Got Bed Bugs? Bedbugger Forums » General Topics
laptop - how to disinfect?
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goingaway
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Posted 5 years ago
Sat Nov 17 2007 20:25:32
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So the other day I opened my laptop, started it up, and began typing... and a bed bug crawled out of the keyboard. (ewww) So I KNOW there is a liklihood that it could be infested, but I don't have a clue how to treat it when I move.*
I really don't have the cash for a new one, and I need it for everything, including getting my graduate degree.
On the other hand, if I throw out all my stuff and move and infect my next place or some friends place, I'll be nearly suicidal. Help?
*(We've pretty much given up on the apt and most of our stuff since the apts all have different owners and they will not treat the entire building.)
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goingaway
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Posted 5 years ago
Sat Nov 17 2007 23:41:33
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Did I post this in the wrong place? (I'm new to forum stuff)
Or perhaps my situation is hopeless...?
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cosbear
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Posted 5 years ago
Sun Nov 18 2007 2:08:08
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Howdy goingaway:
This reply is going to probably be more support then answers. Your situation does sound serious but not hopeless. I myself know how hopeless one can feel when facing bedbug infestation. The good news is you are in the right place for advice, support, information, and yes, even hope. I in spite of having with the help of professionals actually getting rid of my bedbugs at my last place. I went for about six months without seeing a bug or having any bites. That is all except the ones in my couch, which was wrapped in plastic and duct tape and put out on the balcony for a whole winter. I had read that freezing would kill the bugs and their eggs. It didn't work though. I think through extreme care we moved to where I live now without bugs. I think it would have been fine if I had just thrown away that brand new couch I tried to save by freezing it. So I understand your fear of taking bugs with you.
When asking for advice here give as much information as possible about your situation what you have done about it and what you are doing. In order to give useful advice people will have to ask questions. The more info you give the less time it takes to get helpful advice.
I do have a few ideas that may help you save your laptop. First of all vacuum it well getting into the cracks and crevices. I wouldn't think considering how high the temperatures get that they would want to stay in there. That may be why that one came out shortly after you started the computer. I have repaired and upgraded many laptops and most everything is plastic. They really don't seem to like plastic much. I have read that leaving it on may help to keep them out, but sealing it in a ziplock bag may be a better way. Leaving it on for a couple days may be a good way to help insure there aren't any in there. When not using it you could give it a task that takes a long time to keep it hot inside, like defragmenting the hard drive or leaving a looping animation running. I don't think they would want to stay inside very long because of the heat. I would think the heat and air moving through would kill any eggs or nymphs just in case a female laid eggs in there. Once you have done that, keep it bagged when you are not using it. Maybe someone else will have ideas here too.
Read everything possible on this site and forum to create a strategy and regime. It will not only help you succeed in beating them, but help some with the feelings of helplessness and hopelessness. If you haven't already done it, clear your bed of bugs and isolate it using the methods you can find on here. Having a safe bugfree place to get a good night sleep is important when dealing with the high levels of anxiety that bedbugs seem to cause for most people and a good place to start. Between fighting bedbugs and Grad school you have a lot on your plate and need your rest.
Then working out a workable statagy with the help of professionals and the tips you can get here, there is hope. The fact that the whole building isn't being treated is a real problem, but moving while you still have a bad infestation may well be near impossible without taking them along. You may find you do have to get rid of some of your stuff. I know from experience and suffering caused by my desire to keep my furniture, that sometimes its just not worth it. It is very hard to save any upholstered furniture. Not impossible, but very hard. It takes a lot of work, diligence and determination once it has become infested.
Good luck and take care of yourself. Don't be afraid to express your anxiety and frustrations here. You will find people here who understand what you are going through, in ways your friends and family members who haven't, never can. I'm not out from under the gun yet myself but I have a little over a week without finding a bug or being bitten and that is progress. At night I can go to sleep and rest in a bugfree bed. Later... cos
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mrbill0626
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Posted 5 years ago
Sun Nov 18 2007 2:15:50
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cosbear:
Could "goingaway" and others of us treat a laptop or a desktop PC by freezing or by using steam, like with a hand-held steamer (I think there's one called a "Shark")? Or maybe with a hair dryer?
Well, any other ideas?
Mr Bill
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Anonymous
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Posted 5 years ago
Sun Nov 18 2007 3:56:22
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Hi cosbear! That was a very caring response to goingaway. I'm glad your own situation is improving.
I'm not sure about a steamer or freezing of electronics, Mr. Bill, that might create more problems! I'm sure moisture inside electronics can spell disaster and there may be a big risk when you plug it back into an electric outlet. But a hair dryer, to disturb and encourage any stowaways to leave, has been suggested before. I wonder what you think about that, cosbear?
Goingaway, I'm so sorry that you feel you have no choice but to move, and it sounds like you are aware of the risks. Can you afford to have your new place treated by a PCO? That might be the best course and what we usually recommend here for people who are moving. Moving during an infestation should be avoided at all costs, but I understand that after unsuccessfully trying to control an infestation for a long time, moving becomes the last resort and I can't blame people in those situations. Sometimes people give up too soon. But I'm not sure what your situation has been. How long have you had an infestation? Treating your apartment may still allow you enough time to control the infestation for a while and reduce your moving risks.
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cosbear
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Posted 5 years ago
Mon Nov 19 2007 6:59:24
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Howdy Y'all:
I don't really think that bbs are probably going to be a big problem in computers, especially laptops. Since I have been designing and building custom computers/servers and networks for 20 years I have several of both in my home and even when I was completely over run with them at my last place, I never have found one in any of my computers or anyone elses. Obviously they might go in one but I don't think they would make their home in one; especially, in a laptop for the reasons I discussed previously. Most Laptops get too hot iside and have fans which drive hot air through channels all through the case. Certainly not a good place to lay eggs.
If you really thought it necessary freezing would be ok but with a laptop you should take out it's battery first and let it dry out for several days afterward before reinstalling the battery and powering it up. Some parts could have some kind of condensation on them. For tower computers freezing would be ok only if you were sure it was necessary. They do have a battery on the motherboard however and I am not sure if it would be a problem or not. I opened the cases on all mine and used the crevice tool on my vacuum to vacuum them out good. I found no bbs or signs of them. If you were really concerned and wouldn't feel safe about doing that it might be best to take them to a shop and have a technician go through them for you. Explain your problem to them and your concerns. Make sure if you are taking it to a shop that they know the risks and make an appointment to bring it in right when the tech is going to work on it. Wouldn't want them to get your bugs. Or get a tech to come out to the house which would probably be the best idea. I don't think steaming would be a good idea at all.
On the home front, I'm happy to report a week and a half without a sighting or a bite. I'm still not sitting on my love seat or chair. But they are dusted inside and out with DE with poison. I do watch tv in the living room sitting on a dining room chair in hopes of drawing any hiding bugs out. They will have to go through desiccants and poison to get to me though. I haven't seen any signs of them anywhere else and pretty much everything else is secure now. All the cracks an crannies are treated, the boxes and magazines gone, all the clothes are clean and secure. I'm very hopefull that I caught them in time this time and have done the right things but won't let my guard down one bit until I have at least 6 months without a sighting or a bite. Or maybe ever. I did inform the managers of the building and told them it seemed under control but I may need professional help. I told them if I saw one I would call immediately and they have decided to wait for my call, but said they would get someone out here imediately if I saw one. Luckily they were fine with the fact that I informed all the other tenants. None of them have seen them or any signs of them. They are going to send a pro out to inspect the apartments this week though. So I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Later... cos
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goingaway
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Posted 5 years ago
Sun Nov 25 2007 0:51:14
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First thank you cosbear and others for your kind responses. I was traveling (bug free!!!) hence the late response.
Background...
We have had a PCO in several times, bagged our beds (though mine keeps getting holes in the cover from my cat and I've kinda given up on it.) We've been emplying vaccums, sterifab, and a million plastic bags. We've had them for at least 4 months. Our neighbors apparently got them and then tried to treat only their place and suddenly they were everywhere. I know it is better to treat while living there, unfortunately our LL is a crook and the building is not in good enough repair to do this effectively. We would have to get him to fix major openings in the walls where moldings and outlet plates have separated, and then make him get an actually competent PCO instead of the idiot he insists on using. Legally due to the city laws we cannot withold rent as an encouragement and historically he's been extremely lax about fixing other urgent warrant of habitability issues. Also he doesn't own all of the adjoining apartments so who knows how many LLs we'd have to convince. It is sad because I loved my place very much, despite the rough around the edges bits until this.
The other complication in treating this aggressively and wrangling the LL aggressively is that my health has been poor for 2 out of the 4 months and I simply haven't had the energy, to the point where I finally decided -something- had to give and took leave from work, since I can't control the health, the school deadlines, or the creeps (both LL and bugs).
My plan now that I will soon have some time off is to clean aggressively, get the LL to re-treat as much as possible before we move, vaccuum and sterifab aggressively, and work on throwing out (marked) as much as possible. I have been doing research and have read a lot of posts here and elsewhere, and my tentative moving protocol, following as much (lame) treatment as I can eek out of my LL is:1) Throw out all furniture except one wood chair heirloom which I will wipe with sterifab, triple bag in the heaviest duty plastic I can find, with diatomaceous earth inside the first bag to kill anything left and control humidity. Store for 2 years without opening.
2) Throw out most of stuff. Artwork, nostalgia and books I cannot part with will be treated similarly to the chair, only put in tupperware bins w DE and then sealed, sterifabbed once OUTSIDE the apt, before entering vehicles, commercial cling wrapped, then taped.
3) Mystery treatment for laptop TBD
4) All clothes tumbled on hot for an hour and bagged while at commercial laundromat.I would love some advice on this protocol, or other ideas from people who have been there though. I'd also love to be able to keep some of my books for use if I can figure out how to disinfect them.
I know it would be better to rid the place of it, but I just don't have any hope on that given the situation. I will absolutely list the address with the registries and label my garbage as brightly as possible in the hopes of warning off others. This time I will use spraypaint... last time we used index cards taped to the bags and our scumbag LL took them all off. Sigh.
Thanks again.
Edit: I also plan to use boiling water on most of my kitchen stuff and just make extra sure the containers I move them in are thoroughly disinfected.
PS- Has anyone had luck getting renter's insurance to help?
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mrbill0626
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Posted 5 years ago
Sun Nov 25 2007 11:33:18
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GoingAway:
Unfortunately, I don't think you're going to get any help from your insurance company with this BB problem. There was someone else posted that question not long ago, so if you do a keyword search (insurance...), maybe you'll find it, but what the reply to it said, basically is that insurance companies won't cover this cost. But ask your ins agent to be sure.
Sorry, but it would be nice wouldn't it?
Mr Bill
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cosbear
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Posted 5 years ago
Mon Nov 26 2007 0:17:26
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Dear goingaway:
I am so glad you were able to get away for a short time to relax a bit and collect your thoughts without having to deal with the constant assault. I know how that can be. For the first few days after I first discovered my bb infestation and the immediate first treatment by a guy who I think was a pretty competent PC0, I was hyper vigilant. When I wasn't cleaning, bagging and searching, I was sitting in my underwear at my dining room table with white sweat socks on halfway to the knees so I could see one if it managed to make it to me. I just sat with my packing tape and waited for them to come for me, catching every one. My roommate said I reminded him of a paranoid schizophrenic and in truth I felt like one. It was amazing after the first treatment how many bugs came out and after us. Bugs of all sizes. Our beds were safe but nothing else. I hardly worked for the first couple of weeks I just couldn't concentrate. Luckily I am self employed and had some money put away, because I was really going through it at the time. In a word I was a wreck.
I understand what you are going through with your landlord and why you feel like saving your apartment is hopeless. I would have to say that under the circumstances I would feel the same way. Your protocol for preparing the move sounds pretty thorough and right now I can't think of anything to add. It's been a long day. I'm sure others with more knowledge than me will respond on that topic though once the holiday weekend is over.
Don't lose hope buddy, I have gone through it and came out the other side. Even though I was stupid enough to try and save my new living room furniture by freezing it all winter and ended up moving bugs inadvertently on what I thought was a safe couch, it seems it was the only bugs I moved and caught it in time to avert another major infestation. I have made it for a little over two weeks without a bite or a sighting and am starting to calm back down a little. I am still cleaning, searching, treating and keeping protocols on a daily basis. I won't really feel secure again, for at least 6 or 8 months and not completely for probably 18.
Good luck with your move and keep up your vigilance after you have. It will pay off just in case. Let us know how things go after you move ok. I hope you manage it and find some safe ground to recover on. Too bad about your things and your apartment, but that's just stuff and your health and well being are so much more important than that. Too bad you don't live closer I'd volunteer to take your laptop apart and do a solid inspection and cleaning of it for you so at least you didn't have to worry about that. I really think the risks are not real high with that. I would just leave it running for a couple of days, put it in a safe place and when not using it run a looping animation to keep the processor busy and the internal temperature high. Then just keep it bagged when not in use. Best of wishes, cos
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mrbill0626
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Posted 5 years ago
Mon Nov 26 2007 1:41:15
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Cosbear:
If Goigaway is still concerned about his laptop being infested, what if he would place it in a clothes dryer on a dryer rack and then run the dryer on "hot" for a couple of cycles? Or do you think that could damage the laptop? I don't know what the temp reaches inside a dryer on HOT but it's supposed to be high enough to kill bugs and their eggs, if it's on a while, for 2-3 cycles.
Mr Bill
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nyjammin
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Posted 5 years ago
Mon Nov 26 2007 9:47:46
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Cosbear said "Too bad you don't live closer I'd volunteer to take your laptop apart and do a solid inspection and cleaning of it for you so at least you didn't have to worry about that."
That is so nice of you. God Bless you!
You also said "I really think the risks are not real high with that." Why do you think that if a bug came outta it and there was another poster on here that said she found bb pooh and blood in her alarm clock, gross. But anyways, I think that bbs have been found in computers and tvs and the such. I also read somewhere that a bb sufferer opened up her tv and there was a lone bug just sitting there inside of it. Yuck.
Regards.
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cosbear
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Posted 5 years ago
Mon Nov 26 2007 11:50:41
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Hey All:
Thanks for the kind words mrbill and nyjammin. Running the base of the computer on a drying rack in the dryer probably wouldn't hurt anything as long as you removed the battery. It's the Liquid Crystal Display screen I would be worried about and it is not easily removed from the base. The base of the laptop deals with high temps all the time but the screen may be irreparably damaged by the heat. They aren't designed for those high temps.
nyjammin said,"You also said "I really think the risks are not real high with that."."
I covered that to some degree above in an earlier post. The components of a computer especially the Central Processing Unit and the Graphical Processing Unit get quite hot. To deal with the heat there is a fan controlled by the motherboard which controls the fan speed to keep the temperature to a safe level. Exactly what that temp is depends on the make and model of the laptop. However under a heavy processing load they get quite hot, some probably as hot as a dryer I know my old Dell does when I'm running it hard. The fan sucks in cool air from outside the device and blows it across heat exchanger fins on the CPU and GPU and then through channels all through the laptop to cool the hard drive, cd/dvd writer and so on, and then exits through vents usually on the back of the laptop. The temps inside a laptop are much higher than those in a tower computer, alarm clock or most other electronic devices. Sure bbs can get inside. Goingaway saw one crawl out of his laptop while using it, I think the bb came out to escape all the hot air blowing through the machine. They don't like to come out in the open in those conditions, but I suppose if it was hungry it could have been attracted to the carbon dioxide he was breathing out as well. In any case I think that most laptops get hot enough inside that bedbugs wouldn't want to stay in there, the heat and airflow would dry them out. Same with any eggs that might be laid inside I'm guessing. Which is why I suggested leaving it running for a couple of days nonstop. When not using it you could run a looping animation to keep the CPU and GPU real hot, the temps high, and the fan up on high. Animations take a whole lot of processing power and if you set them to loop they just play over and over until you turn them off manually. I think that would drive out the bugs. After that as long as you kept it bagged when not in use they couldn't get in. I think it would be unlikely one would go in while it's running, unless it was trying to escape from you of course.
I hope this more clearly answers your questions, of course in the end these are theories based on my knowledge of computer components and have not been tested in real life controlled environment. I will try to find out the general range of temps inside various laptops and compare them to the temps of dryers for instance. I will post back when I get more specific information. Good luck to all of you with your bb woes and cheers to a successful resolution. Later... cos
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mrbill0626
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Posted 5 years ago
Mon Nov 26 2007 21:35:26
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Thanks for your advice and input cosbear.
Another question, and I may have already asked this one: How would you treat a keyboard if you suspected it was inhabited by BBs? It doesn't get hot inside there like the CPU, etc. Like sometime after the infestation was discovered here at this house, I started having some problems with my keyboard, such as some keys were hard to depress, or the Num-lock key wouldn't work right, it wouldn't stay on and it was hard to type letters on the keybord, in fact it sometimes wouldn't type anything. And what about a printer? Could we be overly concerned about these components/accessories?
Thanks
Mr Bill
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cosbear
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Posted 5 years ago
Tue Nov 27 2007 0:13:47
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Howdy Mr Bill:
These are good questions, but I'm not sure the answers are easy. Keyboards are probably great places for bbs to hide in. You know the average keyboard has more dangerous things on it then your toilet bowl quite seriously. Just an aside. Wipe down your keyboards regularly with disinfectant wipes; especially if you have multiple users in your household.
As concerns bbs, I am just not sure. Freezing in a ziploc freezer bag whould probably be the best bet and allow it to dry afterwards before attaching it to the computer. The same would be true for mice. Any kind of heat treatment could damage the micro switches under the keys. Powders could gum up the works. Unless you have a pretty expensive keyboard, actually most are relatively inexpensive these days; especially if you watch the online sales. You can get reasonably decent wired ones for under $10 so if you are really worried you could replace it with a new one. So you could get a cheap one to get by with while storing the good one in a ziploc for several months if you were afraid of freezing it. Same thing with mice.
Printers are a real problem though and I don't know what you could do with them other than vacuum them as well as you can with a crevice tool. I don't think heating or freezing would be good for them. If you are really concerned about them I would pick up a cheap one and bag your good one for 18 months. I never did anything to those devices but vacuum them and was able to get rid of my bbs, of course I was obsessive compulsive about almost everything else. I don't think they are probably big risks but you have to do what you are comfortable with.
Tower computers are the most likely place I would worry about. I just opened one side of my cases and vacuumed them well and did a visual inspection. How difficult that is really varies from case to case. Most you only have to remove a couple of Phillips head screws and slide the side casing on the left side of computer towards the back. Some just have two thumb wheel screws holding on the back of the side panel. Some just have flip latches. If you are a little mechanical a close observation of the case will probably reveal how to get the side panel off. If you are worried about doing that I would have a repairman come out and do a thorough cleaning for you. So overall I guess my answer is it just depends on what will make you feel secure. Hope that helps. Later... cos
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itchyincharmcity
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Posted 5 years ago
Tue Nov 27 2007 11:48:48
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Now I am getting freaked out. I was using the computer a lot around the time I first got bitten, but have stayed away for the last 3 weeks or so for fear of attracting bugs to that part of the house. Mostly I was concerned about the chair, etc. I figured the computer would not be their first choice when I had a ream of paper, loads of research papers and other crap lying around that area.
What do you think of vacuuming inside the tower, then hitting it with the hairdryer? Think that would be hot enough? Or at least it would blow out any that didn't get sucked up by the vacuum? What about a little DE inside there, I assume that would NOT be a good idea?
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cosbear
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Posted 5 years ago
Tue Nov 27 2007 15:19:16
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Hi itchyincharmcity: 'Now I am getting freaked out."
That was not what I had in mind at all. I have 6 Tower computers in my apartment, all but one live on the floor on carpet. The towers do have vents in several places and at least at the bottom of the tower they stay relatively cool. So it is a relatively easy place for them to get into. But after having a really bad infestation, which we had managed to end, when I was getting ready to move I was still worried. So I opened all the towers, vacuumed and inspected them well. I not only didn't find any bbs dead or alive, I found no sign of them. I don't really think that it's an environment that they would choose to live in. Sure if they thought they were in danger they would probably hide anywhere they could get into. The reams of paper would probably be more to their liking I would guess. Using a hair dryer on the inside of a tower computer would probably be fine, I hadn't thought of that. I and my roommate are both nearly bald and keep what little hair we have very short so we don't have one of those around :-). What I was trying to say though, was I don't think that computer gear is a real big risk, but only you know what you have to do to make yourself feel assured and comfortable in your environment. Man, you guys think of good questions! Later... cos
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mrbill0626
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Posted 5 years ago
Wed Nov 28 2007 2:12:35
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cosbear:
You mention something about a "looping animation" I think you called it. How do you do that?
By the way, you live just outside of Cincy? I live in Cincy. Had an epidemic of bed bugs here, but the city is , I guess, taking some action on it.
Thanks
Mr Bill
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UESbugs
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Posted 5 years ago
Wed Nov 28 2007 2:27:30
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Hi Mr. Bill, as an alternative, you could pop in a DVD (should you have that drive), and put it on repeat, so that it constantly plays. My laptop gets so hot sometimes, the fan works overtime to try keeping it cool, so I'm not worried about them living in here... there are lots o' crumbs though
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cosbear
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Posted 5 years ago
Wed Nov 28 2007 9:38:03
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Howdy: Most of the software that you would use to display an animation or video usually has an icon or menu item for looping. The icon is often a loop arrow. UESbugs that is a great idea for those with laptops with DVD writers/players on them. Same principle, but the DVD activity would generate even more heat. If you can't do that you can download video or animation from Utube which can be looped. Just download to your desktop and doubleclick it. Set your player to Loop.
UESbugs crumbs? I eat a lot in front of my computer as well but I vacuum my keyboards very regularly and wipe them down with disinfectant spray. I watch this show on BBCAmerica now and then called How Clean Is Your House? It's about to cleaning women that find the grungiest places in the UK and bring in a cleaning team to clean them up and teach the residents how to clean effectively. In the process they give lots of great cleaning tips. Most of them use non-toxic means of cleaning. They use lots of common household items to create their own cleaning solutions. They call it Cheap and Cheerful cleaning. The show is hilarious some times, but if your squeamish be prepared to avert your eyes when they are in the kitchens and bathrooms, some of those places are phenomenally filthy.
The one woman takes samples off of surfaces in these peoples places and sends them to a lab for analysis. Then she shows the results later in the show. In one show she took samples on one of the most disgusting toilets I have ever seen; I had to avert my eyes. She also took samples off of the guys computer keyboard. The samples off of the toilet yielded all kinds of seriously dangerous bacterium's, but the ones off his keyboard yielded even more. Clean your keyboards, who knows who doesn't wash their hands after using the toilet in your house. Got kids? Later... cos
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oldtimer
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Posted 5 years ago
Wed Nov 28 2007 9:41:51
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You may want to consider air washing the notebook.
I had my PC serviced at a retail shop last year. The first step was to remove the cover and place the exposed system under the hood of an air washing machine to clean the PC. The system was hit with high pressure air from multiple directions to dislodge any dust & debris. All of the dust was captured in the filtered exhaust from under the hood.
Perhaps air washing could be utilized as a final step after running the notebook to raise the temperatures.
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goingaway
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Posted 5 years ago
Wed Nov 28 2007 19:47:31
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Thanks for all the ideas guys! I really appreciate them. Doug- Airwashing is definitely something I didn't know about. Good thought.
One last question... elsewhere on this site I have seen mentions of gas treatments for cars or containers of items... how would one do this and does anyone think it would be appropriate for electronics? Sorry if this is answered already elsewhere.
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oldtimer
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Posted 5 years ago
Wed Nov 28 2007 21:24:56
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Chamber fumigation with Vikane gas (used for termites, imported goods & farming) would be a highly effective approach
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goingaway
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Posted 5 years ago
Wed Nov 28 2007 21:41:53
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Thanks Doug! I'll research if that can be had around here for a reasonable cost.
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cosbear
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Posted 5 years ago
Thu Nov 29 2007 6:31:21
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Howdy All:
mrbill0626 said, "By the way, you live just outside of Cincy? I live in Cincy. Had an epidemic of bed bugs here, but the city is , I guess, taking some action on it."
Sorry I meant to comment on this the other day and forgot because I was focused on the computer questions. Howdy Neighbor. I live in Fort Mitchell, KY right next to I75 off of Buttermilk Pike by the Montgomery Inn. So I'm only 5 to 10 or 60 minutes from downtown Cinci on 75. I kid I75. My infestation was in West Chester, Ohio. So that was another county from yours. Nobody was doing anything about it up there except keeping it hushed up. Although, last year a whole very high priced new condo community in West Chester got infested real bad. That did make the local press. A couple of miles down the road though in our apartment complex in the low rent district we had probably at four times as many people badly infested and try as we might we could not get the press to sound a peep. I'm not that sure that Cinci is doing anything about it, but maybe you know something I don't. I know that there is a whole bunch of big money law suits under way in greater Metro area regarding bbs but not too much in the press about that either. Kentucky has some real problems with bbs but not much press. I've heard their not a problem in our county but who knows what is going on behind closed doors.
Hey guys that air washing device sounds very slick. Never seen one of those. Sounds like a great idea though. I don't know much about the vikane gas treatments except that it's only available in certain places but it does sound like a very thorough way to insure a laptop was free of bugs. I have no idea what that would cost either. I wouldn't think it necessary myself but like I've said before we all have to do whatever it takes to make us feel secure and that's all that counts. Later... cos
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chamaeleon
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Posted 5 years ago
Tue Feb 26 2008 17:46:49
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All of what I´ve read in this thread sounds just very complicated and insecure.
I´m a foreigner, doing an internship in NY and I am seriously alarmed about bringing bugs to my homecountry. Right now, I am staying in an infested place.
My plan according to my notebook as well as my SLR-Canon Camera was to wrap both items, bring them into a sauna and heat them for about 2-3 hours at around 50degress Celsius.
I tried to find out whether the monitor of my notebook will stand the heat (it´s a black x vaio) and wait for respond of the sony customer service.
Next question is, will I have to repeat the procedure, or is one time enough to kill bugs and eggs?Thanks for your answers!
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OntheEdge
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Posted 5 years ago
Sun Mar 30 2008 18:28:37
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How long should you leave your keyboard and mouse in the freezer? and how long should you let it dry out til you reattach it to tower? I still get bitten at my computer. I have bought 4 mice and three keyboards since I got the bedbugs.
I looked inside my tower for the third time and saw nothing the last time I looke but the first two times there were tiny bugs in it and I used air and sprayed the bottom with alcohol.
What about the monitor, could they live in it? I am thinking of getting a new monitor. thanks
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freaked out in brooklyn
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Posted 5 years ago
Sun Mar 30 2008 20:09:18
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I have an apple computer. I tried to clean the keyboard and it broke. I bought another wireless and wrapped it in plastic tight and use it that way. It works fine. Now i am worried about the computer. i keep tea tree oil in a little dish hoping to smell them away. Trying everything. I will find some clear plastic and wrap the computer next , I f i can. Or maybe have it i opened up and taken apart before i move...
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your host
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Posted 5 years ago
Tue Apr 1 2008 23:49:11
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chamaeleon, OntheEdge, and freakedout--
The good news is that I gather most people don't have infested computers. Remember, OntheEdge, you can be bitten at your computer even if bed bugs are not in it. They often crawl onto people's legs from the floor, or crawl onto you from a chair.
If they are in your computer, no one can guarantee any of the advice above (except perhaps Vikane gas) will kill all the bed bugs in your computer AND be safe for the item being treated. I would be EXTREMELY cautious and I personally would not expose my computer to freezing temps, heat, or liquids.
David Cain (bed-bugs.co.uk) is apparently working on some decontamination protocols for items such as this and he may be able to help you decontaminate something (shipping a computer to London and treating it may save money over buying a new one).
The most important thing, IMHO, is that you (and neighbors, if relevant) are getting good, persistent treatment to eliminate bed bugs everywhere but the computer. Bed bugs in your computer must come out to feed. Make them cross poison to get to you. If they cross it, they will die.
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annanicolaou
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Posted 5 years ago
Wed Apr 2 2008 9:05:58
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I agree. I think the best (and easiest) policy is to leave the laptop in the treated rooms and let nature take its course.
On a sidenote, I have been thnking about doing an experiment. I am buying a new laptop (not for bedbug related reasons, just my existing one is really old). I wanted to try to do an experiment of putting this old one in the oven, as I will not be using it at all anymore. I was thinking of putting it on at 150 degF for a half horu or so, just to see if it would still work afterwards. My only concern is safety - I dont care at all about whether i break the laptop but I also don't want to burn the house down in the process. Does anyone think that this would cause any major explosions or safety issues? -
Cantfindthem
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Posted 5 years ago
Tue Apr 29 2008 2:21:32
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I know my laptop processor is capable of running at temperatures of 80 degrees celsius which is 176 degrees F. I'm not sure what the normal operating temp is, but that is pretty high. The problem is that a laptop does not have a uniform temperature within it's casing. I suppose keeping it on for a few days might heat things up in there, maybe even enough to get rid of these unwanted guests. The trick is not to fry the processor or other chips.
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fightorflight
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Posted 5 years ago
Tue Apr 29 2008 3:54:12
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I suggest we lay to rest the idea that laptops are too hot for bedbugs to harbor in. Too many people have commented otherwise, including the initial post in this thread. If you are resting your hands on the keyboard and typing without frying your fingers, then there are places the bedbugs can hide in your laptop. And do. And wouldn't the heat of the processor damage other computer components unless that heat was isolated and cooled? It's kind of like the argument that bedbugs won't thrive in Phoenix because of the extreme heat. Well in the master bedroom, it's quite comfortable for humans and bugs alike.
>I suppose keeping it on for a few days might heat things up in there, maybe even enough to get rid of these unwanted guests.
Most PCs and laptops have a "sleep" function. Even if you disable that, your computer won't melt (though on some poorly engineered models, the processor could). I guess your idea is that the laptop body would become so hot the bugs would vacate. Maybe, but I wouldn't count on it.
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