It might be hard to believe for some people but bed bugs are not only found in beds and mattresses, but can also be found in movie theaters, luggage, cracks in walls and floors, furniture, picture frames, and even in cars, especially in the seats, carpets, and floor mats.
Finding bed bugs in cars can be an unexpected and unpleasant surprise. These pests are adept at hiding in small, dark, and sheltered places close to where people sleep and rest and quickly infest the area where they are hiding. Whether you found one bed bug in your car or their entire family, it’s important to take action quickly to get rid of them completely.
Understanding Bed Bugs and How They Get in Your Car
Bed bugs are small, wingless insects found in sleeping or resting areas. These pests feed on the blood of humans and do not transmit disease. However, they are likely to cause itchiness and red bites on your body.
To correctly understand the health risk of bed bugs, here is an article from the US Environmental Protection Agency.
These tiny pests are professional hitchhikers and often ride on clothing, luggage, furniture, or sometimes even pets. Bed bugs can get in your car through any of these means and hide in the smallest cracks which makes them difficult to detect and remove.
Signs of Bed Bugs in Car
Before you start with the removal process of bed bugs, it’s important to first confirm the presence of bed bugs. While the easiest way to find a bed bug infestation in the car is to look for the physical signs of an infestation, some of the most common signs of bed bugs in cars are:
Tiny Dark Spots
The tiny dark spot that looks like small black and brown spots in your car are liquid waste or bed bug excrement.
Bloodstains
Bed bugs feed on human blood and in that process, they can leave small blood stains behind. These stains can be seen on your car seats or upholstery, especially after the bugs have been squashed.
Shed Skins
As bed bugs grow, they shed their exoskeletons. Bed bugs grow with each blood meal and to accommodate their larger size, they leave their shed skin. These skins can be found in your seats, under mats, or in other areas of your car.
Effective Ways to Eliminate Bed Bugs
While there may be different reasons for bed bugs being in your car, it’s important to get rid of them as soon as you can. Removing bed bugs from your car involves a few easy steps that you can do by yourself.
Inspect and Clean Your Car Thoroughly
Inspect your car thoroughly and pay special attention to the corners of seats, upholstery, mats, and the trunk. Look for any signs of bed bugs such as dark spots or shed skins. Once you have identified the infested areas, remove all the items from your car and let them dry out in the sun. The extreme heat from the sun can help kill any lingering bed bugs. Shampooing all infested items is a good option to get rid of bed bugs from your car.
Vacuuming
Bed bugs love to hide in small and dark places, so if you don’t want to take any chances, use a powerful vacuum to clean every corner of your car’s interior. Focus on the seats, floors, mats, or any hidden areas where the bud bugs might be hiding. This helps to eradicate bed bugs, their eggs, and debris that could be hiding inside the car.
Dispose the vacuum bag immediately in a sealed plastic bag to prevent any bed bugs from escaping.
Steam Cleaning
The only good thing about bed bugs is they cannot withstand high temperatures. This is the reason why steam cleaning is one of the most effective and best methods for killing bed bugs.
You can use a steam cleaner on your car’s interior and fabrics to kill bed bugs and their eggs. This should be done carefully as you don’t want to damage the interior of the car while ensuring the heat penetrates deeply into the fabric and other materials. This is a labor-intensive process, but it ensures that no bugs are left behind.
Pro Tip: Be careful about the airflow while using a steam cleaner because strong airflow scatters the bed bugs instead of killing them.
Not sure about steam cleaning a car? Check our detailed guide on how to steam clean a car.
Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous earth is a natural powder made from tiny fossilized aquatic organisms and can help kill bed bugs by dehydrating them. This powder works by absorbing fats and oils from bed bugs, causing them to dry out and die.
Sprinkle a thin layer of the diatomaceous earth powder in areas where bed bugs prefer to hide, such as under the seats and trunks. Leave it for a few days and vacuum it thoroughly.
Heat Treatment for Killing Bed Bugs
Will bed bugs die in a hot car? Yes, they will.
Bed bugs die at temperatures above 113°F (45°C), you can park your car in a sunny spot on a hot summer day and close all the windows.
Get Help from a Professional Car Detailer
While all the above-mentioned tips are useful for dealing with a few bed bugs, they might not be sufficient for a severe infestation.
If you feel the situation is uncontrolled, it’s high time to book a professional car detailing service and get your car cleaned thoroughly. Professional detailers have the right tools and equipment along with the expertise to effectively eliminate bed bugs and ensure your car is pest-free.
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FAQs: You've Found a Bed Bug in Car
What does a major bed bug infestation look like?
Bed bugs hide in the dark and small places which makes them almost impossible to find. However, if you notice dark brown spots, shed skins, clear eggs, or blood stains from crushed bugs in your car seats, upholstery, or floor mats these can be some of the major signs of bed bug infestation in your car.
Can bed bugs survive in a car during winter?
Yes, bed bugs can survive in a car during winter.
Bed Bugs are known for their resilience and can withstand temperatures as low as 0°F (-18°C) for a brief period.
However, prolonged exposure to such low temperatures may eventually kill them. It's important to note that cold weather alone may not be a reliable method for eliminating a bed bug infestation in your car.
How Long Does It Take to Remove Bed Bugs from a Car?
The time it takes to remove bed bugs from a car depends on the severity of the infestation and the methods used to remove it.
DIY methods like vacuuming and heat treatment can yield immediate results, but they may not completely eliminate the infestation, especially if it's severe.
Professional treatments, on the other hand, can take 2-3 treatments spread over a few weeks to ensure complete elimination.
Does bed bug infestation go away?
Yes, with proper care and effective methods of removing bed bugs from your car, bed bug infestations can definitely go away.
My Friend Has Bed Bugs and Sat in My Car - What Do I Do?!
Dealing with bed bugs in your car can be challenging, but by following these cost-effective steps, you can effectively eliminate them and prevent future infestations.
However, regular monitoring and maintenance are the key to keeping your vehicle bed bug-free.
Bed Bugs bugging you? Hire a Pro on Panda Hub!
Panda Hub is here to help you keep your car clean and free from pests like bed bugs.
Our network of trusted technicians in your local area are carefully selected and highly trained to handle bed bug infestations effectively.
We believe in providing top-quality service without breaking the bank, offering unbeatable prices for our car care services.
May your car always be as bug-free as a brand-new mattress! Happy driving!
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