Having pests in your car is the last thing you want to deal with. Trust me, I know how annoying they can be. I know you want to get rid of those pests immediately. There are several pest control options you can consider but…
…let’s find out if you can fumigate a car. Yes, you can make use of the same fumigation techniques used in homes to get rid of pests in the car. Some pest control companies render pest fumigation treatments professionally to ensure that you have a pest-free vehicle.
With this in mind, we’ve put together a car fumigation guide. You’ll get to know how you can fumigate your car yourself and what equipment you’ll need.
Let’s get this straight: what is car pest fumigation?
Car pest fumigation is the use of gaseous chemicals to suffocate and kill pests within a car. This is usually an invasive procedure that’ll prevent you from entering your car for hours.
The car pest fumigation is often the most effective way to exterminate cockroaches, flies, insects, fleas, and stink bugs that may be causing considerable damage to your car.
Although fumigation shouldn’t be the first line of defense against pests, it can act as an effective measure against severe pest infestation.
In fact, fumigating your car should be the last resort in most cases. First, consider options like diatomaceous earth and sticky traps. If you feel your pest problem is severe, you can try out fumigation.
Professional fumigation vs do-it-yourself fumigation
You can either decide to fumigate your car yourself or employ the services of pest control companies to get your car fumigated.
I’ll be stating a few factors you might need to think about before selecting. They include:
The severity of the infestation
You should consider the extent of your infestation before deciding how you’ll treat them. A larger infestation may require strong products and extensive procedures that will be easily attainable with pest control services. You can choose to fumigate your car on your own if the infestation is smaller.
Safety
If you want DIY fumigation, you must be sure that you completely understand the safety procedures involved. Any mistake might pose risks to your health. If you do not fully understand any procedure it’s important you research or consider hiring a professional service.
Time
If this would be a brand new experience for you and you are not accustomed to DIY projects, this might take you a long time. Hiring a professional service would save you time. In fact, most companies affirm that 2 hours is enough to treat a normal car infestation.
Cost
The cost of professional pest control is usually one of the reasons people choose to fumigate themselves. To do it yourself, you might only need to get foggers from a home improvement store. This would cost up to $100.
Hiring a professional pest control service, on the other hand, would cost more. It can cost up to $500 in some situations and as little as $200 in others. In addition, you’ll need to make an appointment with them and wait for their arrival.
Want to take the DIY route? Here’s how to fumigate your car on your own.
If you are quite confident that you can do this without a professional assistant, keep reading!
Here, I’ll be putting you through a general guide for fumigating your car. This is not an exhaustive list, I’ll just be outlining the basic steps you should take while tackling the pests with store-bought fumigators.
1. Select a product – What do you need in order to fumigate your car?
There are several products used to get rid of pests. You’ll need to get one that suits your need in terms of the kind of pest you are dealing with and the size of the car you intend to fumigate.
Most car fumigation experts make use of more than one product. They tend to mix products in a situation of several pests or even just one pest. This is simply done to achieve the desired results – a pest-free car.
If you are going for fogger bombs, choose the efficient one that’ll handle the situation adequately. Some people claim to have gotten rid of insects in their cars using a Raid fogger.
Surely, you’ll have a budget in mind but note this: the cheapest solution may not be the best option. Often, you’ll still have to spend on something more effective if you just go for the cheapest.
2. Have a plan! – this is not something you do in 5 minutes
You might need to leave your car to sit for a few days after fumigation, are you ready for this? Do you have an alternative? You need to have a schedule for this activity and plan ahead.
3. Preparation – How do I get my car ready for fumigation?
Most times the foggers you get from the store will provide instructions in the “direction for use section.” Read and follow them carefully in order to learn how to get your car ready for fumigation.
Normally, directions vary with different foggers. You might want to take your car batteries out and open up the stowage if you feel insects hide there.
4. It’s time for fumigation – Set your foggers
Here, you’ll still have to follow the written directions on your fogger bombs. Generally, the foggers are placed on flat surfaces – the car floor.
Ensure that you have prepared your car for this. Once you’ve set up the foggers, close the doors and windows of the car, seal it up and cover it with a tarp.
5. Wait – Leave your car alone for some time
This would usually take 30 minutes or more. The procedure for car fumigation would force pests out of different hidden corners of your car. The chemical will kill them or incapacitate them.
So, leave your car for some time. There’s usually a direction that’ll state the time you can get back to your car and how to dispose of the fogger container.
6. Inspect your car
Once the fumigation process is completed, you should thoroughly inspect your car. If you’ve used the right product, you should see a lot of dead pests and maybe a few of them alive but weak.
In this condition, you’ll have to get your car free from all these pests. You’ll need to vacuum the pests up, and thoroughly wash your car. This is to make sure you don’t have any bugs left.
Is this too much work? Call in the professionals!
If you find the whole procedure of fumigating your car stressful or you have safety concerns. You should hire an expert. They’ll do the job much better and they know the safest way to go about it. In addition, it’ll save you the time of trying out different products on your car.
However, you should opt for a reputable pest control company with good customer services. In the case of fumigation, you’ll have to consider the ones that are certified.
What happens when you inhale fumigation?
Inhaling fumigation can be very dangerous. Most fumigants are toxic, so inhaling even small amounts can cause serious illnesses and even lead to death.
While mild inhalation would only lead to nausea and fatigue, serious ones would lead to poisoning of the lungs and unconsciousness.
How long should I wait before using my car again?
You should wait at least 24 hours after fumigation before using your car. However, the amount of time you should wait would depend on the extent of the treatment and the products used.
In the case of professional fumigation, the expert will tell you how long you should wait after fumigation.
To be on a safer side, you can leave your car for days before using it. This is more than enough time for the complete dissipation of the chemicals.
Future measures to avoid the return of the pests
There are certain things that attracted pests to your car in the first place. You’ll need to avoid these things to prevent seeing them again:
- Keep food materials out of your car and ensure to clean up food crumbs immediately.
- Always inspect where you want to park. Avoid parking in infested areas.
- Check every item before loading them up in your car. Most insects are attracted to plants and cardboard boxes. So, avoid leaving those items in your car for long.
- Be vigilant: from time to time, check out your car. Get rid of pests immediately when you see them. Don’t wait until the situation becomes severe.
Putting it all together: can you fumigate a car?
Fumigating your car is more than just spraying chemicals. It is a procedure that requires strict adherence to safety rules. If the procedure is done wrongly, you stand to experience several side effects.
Getting a professional to handle this task is your safest option since you might be ignorant of some safety measures. Nevertheless, If you’ve made up your mind to do this yourself, take out time, and learn the vital facts about fumigation.
Remember your car is a small space! You want to make it as safe as possible to prevent the fumes from harming you.
Whichever way you decide to tackle your pest problem – be cautious, be informed!
