Can Bed Bugs Live in Your Car?

Can Bed Bugs Live In a Car?

While we’d love to tell you that vehicles are immune to bed bug infestations, that’s unfortunately not the case. While not these insects’ preferred habitat, considering bed bugs don’t play well with extreme temperatures and require a consistent food source, they won’t hesitate to take an extended vacation in your upholstery while hitching a ride from one place to the next.

How’d They Get There?

Bed bugs are commonly picked up while staying at hotels and in contaminated areas. While the common assumption is that bed bugs only thrive in filthy environments, that’s simply not true. Infestations can happen anywhere, regardless of how upscale or expensive your hotel is. 

These insects commonly hitch a ride on luggage or clothing, where they’ll move into a vehicle. However, your car or truck is likely more of a vessel to get from one hospitable area to another rather than a permanent residence.

How Long Can Bed Bugs Live in a Car?

While bed bugs prefer an area with a consistent food source, don’t assume leaving your car unattended for a week will starve them all. Studies have found that most adult bed bugs can survive for two to three months without food and, in rare instances, up to a year. 

Bed bugs are also sensitive to temperatures below 46 degrees Fahrenheit and above 113 degrees Fahrenheit, meaning they’ll likely die off while your vehicle is parked outside in Winter or Summer. However, if conditions are right and temperatures remain mild for an extended period, your vehicle can be hospitable to bed bugs for months.

How Can You Tell if Your Car Has Bed Bugs?

Bed bugs are champions of hide-n-seek, allowing them to go undetected in homes for weeks. While your vehicle is far smaller, it’s still not uncommon for an infestation to go undetected for some time. If you suspect a bed bug infestation in your car, look for these telltale signs. 

• Bites or Irritation after Driving: Bed bugs are hematophagous insects that consume blood to survive. They acquire this blood by biting humans and other mammals, leaving behind red, itchy bites similar to fleas. If you find red, itchy spots on your skin after a drive, you may be experiencing a bed bug infestation. 

• Red Stains on Upholstery: Due to their diet, bed bugs often produce reddish-brown stains when crushed. If you happen to find minor, reddish-colored stains on your vehicle’s upholstery, this may be symptomatic of a bed bug infestation. 

• Small, Black Spots on Upholstery: Bed bugs, like any insect, produce waste. This waste presents in the form of tiny black spots, similar to black pepper. Watch for these small specs, which may indicate a bed bug infestation. 

• Shedded Skins: Bed bugs shed their skins during growing cycles, leaving behind the previous stage’s exoskeleton. If you spot even a single bed bug molt in your vehicle, it’s likely a sign of a larger problem. 

• Unpleasant Scents: Another symptom of a bed bug infestation is a musty, unpleasant odor. Like cockroaches, bed beds can produce a particularly unpleasant scent when nesting in large numbers.

How to Treat Your Car for Bed Bugs

If you’ve determined that your car is infested with bed bugs, it’s time to act. Patience isn't a proper solution since these insects can survive for months without a food source. Instead, try out these solutions to rid your vehicle of bed bugs quickly and effectively.

Treat the Car with Diatomaceous Earth

Diatomaceous earth is a common remedy for most insect infestations, including bed bugs. This fine powder comprises millions of fine, ground-up shell remnants with microscopic sharp edges. This remedy works by causing multiple microabrasions to the bed bugs' exoskeleton, leading to significant moisture loss, dehydration, and death. 

Diatomaceous earth is widely considered one of the safer solutions for pests because it contains no pesticides. However, this solution requires direct contact with the insects. Diatomaceous earth can also irritate skin, so it’s recommended that you vacuum any DE from your vehicle’s upholstery before driving.

Treat with Heat

Heat is another solution for a bed bug infestation, as these insects can’t survive for prolonged periods above 113 degrees Fahrenheit. In the dead of Summer, parking in direct sunlight for several hours may be enough to address the issue. However, we’d recommend using an industrial-grade heater or direct heat application with a heat gun to ensure no living insects or eggs remain.

Treat with Fumigation

Arguably, the most effective treatment is fumigation, which involves placing an insecticide fogger inside the vehicle with the doors closed and windows up. This high pesticide concentration will kill the bed bugs and eggs, eliminating the live infestation. Once the fogger has finished releasing chemicals, thoroughly air out the vehicle, vacuum up any remnants of the infestation, and wipe down any surfaces that may have come into contact with the chemical.

Preventing Bed Bugs in Your Car

Ultimately, the most effective form of bed bug treatment is prevention. After all, if you don’t pick up any insects on your clothes or luggage, you can’t transport them into your car. When staying at a hotel, inn, or even a cruise ship, we recommend scanning the cabin or room for bed bugs. Inspect under couch cushions, beneath the bed sheets, and in the crevices of the room to ensure it’s free from bed bugs. If all checks out, you should be safe. 

Additionally, if you pick up bed bugs while traveling or find an infestation in your home, try not to transfer them into your vehicle. If you are transporting infested luggage, try to keep the items outside of your vehicle, or, if unavoidable, consider bagging your luggage to prevent the insects from migrating into your car. 

If you follow these tips and steps, managing and preventing a bed bug infestation in your vehicle should be easily surmountable. However, bed bugs aren’t the only nuisance you may find in your vehicle’s interior. If excessive moisture is causing an overgrowth of mold in your interior, check out our comprehensive mold prevention and remediation guide. 

With your interior fresh and bug-free, consider upgrading it with our collection of interior accessories, like floor liners, cargo liners, and sun shades.