How to Get Rid of Ants and Roaches in Your Car: Pest Infestation in Car

Finding ants crawling on your dashboard or spotting a roach under your seat is enough to make anyone uneasy. These tiny pests invade your car because they’ve found food, moisture, or shelter. And once they settle in, getting rid of them can feel like a battle.

But we understand the problem of pest infestation in cars and here’s a detailed article on how to eliminate these ants and roaches from the car effectively.

Quick Steps to Remove Ants and Roaches from Car

1. Identify the Problem: Check if you have a foraging ant infestation, an ant nest, or roaches hiding in crevices.
2. Eliminate Food Sources: Remove crumbs, food wrappers, and sticky residues.
3. Deep Clean the Interior: Vacuum under seats, in carpet fibers, and inside storage compartments. Use steam cleaning for deep sanitation.
4. Use Traps & Baits: Set up ant bait stations outside your car.  For roaches, use gel baits, boric acid, or diatomaceous earth in strategic locations.
5. Seal Entry Points: Close small gaps in door seals, windows, and ventilation systems.‍
6. Monitor & Prevent: Keep your car clean, avoid eating inside, and regularly inspect for pests.

Why Ants and Roaches Infest Cars

1. Food Spills: Even minor crumbs or soda spills attract pests like ants and cockroaches.
2. Environmental Factors: Parking near ant hills, garbage bins, or humid areas increases the risk of infestation.
3. Seasonal Risks: In colder months, pests seek shelter in warm cars. In summer, ants follow pheromone trails leading to food sources.

According to pest control experts, Orkin, ants are more attracted by sweet/spilled food, garbage, and water leaks, whereas roaches are attracted by moisture, grease, and organic debris.

Ants typically hide inside the vents, under seats, and near doors forming ant colonies inside your car. On the other hand, cockroaches are known to spread bacteria, and cause allergies. 

Step By Step Guide on Removing Roaches and Ants From Car

Thorough Inspection

• Examine Every Corner: Check under seats, in the trunk, between cushions, and all hidden compartments for signs of roaches and ants.
• Look for Entry Points: Identify and seal any gaps or openings where these tiny pests might be entering. Replace damaged areas to block ant and roach entry.
• Check the Ventilation System: Ants and roaches can crawl through air vents. Consider using mesh screens to cover openings.

Clear the Interior

• Remove all Items: Take out all personal belongings, mats, and any removable parts from your car.
• Dispose of Clutter: Discard any trash, food wrappers, or unnecessary items that could attract pests.

Deep Clean the Interior

• Vacuuming: Use a powerful vacuum to clean seats, floors, mats, and other surfaces. Pay special attention to cracks and crevices.
• Shampooing Upholstery: Wash fabric seats and mats with a suitable cleaner to remove any eggs or larvae. Very important that we use adequate cleaners so as not to damage the car's interior. 
• Steam Cleaning: Steam cleaning can penetrate fabrics and upholstery to kill pests without leaving harmful residues.

Here's how to vacuum a car like a pro.

Use of Pesticides

Natural Remedies: Apply diatomaceous earth, a natural powder made from tiny fossilized aquatic organisms that can help kill bed bugs by dehydrating them. 

• Ant Deterrents: Sprinkle cinnamon or use peppermint oil on affected areas. Peppermint contains menthol and menthone, compounds known for their insect-repelling capabilities to disrupt the ants' scent trails.
• Roach Repellents: Place bay leaves or cedarwood blocks under seats. Roaches dislike their strong smell.

Chemical Treatments: If necessary, use automotive-safe insecticides, following the manufacturer's instructions carefully.

Heat Treatment

High Temperatures: Park your car in direct sunlight on a hot day with windows closed. High heat can kill roaches and their eggs.

Steam Cleaning: Steam cleaning can be an effective and eco-friendly way to eliminate pests like ants and roaches in the car. Steam cleaning not only kills the pests on contact but also destroys their eggs, ensuring a thorough clean. 

Steam cleaning can be used to penetrate and clean hard-to-reach areas such as vents, upholstery crevices, and under-seats, making it an excellent choice for pest control. 

Check our detailed guide on steam cleaning a car.

Set Traps for Persistent Infestations

If the problem persists, traps and bait can target ants and roaches directly.

• Ant Baits: Use store-bought ant bait stations to attract and eliminate colonies.
• Roach Traps: Sticky traps or gel baits work well to capture roaches. Position traps near problem areas, such as under seats or in the trunk.

Pro Tip: After cleaning, use a high-quality car deodorizer to eliminate any lingering odors that might attract pests back to your car.

Professional Services 

If the infestation is too big to handle on your own, consider hiring a professional car detailing service. These experts go beyond regular cleaning, using specialized tools and techniques to deep clean every corner of your car, from carpets to air vents, eliminating food particles and pest hiding spots. 

Professional detailers can also apply pest-repellent treatments that are safe for your car’s interior, giving you peace of mind and a pest-free ride. Investing in a professional service ensures your car is thoroughly cleaned and protected, saving you time and hassle in the long run.

Prevent Ants and Roaches From Returning Back

Seal Entry Points

• Inspect door seals, window gaps, and air vents for cracks.
• Apply weather stripping to close small openings.

Smart Parking Strategies

• Avoid parking near garbage bins, wooded areas, or damp locations.
• If parked near an anthill, move your car immediately.

Routine Maintenance

• Vacuum and wipe down the interior weekly.
• Perform a deep clean (steam, disinfect) monthly.
• Inspect for infestation activity bi-weekly.
• Monitor parking areas for signs of infestation.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Will ants and roaches in your car go away on their own?

No, ants and roaches will not go away on their own. Both pests are opportunistic and will continue to forage, nest, or breed inside your car if they find food, moisture, or shelter.

To completely get rid of ants and roaches from your car consider booking a professional infestation removal service. 

Does heat kill ants and roaches?

Yes, extreme heat can kill ants and roaches, but it is not a reliable or immediate solution. Some species can withstand high temperatures by burrowing deeper into hidden crevices. While prolonged exposure to intense heat (over 120°F or 49°C) can kill them, many will simply relocate to cooler spots within the car.

Do roach bombs work?

Roach bombs are not recommended as they are highly toxic and inflammable. Instead of eliminating roaches effectively, the chemicals can force them deeper into hidden areas of your car, making removal even harder. Most importantly, these bombs leave behind harmful residues that can damage your car’s interior and pose serious health risks to you and your passengers. Safer alternatives like gel baits, diatomaceous earth, and insect growth regulators (IGRs) provide more effective, long-term solutions without these hazards.