How to Kill Mites Under Car Seats and Properly Treat Your Car
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Since 2009, bird mite and springtail clients have told me that these tenacious pests are extremely difficult to get out of cars. That's because micro tiny critters can hide in places that are almost impossible to treat with traditional sprays. Follow this ten-step guide to make your driving life feel normal again.
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Vacuum carpet, seats and vent openings.
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All mite jobs should begin with a thorough vacuuming of the space you'll be spray treating. An auto vacuum such as the Black and Decker flex will give you greater flexibility to reach under seats, but you can always run your regular house vacuum on an extension cord. Whatever the case, make good use of attachments with narrow tips. Apply suction to heater vents and dashboard panels, as mites are known to congregate inside heat sources. Never spray liquid pesticides into vents!
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Spray carpets and seats. Wipe down dash boards, doors and panels.
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In addition to spraying seats and carpeting, you can also use this flea and mite killing product to wipe down doors, dash boards and plastic panels. Just saturate a rag and begin cleaning. Pay special attention to the plastic panel situated above legs and knees on the driver's side, as mites are known for hiding there.
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Use a puffer to blow diatomaceous earth under car seats.
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This tool helps project diatomaceous earth into hidden spaces that that are hard to reach. You can use it to spread pesticide powders under dressers, beds, couches and car seats.
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Try a bulb duster to get diatomaceous earth into tiny crevices.
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This tool helps apply powdered pesticides into fine cracks and crevices. In general, it gives you more focused control than a puffer, but it won't project the powder as far as a good puffer.
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Spray grass, bushes and plants surrounding your home and parking areas
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This is a super strength concentrate containing 85% cedar oil. An organic additive made from corn helps oil and water stay mixed for optimal saturation of targeted surfaces. Using a hose end sprayer, it takes just 6 oz. of our cedar oil concentrate to treat up to 5000 sq. ft. of outdoor space. For tank sprayers, mix 2 oz. of product per gallon.
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Should you fog out your vehicle?
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If you've purchased one of our fog machines as part of a total home mite control package, it can be an indispensible tool in your fight against mites affecting your vehicles. It's best to perform car fogging procedures at night so that you'll have ample time to air out the vehicle before you have to use it again. Fill the chamber with Dr. Ben's Evictor, put the machine on an extension cord, and use the pointed nozzle to fill your vehicle with fog. Shut doors and windows, and let the fog stay in your vehicle for a few hours. Come back to open windows and air out the vehicle for a few hours before driving again.
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Apply plastic seat covers--SO VERY IMPORTANT!
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Mites can burrow under the surface of fabrics and get down into the stuffing of seats and cushions! This pack of 100 disposable seat covers can help make the time spent in your vehicle feel normal again.
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Try an essential oil diffuser for maintenance.
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A good diffuser can be used to fill cars and rooms with smells that mites hate. The portable design makes it perfect for use in vehicles, but beware. Essential oil fumes can be quite powerful inside small, enclosed places. After a night of diffusing, you should air out your car for a few hours.
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What to use in your essential oil diffuser
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If you're on a tight budget, this $16 kit provides a brilliant and inexpensive way to sample many of the the most powerful oils used against skin conditions involving bacteria, fungus and parasites. You can also use these oils in a diffuser to fill rooms or cars with scents that shut down a mite's breathing pores. The kit contains pure and undiluted Lavendar, Tea Tree, Rosemary, Peppermint, Frankincense, Eucalyptus, Lemon, Orange and more.
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HOT TIP: Use an insect growth regulator from time to time.
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Growth regulators don't "kill" mites on contact. They render mites incapable of breeding. This is so very important, considering that mites can reproduce at alarming speeds. Even if your aggressive pest control agenda wipes out hundreds or thousands of parasites, it takes only a few hidden mites to re-infest the vehicle. Some insect growth regulators are designed to be added to traditional pesticide sprays, while others are designed to be used on their own. Read package directions carefully.
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This insect growth regulator is designed for tight cracks and crevices.
Use a heat trap to lure mites to glue boards.
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This kind of trap works best on chilly nights, as mites are known to seek heat and light sources. It's a beautiful way to draw mites away from deeply hidden areas that can't be reached with pesticides.
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Study the glue trap with a point and shoot microscope.
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Avoid expensive laboratory style microscopes you may have seen in classrooms. A point-and-shoot microscope like the one pictured at left will give you greater flexibility. You can point the lens at any area of the home or body you wish to study.
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Learn the difference between bird mites, rodent mites and springtails.
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There are ten types of mites that can bother humans to varying degrees, but these three mites are the top two that lead victims to contact me after pest control efforts have failed. Under a microscope or magnifying glass, bird and rodent mites look like tiny spiders with eight legs. When they haven't eaten, they'll appear to be clear, white or grey in color. After a blood meal, they can be bright red, brown or mahogany in color. An adult bird mite is about the size of the period at the end of this sentence, but they may swell to three times their normal size after a blood meal. The three-legged larva can't bite and will quickly transform into nymphs in less than 24 hours. In contrast, Springtails look like segmented organisms with antennae. (See comparison photos above.) You won't always see the tail, as they keep it tucked under the abdomen. Springtails are not natural parasites. They technically aren't even mites. They're hexapods. They feed upon mold in the soil and often get into homes through cracks in foundations. There was once a heated debate as to whether or not springtails could attack humans, but that debate is old news. I've personally dealt with thousands of clients who can't get springtails out of their skin, toenails, ears, genitals and scalp. When I encourage new victims to buy microscopes or send samples to labs, they're often able to produce pictures of springtails. If doctors have been less than kind to you, please visit our article on how to talk to medical professionals. To help identify the critters that are attacking you, consult websites such as bugguide.net and identify.us.com.
Use bird scare tape to keep birds from landing on your vehicle.
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Everyone's parking situation is different. It may not always be possible to park in a place with no tree branches or nests overhead. Bird scare tape is often used by boat owners to keep birds from landing (and pooping) on their cherished vessels. You can apply the same tactics to your home, vehicle or porch.
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Surround the foundation of your home and driveway with mite killing granules
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If your property is teeming with rodents, rabbits, raccoons and more, critters could be sharing mites and dropping them all over the place. Our heartwood granules recharge each time it rains, delivering a fresh blast of cedar infused liquid to the soil or grass. We apologize in advance for the dead bugs in your puddles!
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