Bed bugs are pesky little insects that can cause you harm in a short amount of time. These bugs can be hidden in the nooks and crannies of your household, more specifically near the bed area. One common question that most homeowners have is, “Can bed bugs get in electronics?” Simply put, the answer is yes. There is a very high likelihood of bed bugs being present in and infesting your precious electronic device. Getting rid of and killing bed bugs in electronics can be a difficult task, due to the fact that our technical devices are quite fragile, and need to be treated with care.
Table of Contents
Signs of bed bugs in electronics
A few of the major telltale signs that bed bugs live in electronics you own are:
- Dark stains and black spots on the surface of your device, a combination of bed bug fecal matter and dead skin
- Yellowish ivory stains on or near your device, which are typical of the eggs or eggshells of bed bugs.
- Reddish spots on or near your technical device.
There are multiple ways of getting rid of bed bugs in electronics. We’ve compiled together 4 different ways one can use to get rid of bed bugs in electronics.
1. Using Heat
By using a bed bug heater, you can instantly kill off bed bugs that may be present in your device. Switch off your device (laptop, TV, or phone) or unplug your device in case the technical product in question is a TV. Place your electronic gadget inside of the bed bug heater bug, and switch up your thermostat to 50 degrees Celsius. Once the room reaches this temperature, exit the room with your device covered in the heater bug for at least half an hour. After the time is over, you can remove your device from the bag and dispose of it.
2. Using Bags
Bags can also be utilized to get rid of bed bugs that might be infesting your precious device. Take a bag, and simply place your device inside of the bag. It’s important to make sure that the regular bag is sealed tight after you’ve placed your device inside it. Leave the device inside your bag for at least 1 or 2 weeks, which will be long enough to kill off the bed bugs invading your device. After 1 or 2 weeks, take out your device from the bag, and dispose of the bag.
3. Using Nuvan Prostrips
When using this method, it’s important to make sure that you’re performing this method in an enclosed space, and are wearing protective gear such as gloves and glasses. The area that you’re working in should not be more than 200 ft, as Nuvan strips are only able to cover a maximum of 200 ft. Take out the strips that are in the foil package, and put these strips into the cartridge that comes with these Nuvan strips. Next, place the cartridge in the area that has been infested with bedbugs. It’s also possible to place this cartridge inside of a bag if you’re keen on using the bagging method to get rid of the bed bugs inside your laptop.
After you’ve placed this cartridge in the designated area, leave it in that place for a maximum of 10 days. After the 10 days have passed, air out the room or the bag. Your device will now be free of bed bugs, and ready to use.
4. Using a vacuum
Great precaution must be taken before using this method as the device can be quite fragile, and easy to damage. Make sure that the device you are trying to clean has been unplugged, and is shut down. Using a low setting, vacuum the outer areas of your device. Next, unscrew your device’s system unit cover, and very gently, at a low speed, vacuum the inner area of your device. Keep checking the inner area of your device very carefully with a flashlight to make sure that you haven’t missed out on any hidden bed bugs or eggs. Once you’re done, screw back the cover of the system unit, and empty the vacuum bag in a place that is far away from your home.
Conclusion
It is definitely possible that one can find bed bugs living inside of their electronics. The question of how to get rid of bed bugs in electronics has been answered above. By using any of the four foolproof and safe methods, one can easily get rid of bed bugs present in their device and prevent them from causing any further damage to the device itself.
FAQs
- What are the signs of a bed bug infestation?
The signs of a bed bug infestation include itchy bites on your skin, small bloodstains on your sheets or mattress, and small brown or black spots on your sheets or mattress, which are bed bug excrement.
- How do I know if I have bed bugs?
The best way to know if you have bed bugs is to conduct a thorough inspection of your bedding, furniture, and other areas where bed bugs are known to hide. Look for the signs mentioned above and for actual bed bugs, which are small, brownish-red insects about the size of an apple seed.
“Bed bugs are like vampires – they come out at night to feed on human blood, then disappear before dawn.”