If you have cockroaches in your car, you can call a fumigator or you can call a tow truck to send the car to the junkyard. In some cases, you may have to call for backup before the car can be taken away.
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Cockroaches are creepy, crawly, and have a bad reputation. Nobody wants to find them in their car – imagine the horror!
There are probably a lot of questions on your mind after you overcome the initial shock of finding roaches in your ride.
Like, if there’s one, are there more? Why is this happening? Where do you go from here?
Having Roaches in your Car a Safety Concern
Yes, the little critters are dangerous. They are though, in a way, just making themselves at home. Like any living creature, they need food and a warm place to hang their head after a long day. They chose to make your car their home.
It’s not that rosy, though. Unlike ants, that don’t really spread diseases to humans, the cockroaches do. This isn’t such a big deal on its own unless you care about illness; scientists report that they can transmit bacteria.
They’re not as cute as they look, either. They’re leaving behind a wake of biomatter in their trail: eggshells, feces, and dead skin. That’s very unpleasant to imagine.
How do I get Rid of the Cockroaches in the Car?
This isn’t a fun question to answer, but unfortunately the incident happens enough to warrant an article on the subject: getting the roaches of your car won’t be easy.
First of all, take a look at how they live once they make themselves at home in your vehicle. They are multiplying like crazy in the process. They find the tiniest little holes to get started, places you and your car wash place would never think to look. That will make you squirm.
Even if you think it’s been a long time in between cockroach sightings, you have to take advice from a New Yorker on this one: Once they’re spotted, assume they’re staying. You have to take drastic action to get these critters removed properly, and if you think a quick insecticide spray is going to save you, you could be deceiving yourself.
In other words, the moral of the story is this: If you see one, take immediate action. This isn’t the type of problem we want to leave unattended because it will only get worse down the line.
Advice for Cars with Roach Infestations
When dealing with cars with roach problems, the first thing to do is to admit that there’s an issue that needs to be resolved.
Secondly, check in with the hardware or car parts store to see if they have an insecticide (aka roach spray) that can help. They may also recommend setting traps with bait in a nearby area to lure them out to a new home.
The Cost of Removing Roaches from a Car
As of today’s writing (2021), the current average cockroach extermination costs roughly $149. However, they can be found on a spectrum between $99 to $325.
Sometimes one treatment doesn’t do the job, and a second is required. So, whatever your first estimate is, you might as well consider it double unless the problem is very minor and treated right away.
Pest treatments for the entire home can run an annual cost of over $700 easily. It’s a small price to pay for knowing that there aren’t cockroaches living alongside you.
Professional or DIY when Dealing with Car Roaches: a Hot Debate
There are people who almost look forward to having problems like finding roaches in their car one day on the morning commute. For them, it makes life exciting as new challenges enter the horizon.
For the rest of us, however, the situation throws us into panic mode; it’s chaos. First there was the busted head gasket. Then last summer the air conditioner didn’t blow anything but steamy air.
Now, it’s roaches in the car. What luck!
Either way, there are people who want to handle the problem head on by themselves and others who immediately call a professional to take on the trouble.
The first camp will head to the hardware store and ask a sales representative for assistance in finding the right bug spray to zap those critters once and for all.
They might even take the time to visit the library or research information by reading blogs online. They will try to avoid calling the professional because they like the challenge or think they can’t afford the services.
The other group of people just wants to get the problem resolved quickly, and for them, cost is no problem. They take the car to a mechanic or hire a fumigator to get the bugs zapped as quickly as possible.
Which are you?
The costs might add to the equation. For example, a can of insecticide isn’t more than four or five dollars at most retail venues. Coupled with a few hours of your time and a close reading of the directions, it could be the way to go.
Then again, if you are disgusted at the thought of using bug spray to kill cockroaches, you might prefer to go the professional route.
On this blog, we usually recommend the professional route as there is fewer opportunity for injury or error.
Squirrels in my Car are Driving Me Nuts!
Sometimes it’s not the cockroaches that are the problem in the car; it’s the squirrels.
Squirrels on television are cute, cuddly, and adorable. In real life, they’re a lot more problematic. Although they have every right to live in nature as they please, they sometimes choose to make their home in the car you park under the old oak tree.
If this happens to you, don’t panic. First of all, plenty of your friends and neighbors have dealt with a squirrel nest in their car before. If not, they probably know somebody who has.
It is a popular topic amongst neighborhood social media groups these days. One Chicago suburban Facebook User posed this very question this week: Who can I call for help with a Squirrel’s Nest in my car?
She even posted photos of the animals making themselves right at home.
If you have wild animals in your car, or dogs or cats that aren’t yours, you should stop yourself from making any adventurous decisions.
Instead, call the police department, community service department, or animal control for assistance. People should not try to touch baby squirrels that have a nest in the car.
In fact, no person should try to approach an unfamiliar animal, domestic or otherwise.
Instead, they should call animal control to remove the nest. After that, the real work begins.
You have to figure out what damage was done by the infestation. For example, maybe they hid their nuts in a valve or chewed through some wires. A mechanic will help you determine the best course of action.
Remember, if you tamper with an endangered species, you could be subject to a fine. Don’t risk it!
For Roaches or Squirrels, Send the Car to the Junkyard
When it comes to creepy crawlers or critters taking residence in your vehicle, you need to make smart decisions about how to proceed.
The first thing to do is be optimistic and find solutions. Complaining or putting the problem off only complicates the matter on this one.
If you have roaches in your vehicle, you can go the DIY route or call a professional. Remember that roaches have diseases, so for this reason, it isn’t advised to handle them on your own.
If you go the professional path, you will have a licensed pesticide expert at your door in no time flat. Follow their advice and see how it goes.
The real advice, though, is to send the car to the junkyard. After you eliminate the pest problem, the aftermath may be unbearable.
You could have major repair bills on your hands trying to clean and fix your car. Instead of dealing with this, you could send the car to the junkyard.
This is a good idea if your car is already old and has broken down a lot in the recent months.
You could also see if your car is requiring a lot of recalls because maybe it’s better off going to the junkyard.
Roaches or Squirrels in Your Car
If your friend or neighbor asks you what to do about an infestation in their vehicle, remember the words of advice presented in this article.
DIY options may exist, but they’re not recommended. Call a professional.
Or, better yet, call a wildlife conservationist or a pest specialist; then, call a tow truck and haul that car to the junkyard.