Perhaps one of the most unwanted pests you could wish to find in your home, the presence of a cockroach in your car is, for many, even more unpleasant. The thought of being cooped up with a cockroach on a long journey where you cannot necessarily stop and deal with the issue immediately sends shudders down the spine of lots of Australians. Professional pest control services may be required in severe cases, but if you have only found one or two of the little beasts in you vehicle, then there are steps you can take for yourself which will help.

Step One – Don't Panic

If you are driving along and see a cockroach in the corner of your eye, then try not to be overly alarmed. Panicking when driving can lead to an accident and even serious injuries! Although cockroaches spread bacteria around, they are not dangerous to humans unless you overreact behind the wheel. Stay calm and pull over where you are able to do so safely.

Step Two – Remove Food

One thing that cockroaches like about cars is that they are able to find little bits of food to eat. If you are in the habit of eating the occasional sandwich in your car and leaving the packet on the passenger seat, then this may well be why cockroaches got into your car in the first place. All food as well as unopened drinks bottles and cans need to be removed straight away.

Step Three – Clean Thoroughly

It is no good just to brush over you car's seats and to hope for the best. When you are home, you'll need to remove as much dust and debris from the car's mats, upholstery and floor as you can wit ha powerful vacuum cleaner. Don't forget to vacuum every single surface of you car's interior including the boot. Take out bags and rugs which may provide little hiding places and put any items that you can in the laundry.

Step Four – Consider Baiting

Because cockroaches can survive in cars without any food for some time, simply making their environment tougher to live in by cleaning on a frequent basis may not be enough. If you see cockroaches two weeks after starting to regularly clean your car, then consider laying down baits for underneath the seats or in the boot as well. Eventually, these will do the trick so long as you cut off other food supplies tempting them to take the bait.