How to Get Rid of Cockroaches In Car? Best Methods!

Nobody likes to be around cockroaches, especially in cars. They pose health risks, produce a foul smell, and may trigger asthma attacks.

Here we shared 6 of the most useful ways to get rid of these pests in your car!

How to Get Rid of Cockroaches in Car

1. The duct tape trap

If you don’t want to spray harmful chemicals inside your car, the duct tape trap seems to be the perfect sorted-out solution. You can do away with cockroaches of any size with this trap.

You only need some sticky duct tape and a dollop of sweet peanut butter as the bait. There is no toxic chemical in use and they are easy to dispose of.

Convert duct tape into traps!

1. Grab a roll of duct tape and cut out strips about 4 to 6 inches long.
2. Fold the tapes down on both ends so the roaches and similar pests can get on over.
3. Lay down the strip and put in a little bit of sweet peanut butter right onto the center.
4. Do not contaminate the stickiness of your tape with too much peanut butter.
5. Lay the traps on cockroach-infested places in your car. Put the tape sticky side up, and the bigger roaches will get stuck.
6. Flip the traps over to catch tiny German cockroaches. When these small roaches try to get under the tape and push their way in to taste your peanut butter, their backs will get stuck.

2. Bay Leaves

Cockroaches turn away from the smell of bay leaves. In case you don’t already have the leaves at hand, get them from any spice shop near you.

Throw a bunch of bay leaves where your hands couldn’t reach or half burn some bay leaves in a metal pot to create smoke, then you may smoke your car.

Don’t be afraid of the smoke. It is still better than any toxic pesticides you’ll buy from the store.

This process may take longer, then again it’s a nice natural method you can use.

3. The store-bought Insect Traps

There are so many roach traps you’ll find today but the most effective among them are the sticky traps.

They work just like the duct tape trap and are easy to dispose of. You may use them in your car to get rid of the cockroaches in no time.

4. Lemon juice spray

Lemon juice effectively repels cockroaches. For quick relief from roaches, mix some raw lemon juice with water in a sprayer bottle and spray onto the mats and hard-to-reach spots in your car. 

5. Slippery jar trap

1. Get a clean, dry, and sizable jar. Put bits of baits inside such as pan grease, peanut butter, or cheese.
2. Spread some scent-free oil or petroleum jelly all over the inside of the vase, particularly inside the mouth area.
3. Cover the outside of the jar with painter’s tape so that cockroaches will easily get into the trap.

Cockroaches will get into the jar to get the bait and won’t be able to escape their way out of the slippery surface.

6. Coffee Trap

The smell of coffee draws cockroaches. You need a clean jar, water, and coffee grounds to set this trap.

1. Get a plastic cup and fill it with a spoon of wet coffee grounds.
2. Pour enough water into a clean pickle jar so the coffee cup could stand in water.
3. Place the cup down in water inside the jar.
4. Keep the jar open for the pests to fall into

Note: You may use the coffee trap when your car is safe and unmoved, so the water doesn’t spill all over.

Tips to Prevent Cockroaches in Your Car

1. Vacuum Clean the Car

A dirty car is full of food for bugs and cockroaches. Think of the hiding places in your car and use a portable vacuum to get rid of the cockroaches, dried food crumbs, and regular dust.

Take a good look at the car and wipe off any spills or liquids on the leather seats or mats inside the car. Make sure you thoroughly clean every nook and crannies.

2. Remove Rubbish

Get rid of the mess in your car. Wash all your mats and carpets, clear up the crevices in the cabin and check every hard-to-reach spot and under the rear seats.

Inspect everywhere and destroy any cockroach eggs you find in your car. If you find it hard to do it all by yourself, call your local pest control professionals.

3. Keep Your Car Sealed

When there are gaps between the doors and perforations in your vehicle, it gets easier for filthy roaches to sneak in, lay eggs, and occupy your car for generations.

4. Park the car away from bins, drains, or bushes

Avoid parking in nasty places so the bugs and cockroaches don’t wander their way into your vehicle.

If you station your car near a trash bin, a gutter, or beside the bushes, bugs and roaches may get in.

5. Don’t let go of the pests spotted inside the car

Actively punish the cockroaches you see without spoiling your car. This will help reduce their population.

Why Bugs Like Roaches Chose Your Car

Be careful when you eat and drink or carry snacks in your car. It’s a habit that invites cockroaches so you may get rid of this first.

If you have no other option than to have food in the car, make sure nothing spills and not a scrum drops down.

Common Pests That May Infest Your Car

If your car is infested by insects, they’re probably ants, roaches, spiders, bed bugs, carpet beetles, or similar pests.

German small cockroaches are the most common ones you find in cars.

How Do Insects Get Into Your Car?

Any gap or breach in your car could invite insects. Perhaps there are door gaps, holes in the windshield and sunroof, or the undercarriage has damage.

The Hiding Place for Cockroaches in Your Car

The more storage you have, the better cockroaches can hide in your car. You’ll mostly find them in the glove compartment, the center console, storage units, and even in the stereo system and speakers.

Precautionary Measures to Get Rid of the Cockroaches in Your Car

• Keep your windows rolled up and do not forget to do a thorough inspection of your vehicle after every trip.
• Stay away from yard sales and other such affairs
• Treat your car well. Wash, vacuum, give your car a spa day once a week or at least once a month.
• Starve the roaches out. Avoid spreading food or spilling drinks in your car. If you have a habit of eating in the car, change it.

FAQs

1. Is it normal to have cockroaches in your car?

Ans: It’s absolutely not normal but cockroaches like to be where people are. Our trash is the biggest supply of their food.

2. Can I bomb my car for roaches?

Ans: No, insect bombs are designed for open spaces like office corridors, hotel yards, or a big room in your house. If you try to blast them inside your car, you might deeply regret it.

3. How long does it take to get roaches out of a car?

Ans:  It usually takes 2-3 days for a complete termination. The get-rid-of-roaches period remains dependent on the level of infestation occurring in your car and the method you choose to exterminate them.