How to get rid of roaches in a car without a bug bomb

Step by step: how to get rid of roaches in a car without a bug bomb

Safety first. Never use a fogger or bug bomb inside a car: it is a small enclosed space, and fogger vapors can ignite from a spark. Only use a bait or other pesticide in a vehicle if its label allows that use, and keep it where children and pets cannot reach.

1. 1

   Empty the car completely

   Take out everything: trash, food wrappers, drink cups, grocery bags, paper, cardboard boxes, gym bags and the contents of the glovebox, console and door pockets. Put trash straight into a bag and tie it. Look over anything you keep before it goes back in, since roaches and egg cases hide in paper and boxes.

2. 2

   Pull out the floor mats and car seats

   Remove floor mats and any child car seats. Shake the mats outside, then wash rubber mats with soapy water and vacuum carpet mats on both sides. Clean child seats by following the seat maker’s manual; many covers come off and are machine washable.

3. 3

   Vacuum every seam and rail

   Slide each seat all the way forward and back to reach the seat rails and the carpet underneath. Vacuum seat seams, the gaps between seats and console, under the seats, door pockets, cup holders, the glovebox, the trunk and the spare tire well. Vacuuming removes roaches, droppings, shed skins and egg cases as well as their food.

4. 4

   Wipe hard surfaces

   Wipe the dashboard, console, cup holders, door panels and seat frames with an interior cleaner or a cloth dampened with warm water and a few drops of dish soap. Sticky spills in cup holders and on mats are food for roaches. Dry everything so no damp spots are left.

5. 5

   Clean the upholstery

   Spot-clean fabric seats and carpet with upholstery cleaner or a portable carpet cleaner, focusing on spill marks and the edges where crumbs collect. Leave the doors or windows open to dry the interior. Leather seats only need a wipe with a leather cleaner.

6. 6

   Set sticky traps and check them

   Place sticky traps on the floor under each front seat, in the trunk and in the footwells, pushed against edges where roaches travel. Check them daily for a week or two. No catches means the cleanup worked; steady catches mean they are still living in the car or being brought back in.

7. 7

   Find where they came from

   Roaches rarely start in a car on their own. Most hitch a ride in bags, boxes, backpacks or groceries from an infested home, workplace or store. Check your kitchen and garage with traps too, and keep cardboard and bags from that place out of the car.

8. 8

   Keep the car food-free

   For the next few weeks, do not eat in the car and do not leave groceries, pet food or bags in it overnight. Empty trash daily. With no food or hiding spots, any survivors will wander into traps or starve.

Can you bug-bomb a car for roaches?

No. Foggers are not made for vehicles, are dangerous in small spaces, and do not reach the cracks where roaches hide.

The EPA’s safety precautions for total release foggers say foggers should not be used in small, enclosed places such as closets and cabinets, because the product can explode, and that accidents happen when fogger material reaches an ignition source such as a spark from an electrical appliance. A car cabin is exactly that kind of small space, full of electronics. The UC Statewide IPM Program adds that foggers and aerosol sprays are often ineffective against cockroaches because they do not reach the crevices where roaches harbor, and they can scatter roaches to other areas without killing them.

Before you use any bait or spray in a car, read the label. The EPA reminds consumers that using a pesticide in a way that is inconsistent with its label is a violation of federal law, and many household roach products list only indoor rooms of a building. If no product you have lists vehicles, rely on cleaning and traps, or call a licensed pest control company.

Where do roaches hide in a car?

They hide in tight, dark spaces close to crumbs: under seats, in seat rails and seams, in the glovebox and console, and under the trunk floor.

UC IPM notes that cockroaches prefer warm, dark places where surfaces touch them on both sides, and that adult German cockroaches can hide in a crack 1/16 inch wide. Shine a flashlight into these spots and look for live roaches, dark pepper-like droppings, smears, shed skins and capsule-shaped egg cases.

• Seat rails, seat seams and the gap between the seats and console
• Glovebox, center console, door pockets and cup holders
• Under floor mats and in carpet edges along the door sills
• The trunk, spare tire well and any storage bins in the cargo area
• Child car seats, especially under the seat pad

When to call a professional

Call a licensed pest control company or an auto detailer who handles infestations if you still catch roaches after two weeks of cleaning and trapping.

Heavy infestations can reach inside door panels, dashboards and ventilation ducts, which you should not take apart yourself. Professionals know which products are labeled for vehicles, and detailers can steam-clean upholstery and carpet thoroughly. Fix the source at the same time: if roaches came from your home or apartment, the car will keep getting reinfested. Our guides to roaches in an apartment and roaches in the house cover that part. UF/IFAS Extension notes that roaches commonly travel on cardboard boxes and paper bags, so keep those out of the car while you deal with the source.

Mistakes to avoid

• Setting off a bug bomb in the car, which is a fire risk and does not reach hiding spots.
• Cleaning the car but not the home or workplace the roaches came from.
• Vacuuming the floor but skipping the seat rails, console and trunk.
• Leaving grocery bags, boxes or fast food bags in the car overnight.
• Putting household roach products in the car without checking that the label allows vehicles.