Our car is super-infested with cockroaches.  It's really gross and
we've been afraid to get in the car.  We can't really "bomb" the car
because we don't want to poison our kids.  How can we get rid of the
roaches without poisoning ourselves?  We really need the car.  Please
help.

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Clarification of Question by brookedny-ga on 21 Oct 2004 05:18 PDT

Thanks.  After we get rid of the roaches, I will happily put panden
leaves all over the car.  Hell, we'll upholster the car with these
leaves.  In the mean time, I have no idea how to handle this mess. 
We're scared to drive.

I can't vouch for this personally, but several online sources say that
pandan leaves (available at Asian groceries and specialty stores) are
a good cockroach repellent. Apparently taxi drivers in Singapore keep
pandan leaves in their taxicabs for this purpose.

://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=%22pandan+leaves%22+cockroaches

Pandan leaves repell cockroaches, but the problem is one of
infestation. The solution should not be unlike getting rid of a bug
infestation problem in a room.

My son owns a professional auto detailing business, and has dealt with
this problem in the past.  What he does is completely strips out the
interior of the vehicle and thoroughly cleans it. I don't think he
'bombs' it as once the bugs are  removed there's no real need, since
what usually attracts them are food and dirt particles, etc. Most
people are surprised to learn that everything can be removed from the
interior of a vehicle, including the seats, carpet, etc. down to the
bare metal. My son then pressure washes the seats and carpets, and
completely cleans every possible crevice before replacing them, and
has never had a customer return complaining of bugs. I'd suggest
calling around your area and seeing if you can find a detailer who has
1) dealt with this problem before, and  2)will clean your car with
this degree of thoroughness. Be advised it likely won't be cheap, but
if it were my car I'd say it'd be worth it to get rid of the roaches.

Best of luck,
Byrd-ga

I would try the Roach "motels" if I were you.  They work great, but
may take a little time.  There are several different kinds, some for
quicker kill, and some to kill at the source.

There are many Pyrethrum Aerosol products that you can use. Some
aerosol s can be used to flusher roaches around electrical components
and may be used as a general space spray. Pyrethrum is a natural,
botanical insecticide produced primarily from the flowers of the
chrysanthemum plant. It is found mainly in tiny oil-containing glands
on the surface of the seed case in the tightly packed flower head and
is the plant?s own natural insecticide that has evolved to keep
insects away. It decomposes rapidly in the environment, making it an
excellent choice for controlling the roaches in your car.

SyracusePest.com