How to Get Rid Of Fleas in Your Car
Fleas are small insects that are mostly flightless. They are mostly found in the house but they will sometimes find their way in your car and enjoy it irritating you. Fleas mainly survive by feeding on blood. If you are always fond of taking your pets on a tour with your car then it is possible that most fleas in your car come from your pets. However, you can find some fleas come from an infested car parking or sometimes you might bring them to your car yourself.
Getting rid of fleas is a difficult task to carry but we are going to look on some available ways that you can use to get rid of these annoying creatures. If you have children who go with you in the car, then this needs to be done as soon as possible. This is because fleas are severe especially to children because they go scratching themselves a lot if the fleas come into contact with their skins.
The first thing you need to do is to identify where the fleas are coming from so as to eliminate the source. If for instance, it is your pet, then you need to clean your pet thoroughly. You should also not allow your pet to get in the car before it is completely free of the fleas.
You can get rid of the fleas in this ways that we have below.
Steam Cleaning Or Vacuum Cleaning
Vacuum cleaning or steam cleaning is one way to get rid of fleas in your car. First, you need to identify the severity of the infestation caused. Larger infestation cannot be handled using this method of eradicating fleas from your car. If it is a small infestation, use the steamer if you have one. Fleas can never survive where the temperatures are above 95 degrees. Use temperatures that range between 120-170 degrees when steaming.
If using vacuum, then you first need to clean out your car. Remove every item in the car including carpets and pet’s beddings. Wash the beddings and carpets with hot water. Now your car is empty so you should now vacuum your car. Start with the floorboards and do not leave out under the seats. Also, vacuum the mats. Vacuum the trunk too and you will also need to vacuum behind the doors. Ensure that you do not leave out any part of your car including the car pockets where fleas might be hiding. Empty the dustpan and throw the contents in a dustbin. However, if the infestation is large then you need to look for more aggressive ways to get rid of the fleas.
Using Flea Sprays
Sprays are also easily accessible in pest control shops. They are professionally made to get rid of fleas in the most effective way they can. Before using any sprays you need to find out if you are allergic to sprays and aerosols. The best sprays are the natural ones. This needs to be done at the earliest time possible to prevent fleas from spreading all over your car. All you need is to buy a good product and spray in every part of the car including under the seats and every part that the fleas might hide from. After you have sprayed, close the doors of the car and leave it closed to avoid inhaling dangerous chemicals.
Using Flea Powders
This method should be best for people who are allergic to sprays and aerosols. Powders can be found in various types that are very effective when used properly. With the flea powder, you just need to spread the powder evenly throughout the car including the trunks, beneath the seats and in the pockets where the fleas might be hiding. This works effectively when the pests eat or inhale the powder. The powder dries out the oils in the fleas resulting in their death. This works well if you leave the car unattended for one hour but if you want to be free from fleas for longer then you need to leave the car for about two hours.
A good powder will kill the pests along with your eggs and the larva. Choose the one that is the most natural one. After the two hours are over, you will vacuum the remains of the powder. For good and lasting results you need to repeat this regularly.
Using Home Remedies
There are also some home remedies that can be used to get rid of these pests but they may work at a slower pace but they are worth a try and time. This good if the infestation is small and has just been discovered.
Salt
Ordinary salt you ask? Yes. Ordinary table salt can be used to get rid of fleas, you will just follow this process to get great results fleas cannot tolerate salt so they will either die or jump to a safer place when they come in contact with salt.
In your car, salt every part of the car and especially the parts that the fleas are likely to hide this include under the seat, in the trunk, and in the car pockets. Since the fleas might jump on places where there is no salt then you have to sprinkle salt on every part. If you are done sprinkling, then vacuum the whole car where the salt has been sprinkled.
Lemon Spray
Cut a small slice of lemon and add it in water then bring the contents to boil. Let it stay overnight and fill it up in a spray container. Spray every part that is a potential hiding place of fleas in the car. Take note that you do not soak but only dampen. If you also have a car cover, you can also clean it and spray the lemon to do away with the fleas.
Final Remarks
Fleas can be very hard to eliminate completely that is why you need to get rid of them regularly and ensure that any source of the fleas is also eliminated. For example, if the source is your pets but you enjoy taking them in your car you should make sure that they are regularly shampooed to get rid of the pests in them.
You should also consider the type of infestation in your car so that you know the type of method you can use to get rid of them. The methods we have listed above are very effective so choosing from them and using them correctly can give you great results.
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