Here's how to prevent pests from infesting your vehicle and doing damage.

Pests are everywhere and can get into just about anything, and while having an infestation of rodents or bugs in your home is a nightmare in itself, finding them in your car can make for a horror story of its own. Fortunately, there are many ways you can prevent infestations from happening in your home and in your car. Here we provide you with some easy-to-follow and simple advice you can use to prevent rodents and insects from entering your car and some methods on how to get rid of them if they do.

Your car can easily become a place where rodents and other critters seek shelter, especially in colder climates and when there is easy access to it. There are many reasons why rodents may seek out your vehicle.

Since cars can be very attractive to such pests, there has to be something one can do to prevent them from making your car home. Here are some pest- and rodent-repelling solutions to consider:

If you're already sitting with the problem of pests in your car, there are some things you can try which vary in success rate depending on what critter you're dealing with.

If you can't afford to use a professional, don't want to use a bug bomb or chemical fogger, or if the pest repellents mentioned above are simply not working, there is another simple fumigation method you can try at home. Here's how to fumigate a car easily and safely at home without resorting to harsh chemicals:

Carbon dioxide or (CO2) can be used to snuff out any and all pests from your vehicle and is particularly useful for getting rid of tiny critters such as bed bugs, ticks, and other insects that have infested the engine bay, seat cushions, and carpets. A concentrated dose of CO2 will kill any small insects it comes in contact with instantaneously. A block of dry ice is one of the safer forms of carbon dioxide and can be bought at most stores. Use anything under five pounds and do not touch the dry ice at all; place it in a cooler box or a tray, and place one on the floor of your car and another in the trunk. Once the dry ice is placed in the car, you'll want to make sure everything is closed and consider throwing a tarp over the car, too. The CO2 will flow throughout the car. Let the car sit for up to 12 to 24 hours before giving it a good vacuum.

This is an eco-friendly method and the CO2 doesn't damage any of the car's components and wires.

Yes, most car insurance companies will cover damage caused by pests, so long as you have comprehensive cover.

peppermint oil is touted as the most effective non-harmful rodent repellent one can use to chase away rodents. Essential oils, in general, however, should be handled with care, especially around animals and children.

If you don't keep rodents out of the car engine, the rodents could likely end up gnawing the car wires and you could end up with a mouse nest in your car. The debris that the rodents bring in and their feces can become corrosive and end up damaging car parts. If you've discovered a rodent infestation, try looking for a nest within the engine bay, and look for any fluid leaks under the car.

Throwing a tarp over your car whilst it is parked or in storage works well to stop animals from entering the engine bay, but ensuring the area where your car is parked is free from pests is the best way to prevent it in the first place.