How to Get Rid of Fleas From Your Car

Dealing with a flea infestation inside your car isn’t just frustrating. It can also be uncomfortable, especially if you see flea bites after a quick trip to the store.

If you've got pets riding along or recently transported infested items, they can take hold in your car’s fabric and crevices just as they would in your home.

The good news?

You can fix it, and you don’t need to bomb your vehicle to do it.

Below, we’ll walk through how to get rid of fleas from your car, step by step. We’ll also explain what to do if those fleas just won’t quit.

Key Takeaways

• Fleas can live in your car’s crevices and upholstery, making them hard to remove with vacuuming alone.
• A combination of vacuuming, hot water, flea spray, and diatomaceous earth helps kill fleas in every life stage.
• Extra steps like flea combs, DIY traps, and steam cleaning support better results when treating stubborn flea infestations.
• Ongoing flea problems often mean your home or pets need treatment too, or you may need professional help.

Understand How Fleas Survive in Your Car

Before you jump into treatments, it's helpful to know what you're up against. Fleas go through four life stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult.

A single adult flea can lay dozens of eggs each day, and those eggs often roll into seams, cracks, and floor mats—any place you might not think to look.

Flea larvae and pupae nestle into upholstery, especially if there's moisture or organic matter like pet hair. Adults tend to hide in low-light areas like underneath seats or inside the crevices of your car interior.

Because of this, a quick vacuum alone isn’t going to solve the problem.

Vacuum Every Crevice Thoroughly

Start by vacuuming all parts of your car—including under the seats, inside the trunk, and especially around pet bedding if you’ve ever transported it. Use a vacuum cleaner with strong suction and a canister that seals. Go slow, and be sure to focus on upholstery seams and floorboard edges.

Once finished, seal the vacuum contents in a plastic bag and discard them immediately. Otherwise, you risk hatching flea eggs right back into your garage.

Use a Flea Comb if You Transport Pets

If your pets ride in the car often, use a flea comb before they get in. This helps reduce the number of adults and flea dirt they leave behind.

Keep a flea collar or pet-safe repellent on your animals, especially during flea season here in the Midwest.

Treat Surfaces With a Pet-Safe Flea Spray

Choose a flea spray that includes an insect growth regulator (IGR). These sprays stop larvae and pupae from maturing, which breaks the life cycle.

Look for one labeled for use on fabric and safe around pets, then apply it generously to car mats, seats, and trunk lining.

Open the windows while it dries, as it can leave a slight residue.

Avoid using flea bombs or foggers in cars. These can damage your car’s electrical components and aren’t effective in targeting hidden crevices where they nest.

Apply Diatomaceous Earth in Hard-To-Reach Areas

Diatomaceous earth (DE) is a natural product made from fossilized algae. Use food-grade DE and dust a light layer under your car seats, in trunk corners, and around pet bedding areas. It works by drying out their hard shells, killing adults and larvae over time.

Leave it for 48 hours and then vacuum thoroughly.

Wash Pet Bedding and Fabric Items in Hot Water

If you’ve left a blanket or dog bed in your car, wash it with hot water and soap.

Fleas, larvae, eggs—and even other pests like bed bugs or mites—can hide in those soft materials. Follow up with a dryer cycle on high heat. Repeat this for any reusable covers you keep in your car.

Set Up a DIY Flea Trap

Fill a shallow dish with soapy water (dish soap works well) and place it on the floorboard overnight. Add a small battery-operated light to draw fleas in. This old-school method helps reduce adult fleas when used alongside other treatments.

What to Do if You Still Have Fleas in Your Car

Sometimes, even after you’ve done everything right, the fleas keep coming. Here’s what you can do next.

Check Your Home and Yard

Fleas don’t just hitchhike. They often originate from somewhere close. If your car is parked in a flea-infested garage or you’re dealing with flea larvae in your yard, you’ll see reinfestation.

Treating only your car is like mopping up a flood without fixing the leak. Look for flea eggs in pet bedding, carpets, and outdoor shady spots.

Treat Your Pets Consistently

Flea problems almost always start with a host.

If your pets are untreated, they’ll bring fleas right back into your vehicle no matter how many flea sprays or bug bombs you try. Use vet-approved flea control products like Frontline or similar options and keep up with them monthly.

Consider Steam Cleaning for Stubborn Areas

For heavily infested fabric seats, a hot steam clean can kill fleas, larvae, and eggs in one go. Steam penetrates deep into upholstery and crevices that sprays might miss.

Just make sure the area dries out fully after cleaning to prevent mold or mildew.

Schedule a Professional Pest Control Service

If fleas keep returning despite your efforts, it might be time to call in the pros. A local pest control team will be familiar with seasonal flea issues in Des Moines, Omaha, or Kansas City and can offer a customized flea treatment.

At Miller Pest & Termite, our exterminators only use an integrated pest management (IPM) approach to tackle infestations in homes, yards, and even vehicles.

If you're in the Midwest and tired of fighting these pests in your car or anywhere else, let’s talk about our flea removal services.