Bed bugs are crafty little pests that will take advantage of any situation to be able to hitch a ride home with you. You can pick them up from hotel rooms, motels, B&B’s and just about anywhere else you spend the night at. It’s an unfortunate circumstance, but it happens to a lot of people. They attach themselves to your clothing, luggage and furniture. When traveling home from your destination, these pests have the chance to detach themselves and set up shop in your vehicle. That’s enough to give you the heebie jeebies! If you notice little red welts after a long road trip, after a ride home from the airport, or if you recently discovered an infestation in your home, you may have a bed bug problem in your vehicle.

How Do I Inspect My Car for Bed Bugs?

Inspecting a vehicle for bed bugs is a lot like inspecting your home. These pesky insects are masters of hiding and prefer to come out under the cover of night. In the daytime. Start by removing all trash and clutter from the vehicle. Then perform a visual inspection, paying close attention to the seams along your seats, looking under your seats with a flashlight, your center console, under the floor mats and in the glove compartment. Look for exoskeletons, blood spots or dark spots that look like a bug had been squashed. Using a pet lint roller, or some duct tape, press the tape around the seats, floors, under your dash and see if any bed bugs get stuck to the tape.

Do I Need to Treat My Car for Bed Bugs?

If you have discovered bed bugs in your car, don’t fret. There are a few tried and true ways to get them out once and for all.
1: Remove any loose items from your car, floor mats, seat covers, trash etc. Put them into your washing machine and run them through a cycle on the hottest setting possible. Them put them into the dryer for 30-60 mins. This high heat will kill not only any live bugs, but their eggs and larvae as well.
2: Steam Cleaning- This is a popular option. Contact your favorite carpet steam cleaning company and have them steam clean your vehicle. Steam cleaning is a process that shoots out controlled amounts of steaming hot water that get extracted by powerful truck mounted equipment. This heat is enough to kill bed bugs, eggs and their larvae.
3: The most effective way of removing bed bugs is to have a pest control company who treats for bed bugs come to your home and treat your vehicle. This is a needed step if the population of bed bugs is large.
4: Vacuum- After your vehicle has been treated, be sure to do a thorough vacuuming every few days for a couple of weeks to ensure all of the bed bugs are removed. You can do this with a commercial vacuum at a car wash or use a home vacuum equipped with a HEPA filter. Be sure to vacuum everything thoroughly.

Bed Bug Pest Inspections, Treatment, Control, Removal & More in Austin, Round Rock, Leander, Pflugerville & Cedar Park Texas

It is almost impossible to rid a bed bug infestation on your own. It will make your life much easier to hire a professional who knows the ins and outs of bed bugs and can guarantee a pest free vehicle and home. A-Tex Pest Management has experienced and knowledgeable technicians who know the world of bed bugs and can assist you in getting your life back. Give us a call today for a bed bug inspection for your home or vehicle!