Maggots are disgusting, tiny little creatures resembling rice grains and crawling like worms. However, maggots are not worms. Maggots are larvae that hatch from fly eggs and show up in many places, such as trash cans and underneath kitchen and bathroom sinks.
Sometimes, they can even wind up in your car, especially if you have little bits of food on the floor that weren’t properly cleaned up.
In this article, we will tell you how to get rid of maggots in your car and how to prevent them from occurring in the future. Keep reading to find out how!
How to Get Rid of Maggots in Car
A maggot infestation in your car can be not only a nuisance but also a health risk! Maggots, just like flies, carry diseases and are highly unsanitary.
What’s more, if they are left unattended, they will mature into adult flies and repeat the process all over again. The flies will lay eggs that produce more and more maggots.
Luckily, this step-by-step guide lets you get rid of these gross pests easily.
Step 1: Scope Out The Area
The first step to getting rid of maggots in your car is to scope out the area to know exactly where all of the maggots are. If you find some in one spot, it’s a good possibility they are lurking in other areas as well.
Thoroughly checking inside your entire vehicle for maggots will let you know the best course of action for eliminating them and preventing another infestation from occurring. Be sure to check underneath seats, between cracks, under your car carpet, and in your trunk.
Step 2: Get Rid Of The Maggots
Now that you have an understanding of how big your maggot problem is, it is time to kill them. You can use a few different methods to achieve this, including natural and chemical methods.
Only you will know which method is right for you depending on your personal preferences, where the maggots are, and how big your maggot infestation is. Here are the most common methods for killing maggots.
Method 1: Permethrin Spray
Permethrin is a chemical insecticide that kills many different types of bugs and insects, even microscopic ones. You can find the spray at many superstores and pet stores, or you can order it online.
To kill the maggots, simply spray the permethrin spray on them and let them sit for a few hours.
Method 2: Bleach And Water
The good thing about this method is you likely already have bleach at home! Bleach is powerful enough to kill these pesky pests in their tracks. Just make a solution of half bleach and half water, then pour it on the maggots.
However, keep in mind that bleach will whiten fabric surfaces such as your seats and floor mats, so you will likely have stains with this method.
If you don’t want to ruin your interior, you can try setting a big bowl of pure bleach near the maggots and closing the doors. Sometimes just the bleach fumes are enough to kill them.
Method 3: Boric Acid
If you don’t want to use a chemical, there are plenty of natural solutions to kill maggots. The first one is boric acid. Boric acid is a natural insecticide that you can find at your local hardware store.
Just sprinkle the boric acid over the maggots and make sure you use a broom to push it deep into the porous surfaces, such as the carpet, to get any teeny bugs that may be hidden in the fibers.
Method 4: Boiling Water
This is probably the easiest solution and is highly effective. The key is making sure the water is boiling. Maggots can survive cool and warm water temperatures. However, they are not made to withstand water at extremely high temperatures,
Just pour boiling water over the areas with maggots. This should work pretty quickly.
Method 5: Lime Juice and Salt
Another natural solution you can use to kill maggots is lime juice and salt. It is preferable to use lime juice concentrate for this method, but fresh limes will work too. If you are using fresh limes, you will need to juice them first.
Make a mixture of the lime juice, salt, and warm water in a spray bottle and spray it directly on the maggots and let it do its job.
Alternatively, you can use lemon juice if that is all you have on hand.
Method 6: Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous earth is a natural insecticide and works wonders for maggots. You can find this at your local home and garden store or online.
Simply sprinkle the Diatomaceous Earth over the maggots and let it sit for 30 minutes or until you no longer see the maggots moving.
Step 3: Vacuum or Sweep Them Up
After you have successfully killed the maggots and gotten the situation under control, its time to remove the maggots
You can use a vacuum or shop vac to vacuum them up; just be sure to change the bag when you are done in case any of them survive.
You can also wipe the remains up with rags or paper towels. If you choose to do it this way, I recommend wearing gloves to protect your hands.
Step 4: Deep Clean The Surface
Now it is time to clean the area where the maggots were. If they were on your floor mats, you could just remove your floor mats, and hand washes them with dish soap or laundry soap.
Other areas may be a bit trickier but still shouldn’t be much trouble. You will need a scrub brush and an interior car cleaner found at many auto shops.
If you don’t want to use a chemical cleaning solution, a mixture of white vinegar, baking soda, and hot water is a great option.
Whichever solution you choose, make sure you scrub deep within the surface and be sure to clean up any food remnants. Any leftover food debris will attract more flies leading to another maggot infestation.
Step 5: Clean Your Vehicle Regularly
Now that you have taken care of the maggots that invaded your space, you need to practice maintaining a clean environment in your vehicle to prevent the infestation from reoccurring.
Be sure to clean up any spills as soon as possible, along with any food that falls onto the floor mats or in between the seats.
The best measure is to avoid eating and drinking in your vehicle altogether. However, this sometimes is not an option, especially for busy people and parents who often have hungry kids that need snacks on long trips.
Just make sure you are proactive when spills occur, and check your vehicle regularly for messes you may have missed.
Extended Tips
- You can use essential oils to repel flies and other bugs from your vehicle. Lemongrass, peppermint, lavender, eucalyptus, and cinnamon are all great oils to keep flies away as well as other insects and bugs such as ants and spiders. You can make a car spray by combining distilled water, alcohol, and 10-15 drops of essential oils in a spray bottle. Spray this daily.
- Hire a professional exterminator or pest control. If you have maggots in many areas of your vehicle, or none of the above methods worked, it is time to seek out professional help to handle the problem. You can also choose to do this in the beginning if you are short on time or want to avoid dealing with the gross mess. Professionals will take care of everything for you and leave you with a clean vehicle.
- Don’t keep garbage bags in your vehicle for an extended amount of time. If you live in an area where you have to drive to your trash bin, be sure to dump your trash immediately. Leaving the trash in your vehicle for too long is a fast way to attract flies and creates a hospitable environment for fly eggs, which results in maggots.
- Make sure you wash your hands very well after dealing with maggots. They carry infectious diseases that could make you really sick if you eat anything or touch your mouth after touching them.
Conclusion
Maggots can be a disgusting inconvenience and need to be taken care of immediately. There are a few different methods to get rid of maggots.
Some of them are completely natural, and some involve chemicals, so it is important to research and decide which method is best for you and your situation.
Have you had a maggot infestation in your car? What did you do about it? Let us know in the comment section below! We love to hear from our readers.