Fleas are not just an annoyance, they pose a health hazard to your pets if they infest your home. Unfortunately, a flea infestation can also extend from your home to your car. If you find fleas in your car, take immediate steps to eradicate them before they spread to other places.Â
But cars can get pretty hot in the sun! Will fleas die in a hot car?
Fleas will probably not die in a hot car, but it depends on how hot the car gets. If the car can sustain temperatures above 95′ for a long time, then maybe they will die off. But if the temperature cools off by evening, the fleas will likely survive.
In this article, we will discuss whether or not fleas can survive in a hot car.
How Can Fleas Infest Your Car?
Fleas can hide in different areas of your car, such as carpets, and seats, and even on your pets if they are allowed to travel with you. Likewise, they can infest the backrest or the seat joints, making it challenging for people to detect their presence.
To prevent fleas from spreading to other areas of your vehicle, you should take some preventive measures before driving.Â
Fleas thrive on warm-blooded hosts with a high metabolism rate, like dogs or cats, as they need blood to survive. If you bring infested pets in the car, eventually, the fleas will spread out and hide in suitable spaces.
Moreover, leaving the pet food on the car seat and not cleaning up can also lead to flea infestation within the car. In many cases, leaving the car doors open also provides fleas a way to enter the car.
For instance, if you park your car on a farm and leave the car door open, there is a chance that fleas can hop into your car. Remember, fleas can thrive in the outside environment without food for a long time.
Hence, they may enter your car anytime without hanging on a host.
To prevent fleas from infesting your car, you should always keep your pet’s bedding clean and dry in the car so that any potential fleas cannot lay eggs or reproduce.
In addition, cleaning the car regularly will help you keep the interior free from dust, dirt, and other debris that may attract these pests.
Finally, don’t forget to wash your pet with flea shampoo before bringing them inside the car.
Can Fleas Survive in a Hot Car?
Generally, fleas can survive for a month without a blood meal in the car if they get a suitable environment to hide. If the temperatures are really hot in the car for a long time, fleas may die off.
Temperature plays a vital role in the survival of fleas.
If the windows of the car are closed, and the temperature remains between 100- 120 °F constantly for 3-6 hours, then fleas can die due to suffocation or less oxygen.Â
Sustained temperatures above 95°F are lethal for adult fleas after several hours. However, if the humidity increases to 75%, there are chances of survival. For fleas to survive, they need to be constantly hydrated with water or saliva, which is why they need a constant supply of blood from their host.Â
Sustained temperatures above 95°F are lethal for adult fleas after several hours. However, if the humidity increases to 75%, there are chances of survival.
If you live somewhere you can fry eggs on your dashboard, your car may get hot enough to kill off fleas after a few hours. However, it may not kill off the eggs, so your infestation may come back.
Usually, it happens when the car is parked in a fully sun-exposed area during scorching summers. A study published in the journal “Environmental Science and Technology” suggests that fleas can survive in a compromising atmosphere for an hour in a car’s interior.Â
Fleas need moisture to live, and they do not like heat.
The flea’s body temperature is too low, and it cannot generate enough energy to survive. They cannot survive in a hot car as they tend to dehydrate quickly and die. However, they can live in a car with the windows open for a few hours.
In contrast, if the car’s internal temperature drops to freezing for approximately 4-8 hours, the fleas won’t survive. The cold temperature also impacts the fleas negatively, and they become immobile and die.
Consequently, the flea’s life cycle also breaks as its eggs fail to survive in unfavorable temperatures.Â
Will Fleas Die in a Hot Car? Ways to Kill Fleas Inside a Car
There are many ways to kill fleas inside a car. The most effective method is to use a vacuum cleaner with high suction power. It will suck up all the fleas and their eggs in one go, and you will not have to worry about them returning.
You can also spray insecticides on carpets or seats, killing all the pests instantly in the car. Spays are also used on windows or any other surfaces you want to protect from pest invasion.Â
There are many ways to kill fleas inside a car. The most effective method is to use a vacuum cleaner with high suction power.
Some people prefer to use flea bombs instead of sprays. Flea bombs are typically made from pyrethrum, an organic insecticide that kills fleas on contact.
You need to place the bomb in the areas where you suspect the fleas and wait about 10 minutes for it to take effect.Â
However, flea bombs don’t target flea eggs, so they’re generally not a great solution to a flea infestation.
In addition, diatomaceous earth is considered another alternative way of killing fleas. Just sprinkle this natural powder on any area that has been infested and let it sit for about 10 minutes before vacuuming up the powder.
Conclusion
Fleas are not able to live in extreme temperatures. They will die in a hot car if the car is left out in the scorching sun and gets to a temperature above 100′ for several hours. But often fleas survive this.
Follow up your cooking session with a thorough vacuuming of the car, multiple times to get any eggs, and you’ll get rid of a flea infestation in your car.
