If you've ever gotten ants in your car, you know how a seemingly small and annoying problem can quickly become a big, serious issue. Ants can do damage to a multitude of things - wiring, seats, carpet - not to mention, bite you and your passengers. That's why it's important to take care of ants in your car immediately. Check out these tips from our Clermont Toyota body shop specialists on how to do it!
Why do you have ants in your car?
The first thing you have to do is understand why ants find their way into your car. Ants live in nests, but they leave the nests to find food and water to bring back. If you have food or crumbs or trash in your car, it's like an all-you-can-eat buffet for them. Not only that, they leave scent trails so all of their ant amigos know how to find their way to the car, too. And if the setup is nice enough, they may decide to vacate their nest and call your Clermont Toyota home instead.
Toyota of Clermont's tips for getting rid of ants
So how do you get rid of them? Here are some quick tips.
First, clean out your car. Do a very thorough car detailing from bumper to bumper. Vacuum, wipe all surfaces, clean up stains from spills (residue may be left, which can attract ants), and empty out ALL trash from your car. Don't forget to check the trunk, the glove box, and the center console.
Next, take a DIY approach to get rid of the ants in your car. You can mix up three cups of warm water, three tablespoons of Dawn liquid soap, and three tablespoons of salt in a spray bottle and go to town. Additionally, ants hate everything citrus (just like spiders). Adding some citrus essential oil to the bottle and using a citrus-based cleaner when you're detailing can work wonders.
Break out the heavy stuff. If the DIY tactics don't work on your Clermont Toyota and you still have an infestation, it's time to head to Home Depot for ant spray and bait traps. Spray the live ants that you see, and place the bait traps for the ones that are hiding. Just be careful, especially if you have children or animals that ride in the car.
Find the nest. Look for the ants' nest in the yard and trees (yup, they can live in trees) near your car. If you can find it, destroy it. Hopefully, this will convince them to migrate elsewhere, preferably far away from your Clermont Toyota.
Change your parking spot. You should also find a new place to park, even if only for a few weeks. This will help confuse the ants and eliminate those scent trails that have been leading them back to your car. Once the coast is clear, you can go back to your old parking spot.
Have questions about car detailing or need help with an ant infestation? Call Toyota of Clermont today. We're open and waiting at (352) 404-7001 and we're conveniently located just off the Florida Turnpike on State Road 50.
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