. For this, it will be a good idea to place some garlic, onion, bay leaves, basil, as well as cucumber pieces in the vehicle. The plant or the herb can be held in position by using a nylon sock. The smell of these plants and herbs will assist in preventing the cockroaches from entering your vehicle.
- Essential oils
Another way to get the job done will be to spray the interior of your vehicle with essential oils that will repel the insects. Make the essential oils dilute using water, and spray the solution frequently on the surfaces where the cockroaches are at present. However, do not use these essential oils on any part of the vehicle that can distract you from driving. This is because these oils are slippery and they should not be used on any driving mechanism.
The most common essential oils that will help to repel the insects happen to be cedar, lavender, peppermint, tea tree, eucalyptus, rosemary, clove, cypress, mint, and so forth.
- Apply heat
In case it has started to become cold, make sure to apply some heat to those areas where the roaches might be present. If you have a space heater, make sure to place it in the vehicle and operated it for several hours provided you are able to do this without making the cord moist.
Another option will be to use a hairdryer for blowing it into the gaps and cracks between the door panels, as well as the underside of the dashboard for getting the best results.
It is a fact that cockroaches are not fond of heat, and it will be possible to make them intimidated or even demolish them by the application of heat in your car’s interior. For this reason, the space heater can be the ideal solution to get rid of cockroaches from your vehicle.
- Use baking soda
One more effective cockroach pesticide can be the baking soda solution. However, the fact is that these cockroaches are not going to consume baking soda alone. For this, you need to combine equal parts of sugar along with baking soda to make it interesting for the roaches to eat. Once the baking soda goes inside their body, they will be killing these insects from the inside.
It will be a good idea to purchase baking soda in bulk at an affordable rate, and this can be placed in different parts of the car’s interior, trunk, as well as parking space.
- Diatomaceous Earth or Borax
This particular method will also get the job done for you when it comes to getting rid of cockroaches from your vehicle. These are actually powdered agents that you can sprinkle onto the seats and the carpets. However, the issue with these deadly agents is that they have to be vacuumed up frequently and also you need to reapply them.
The good thing is that Diatomaceous Earth will not be harmful to the kids and pets, or any individuals moving in the car along with you. However, instead of sprinkling them liberally on the surfaces of the vehicle, you simply require light dusting.
How is it possible to prevent cockroaches from entering your vehicle?
- Keep the windows closed
Make sure to close the windows before leaving your vehicle, especially if you stay in a region where there are lots of cockroaches.
- Never consume food inside the vehicle
One of the best ways to prevent the roaches from entering your vehicle will be not to consume any food items inside it. This is because crumbs and other types of food debris inside the car will be enough to lure these cockroaches to get inside.
- Clean regularly
Lastly, we like to assert that clearing your vehicle from time to time will be a sensible idea to prevent these cockroaches for good. Cleaning will help to get rid of the spills and messes that might have happened in your car without your notice.