I came home late from work the other day and was met with a highly unusual sight as I pulled into the driveway. Lavie and Alvis were outside and were cleaning her car out.
That in of itself was unusual.
I tend to hold to the philosophy of a bare vehicle interior.
Sure I have a cd or two in the center console, and some gum, but everything else is stowed away. Not a map to be seen, not a piece of trash on the floor. No loose-change anywhere. It's almost fresh-off-the-lot sparse and clean.
Minimalist
Granted, I am a bit of a neat-freak, but I also have to park in, um, questionable areas at some of our office locations due to their locations, so I want to do what I can to dissuade anyone from thinking there is anything of value in there to break in for. (On a side note, I wonder if having a standard transmission lowers the chance of vehicle theft...anyway...)
On the other hand
My most wonderful, beautiful and cherished wife Lavie holds to a different persuasion. Her vehicle is littered with varying degrees of papers, wrappers, cans, and probably contained enough escaped fries to fill a super-size order.
Granted, she doesn't spend as much time in her car as I do and Alvis is a frequent passenger. But the difference in our vehicle interiors fascinates me.
The Attack
So turns out Lavie and Alvis were cleaning out her car to help address the sugar-ants that apparently had made nest in her car. I suspect they may have infiltrated her vehicle from trees and then breached the inside via the fresh-air intake at the bottom of the windscreen.
So with it now clean, I'm off to do a complete vacuum job on the interior then try to knock them back.
Remediation
I don't want to spray any high-grade pesticides in the car cabin. That seems like overkill and who knows how strong the fumes might get and affect Lavie and Alvis.
I found a link (sugar ants - SaturnFans Forums) that suggested some techniques.
I think I will go with the Boric Acid method for starters, unless someone provides a better (yet cabin-eco-friendly) method in the comments.
Growing up, Grandma and Grandpa always had these little trimmed Solo cups strategically placed in various places in their Airstream trailer and their home. Seemed to do a good job. They shouldn't smell or spill (well, in Lavie's car with the way she drives at least...mine....not so sure).
I figure a couple under each seat and maybe one in a cup-holder in her center console should do the trick.
And Lavie has sworn that she won't be leaving cola-cans and other food-based items in the car again.
Any other ideas?
--Claus
