An occasional fly can get into your car from time to time, and they are easy to deal with. But if you end up with a more annoying insect, like ants, then you’ll have a bigger problem. If there is leftover food or trash somewhere under the seat, ants will be attracted to it and they may start to invade your vehicle. You can remove them yourself if you have the proper equipment and a lot of patience. Here is a detailed guide on how to remove ants from your car.
Tools you’ll need
- Drecell Car Vacuum - $29.99 at Amazon
- AIDEA Microfiber Cleaning Cloths-50PK - $15.99 at Amazon
- Armor All Multi-Purpose Cleaner - $6.27 at Amazon
- ForPro Professional Collection Disposable Nitrile Gloves - $11.99 at Amazon
- Mighty Mint - 16oz Natural Peppermint Oil Ant Killer and Repellent Spray - $19.99 at Amazon
Instruction on how to get rid of ants in a car
Step 1: Find the source of the ants
In order to solve the ant problem, you need to find out what is causing it. Look around on the exterior and interior of the vehicle to find where the ants are coming from and what is luring them there in the first place.
Step 2: Throw out all food and trash from the vehicle
Cleaning out your car is another great starting point. Throwing out any old food and loose trash and discarding it properly can potentially remove what is attracting the ants.
Step 3: Vacuum the interior
Use a vacuum cleaner to clean up any loose crumbs, dirt or other debris you happen to find in your vehicle. Vacuuming can also get rid of some of the ants if you can reach them.
Step 4: Spray and wipe down the interior
Take a high-quality interior cleaner and spray it on your vehicle’s surfaces. Then wipe the surfaces with a microfiber cloth.
Step 5: Spray insect repellent in the car
Use an insecticide to spray onto your interior surfaces to get rid of the ants and keep them away. Make sure the repellant you choose is safe for vehicles so you won’t have to worry about inhaling harsh chemicals while driving.
Step 6: Place ant bait traps around your vehicle
For added protection against ants, add some ant traps to your car. If the ants decide to come back into the vehicle, this can help deter them or kill them.
Step 7: Wash your car
Getting your car washed via machine or by hand can be very helpful at power washing the gaps of your car that ants may have used to get inside. Also, be sure to wash your car regularly ant colonies from returning. If the ants still won’t go away, try the previous steps over again. If the ant infestation is still ongoing, then you may need to call a pest control expert.
How to get rid of ants FAQs
How do ants get inside of cars?
There are many ways ants can get inside your car. They can crawl in between doors, windows, panels, the hood, under the car or even the ventilation system in a worst-case scenario.
Will these instructions work on other types of bugs?
For the most part yes. But instead of ant repellant and traps, you may have to use insecticide that’s made with the intent to remove spiders, termites, roaches or whatever other insects you have in your car.
How to know if a bug repellant is safe to spray in a car?
Make sure you read the product description online and the labeling on the product itself to find out its safe to spray in your vehicle.
