Pests are a nuisance and can be an inconvenience if they decide your car is a great place to live. It is easy to think that they only infest your home and that your car is a no-go zone. Sorry to burst your bubble but pests can infest almost every space provided there is a shelter, food, and warmth.
Nothing can sully your day like finding pests such as ants, spiders, cockroaches, and others have made your vehicle their home. You will notice some of them as they crawl out of the dashboard while others you might not know are there until they die and leave an awful smell in your car.
Luckily, with a few tips, you can keep your vehicle pest-free throughout the year. Different seasons cause different pest problems. With that in mind, you can come up with an all-season pest control strategy. Here are some simple tips to keep your vehicle pest-free in all the seasons.
During the Spring
You need to keep an eye out for pests such as termites, ants, and cloth moths. These insects enjoy the warm weather that occurs after the rains. They use this time to mate and build new colonies. In fact, spring is referred to as their swarming season. For cloth moths, spring is when they begin breeding. They are a threat to your car as their larvae usually damage fabrics.
Prevent your car from turning into a breeding ground for these troublesome pests by taking the following precautions:
- Repair any broken windows.
- Make sure to close all windows before leaving your vehicle.
- If you park your car in the open, consider fumigating the entire compound.
- If you park in the garage, then organize pest control for your home.
- Avoid parking your car near shrubs to prevent pests from relocating to your vehicle for shelter.
- Use the same products to fumigate your car that you would your home.
During the Summer
Pests such as mosquitoes, stinging insects, cockroaches, flies, and bed bugs are more prevalent and breed during the warm summer days.
Also, these pests will come to your car looking for food, water, or shelter. For instance, cockroaches will find your car an ideal home if you are always dropping leftover crumbs in the vehicle. Ants will also find their way inside your car if they sense even the tiniest bits of snacks inside.
If you take many road trips in the summer and stay in various accommodations such as motels and hotels, pests such as bedbugs easily move from hotel beds to your luggage which you later drag all the way into your car. They then make your car their home and can remain unnoticed for a long while.
You can make your car pest-free during summer by:
- Clean it thoroughly on a regular basis.
- Throw away every food bag you use in your car.
- Check every corner for any forgotten leftover crumbs.
- Avoid eating in your car.
- Spread pest control powder in the car.
- Fumigate your vehicle every once in a while.
During the Autumn
Some pests seek shelter from the cold autumn days by getting into your car. During this time, pests such as stink bugs and spiders will infest your vehicle. The worst part is that they might produce a foul smell that makes your car nearly uninhabitable. Autumn is also the spiders’ mating time. You might notice spider webs in the corners of your car, but finding the culprit during the day might be a challenge because spiders are active during the night. Fleas will also seek shelter in your vehicle during autumn while hunting for both warmth and food.
Minimize the likelihood of an infestation of these pests by taking precautionary measures such as:
- Fix broken windows.
- Do not leave your car windows and doors ajar.
- Use insecticides when necessary.
- Avoid parking your car near shrubs.
During the Winter
You have heard of mice and rats infesting homes, but did you know they also find a place to live inside your car? Larger animals also might refuge near the car engine, trying to gather any warmth they can.
If you don’t utilize effective pest control strategies, your car could be their next home this winter. Mammals can damage fabrics in your car, gnaw at electric wires, nibble papers, rip out insulation, and can cause an awful smell in your vehicle. Some of the things they ruin will cost you significant mechanical repairs. Take action now!
- Keep your car and garage clean.
- Park away from thickets, drainage, and garbage bins.
- Always close the car windows and doors properly.
- Avoid piling items in your car.
- Set traps for the animals.
- Fumigate the car from time to time.
Takeaway
Aside from causing trouble, pests can cause many health issues for you and your family. Keep your vehicle pest-free through all seasons by putting the above tips into practice. Hire a professional in pest control if you feel the pest infestation is something you can’t handle on your own, or as an added precautionary measure. Don’t wait until it is too late, act now! Remain proactive with pest control measures at all times for more peace of mind.
Kate Walker is an experienced copywriter and blogger. Currently, she is an editor at Smart Pill blog. Kate is also very enthusiastic about mechanics and aims to become a well-known expert in this niche.
Photo attribution: N3362 licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.
