If you are the unfortunate victim of an insect infestation in your car, you may be tempted to use a bug bomb or fogger to eliminate the problem. But it’s hard to know how effective they are. Read this article for all the information you could need on safely bug bombing a car.
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Is It OK to Bug Bomb Your Car?
Yes, if you have a pest infestation in your car, you can effectively use a bug bomb designed for cars.
However, you need to make sure you get a bug bomb for a small space or specifically for a car. Do not use a bug bomb designed for an entire house!
How Effective Are Car Bug Bombs?
Car bug bombs are very effective, especially combined with steam cleaning.
While bug bombs sometimes get a bad reputation for not being effective in homes, car bug bombs are usually better as they target a more compact space.
Is It Safe to Bug Bomb a Car?
Technically, you can safely bug bomb your car. But bug bombs use toxic flammable chemicals, so they pose potential hazards. Even when used correctly, you run the risk of inhaling the chemicals, which can be harmful to your health.
What to Cover When Bug Bombing Your Car
When releasing a bug bomb in your car, there are a few areas that you cover with plastic or an old towel. This action will protect them from harsh and toxic chemicals.
Electronics
The first step is to cover electronics like your radio, auxiliary input, and charging outlets. The chemicals can seep into these devices, causing permanent damage. Like any electronics, liquids, and gasses can damage the inner workings causing malfunctions.
Climate Control Vents
It’s a good idea to cover the vents in your car connected to your climate control system. So wherever your hot and cool air blows out of, try to cover these as best you can with plastic wrap or an old towel.
This step is a double-edged sword. You prevent the chemicals from infiltrating your climate control system. If they do, the car can blow the chemicals at you while using it, which can cause health threats to you and anyone in your car.
However, if you have an infestation of small insects, they may have set up camp in these vents. And if you cover them when you bug bond the car, your efforts will be futile.
Steering Wheel
Covering your steering wheel isn’t necessary, but we recommend doing it. Most steering wheels are leather and have pores, so your hands don’t get too sweaty when driving on a hot day.
The pores will soak in the bug bomb chemicals, possibly resulting in a steering wheel that smells bad forever. Covering it is an easy way to reduce the smell of the wheel after bombing the car.
Other Preparation Steps
In addition to covering these components in your car, you should also clean your vehicle before bug bombing it. Remove all trash like wrappers and papers, and vacuum the entire car thoroughly, including crumbs and dirt.
And lastly, you should remove any items from your car that you can, including your trunk. So car seats, seat covers, and anything you can detach from the car should come out before bombing the vehicle.
Are There Pet-Safe Bug Bombs for Cars?
No, all bug bombs will be harmful to humans and pets. If they did not contain these toxic chemicals, they can’t effectively kill the pests that reside in your space. The only way to keep your pets safe from the bug bomb you use is to thoroughly clean and sanitize the car before and after using the bug bomb.
Dogs and cats are on the ground often and more likely to pick up random crumbs on the floor and lick your car seats, so you must remove the harmful chemicals from all surfaces in your car.
How Else Do I Get Rid of a Bug Infestation in My Car?
If the chemicals in bug bombs scare you and you want a different option for ending the infestation, consider one of the more natural methods below.
Organic Solutions
There are natural ingredients you can use to deter bug infestations. Natural deterrents include ingredients like garlic, bay leaves, and catnip. Just shove them under your seats and between seats, really anywhere you can think of. Replace these ingredients every week to keep the effects fresh until the bugs evacuate.
Remove Food and Drink
It depends on what kind of infestation you have, but if you remove all food sources from your car, the bugs may leave on their own. If you eat in your car often, you may want to stop. Even small crumbs can be enough to sustain a pest infestation.
Clean Fabric Surfaces
If you have an infestation of insects like bed bugs that target fabric, you should thoroughly clean the fabric. You should vacuum and then shampoo and then repeat the process over and over until the infestation subsides.
Traps
You can use insect traps, especially if you are dealing with a larger kind of insect, like cockroaches. Traps for insects include glue traps or gel baits that will trap them so you can dispose of the bugs or set them free if you want to be merciful. There are also boric acid traps that will kill the bugs once they get stuck in them within just a few hours.
Call a Professional
If you try everything, including bug bombing your car, and you still have a pest infestation, call an expert. Some infestations are too rampant for the average person to deal with. So you may have to call in a professional exterminator to remedy the situation and get rid of the bugs the right way.
Where to Buy Bug Bomb for Car
You can find bug bombs for small spaces at Walmart, Home Depot, Ace Hardware, Lowe’s, Target, CVS, Walgreens, or Rite Aid. Plus, online retailers like Amazon have plenty of options you can order for delivery. Most grocery stores will also have bug bombs for small areas.
Recommended Car Bug Bombs
Below are our best recommendations for bug bombs for your car.
Best Roach Bomb for Car
The Hot Shot No Mess Fogger is best for killing roaches in small spaces because the chemicals are super harsh and can penetrate the bug’s exoskeleton, killing them.
Best Bug Bombs for Ants
The Raid Concentrated Deep Reach Fogger is best for ants because they get into the smallest nooks and crannies, and this bug bomb reaches the smellest places in your car.
Best Bed Bug Bombs for Car
For getting rid of bed bugs that have invaded your fabric surfaces, use the Hot Shot Bedbug & Flea Fogger, designed to penetrate fabric and kill bed bugs.
Best Flea Bomb for Car
When dealing with a flea infestation, the Kinzua Environmental Punch Bug Bomb is the most effective because it targets all surfaces and the air where fleas could be.
Best Fly Bomb for Car
Flies can be tough to eliminate. But the Harris Indoor Insect Fogger will hang in the air and target flies no matter where they hide.
Bug Bomb for Car Spiders
The Black Flag HG-11079 Concentrated Fogger is ideal for eliminating spiders because the chemicals are strong and don’t hang in the air but penetrate the surfaces.
