Bugs can reside in floor mats, floorboards, car speakers, center consoles, and even the interior of the car doors. From ants to spiders to cockroaches, all types of bugs can find comfort in the shelter of your vehicle.
You never want to allow your car to become riddled with insects! It’s a quick way to ruin your car’s condition and cause an uncomfortable drive. Keep bugs out of your vehicle’s interior and exterior by following this list of dos and don’ts.
Don’t Keep Unprotected Food in the Car
One of the quickest ways to attract bugs is by leaving food behind in the car. Most bugs enter a car only to exit quickly. But that is not the case when there is ample food available.
Food will create an environment that encourages bugs to stick around for a while. Although it is favorable for the insects, it is unsatisfactory for you. You do not want a car that is a breeding ground for ants, cockroaches, or other bugs.
Keep your car clear of food, and remember that pests can penetrate thinly packaged food items. If you must store food in your car, use durable plastic containers. Bugs cannot break through tough plastic, so safely stored food is less likely to cause an infestation.
When you do have to drive somewhere with food, promptly clean it out of the car. A few French fries on the floorboards, a half-eaten bag of chips, or a soda spill on the seats can entice bugs. Before you know it, the car can become infested.
Each week or two, take out all food and beverage trash to minimize the risk of a bug invasion. Use a damp cloth to clean up any beverage spills on the seats, console, dashboard, or floorboards. That way, the car will be a less appealing environment for bugs to reside in.
Do Keep the Undercarriage Clean
Dirty cars are more likely to attract spiders. If you forget to clean your car or leave it parked near bushes or trees for months on end, spiders are more likely to find a home in the undercarriage.
The minimal sun exposure and lack of cleanliness make your car’s undercarriage an ideal spot for spiders to weave their webs. But, if you maintain a clean car, you will not need to worry about this problem.
Pressure washers are great tools to eliminate contaminants like ice salt and mud. But they are also excellent for removing spiders and webs from your undercarriage. When you are washing your car, pay special attention to the undercarriage to prevent spiders from making themselves comfortable there.
Don’t Leave the Windows Down While You’re Parked
The summer weather is a peaceful time to drive with the windows down. Sure, the occasional bug might find its way into the car while you’re driving, and that’s no big deal!
However, it becomes a problem when you park in the driveway and forget to roll up the windows. This makes your car vulnerable to bugs that are active during the night. They buzz through the air and into your open windows and can find themselves stuck inside your car.
Double-check that the windows are up when you arrive home. Leaving the windows down for hours can cause a bug-infested disaster!
Do Use a Vacuum and Insecticide To Rid the Car of Bugs
Perhaps an incident occurred, and bugs found their way into your car. Whether it is a full-on infestation or only a few bugs, a vacuum is an efficient method to remove them. Trace the vacuum along the seats, dashboard, floorboards, and mats to capture each bug—living and dead.
If there are any stubborn bugs that won’t leave, you will need insecticide. The chemicals will kill the insects so they can’t multiply and cause an infestation. After the insecticide sits for a while, use the vacuum once again to remove the insects.
Don’t Forget To Wash Away Bugs on the Exterior
Bugs splat onto the windshield, grille, and doors. It’s impossible to prevent this from happening while you are on the road. But what you can do is remove the bugs from the car once you return home. Leaving the bugs on the surface is not just an eyesore—they can become etched into the paint and are troublesome to clear away.
Cleaning bug residue after a drive is simple with a damp microfiber cloth. But bugs that remain on the surface for a prolonged period might require some extra effort to remove. Mix car detergent in a bucket of water. Then, use a bug sponge or a microfiber towel to wipe the surface clean. The soapy surface allows you to clean up the area thoroughly without too much elbow grease.
Rinse the soap away with water and ensure each bug stain is gone. Then, take a clean microfiber towel and wipe the car dry. Remember to wash the vehicle a minimum of once every two weeks. It will leave a sleek surface and guarantee that bugs do not damage the car’s paint job.
Do Use a Bug Screen
Your car’s grille acts as a shield to the engine. You can’t stop bugs from flying into the face of the grille when you’re driving 60 mph down the interstate. And the headlights at night attract insects like moths to a flame—literally.
Although you can wash the grille with soap and a sponge, it won’t stop the bugs from entering. That’s where Fia bug screens come in handy! Effectively keep every bug away from the grille and the innards of the engine with a durable bug screen.
You can focus your energy on washing the other areas of the car while trusting the bug screen will protect every component of the grille. The grille’s paint and condition will remain intact through every drive you take.
Cars are tricky machines. There are various factors that can affect the appearance and functionality of the vehicle. If you follow these dos and don’ts to keep bugs out of your vehicle, you will be one step closer to prolonging your car’s life span.
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