Pests are notorious for spreading diseases and damaging property. But are you confident pests cannot harm you because you cover and store food properly and adequately protect furniture, clothes, and other belongings? If you are, think again!
One of the most commonly ignored yet costly damages caused by pests is the damage to electronics. As shocking as it may sound, it is true that your expensive electronic gadgets are not safe from pests.
You should pay close attention to whether your phone, computers, gaming consoles, etc., are being raided by pest populations when you are not heedful. In this article, we will discuss some of the warning signs that pest infestations are affecting your devices. We will also talk about how you can prevent these nuisances.
Signs Your Electronics are at Risk of Pest Damage
Physical sightings are the most obvious signs of a pest infestation affecting your gadgets. Be it cockroaches, rodents, or bed bugs, seeing insects around your belongings clearly indicates an infestation.
If you notice a lot of insects, chances are the pest populations in your home have gone so out of control that pests are frequently coming out of their hiding space. Unfortunately, this also means they are crawling all over your electronics and messy wires. What’s even worse, insects may be temporarily living inside your electronic devices.
Oftentimes, the insects are too sneaky, so you have to be a bit smarter when noting their presence. Look out for different pest droppings, footprints, and odours. You might also notice bite marks on your items, such as phone cases, gaming controllers, or headphones. In more severe cases, pests like rats or cockroaches can cause internal damage to your electronics by nibbling on cables and other components.
Tech enthusiasts might want to be careful of computer mites. These are tear-shaped microscopic white bugs that may live inside your device. Most commonly found intruders include spider mites, bird mites, dust mites, aphids, ants, booklice, bed bugs, thunder bugs, and baby roaches. They love the dark and warm interior of electronics but usually crawl out of your gadget when you start using them because the heat is not suitable for them.
Don’t be fooled if you have a brand-new product. These insects can live in your clocks, radios, laptops, gaming consoles, and televisions – new or old. So, always be alert if you do not want to avoid costly replacements and repairs.
How to Protect Your Electronic Devices from Pests?
After you realise the possibility and extent of damage pests can cause to your valuable devices, it is time to take measures to limit their access. So, how can you keep pests away? Well, first, you will have to adhere to the basics of pest control.
This includes keeping your space well-maintained and cleaned at all times. In addition to maintaining overall cleanliness and hygiene, you can take a few extra steps to control the impact of pest mischief on your electronics. Here’s how:
Do Not Leave Your Gadgets on the Ground
Do you leave your devices on the ground sometimes? Well, it may seem like a harmless move but leaving your electronics unattended on the floor provides easy access to nearby pest species.
Be it your computer central processing unit or gaming console, try to keep them on shelves above ground level. Alternatively, you can place them on a table. Otherwise, insects can easily raid your expensive devices while they are out and about at night.
Indeed, pests can affect items on your shelves and tables, too, but they are more likely to squirm across floors. Moreover, keeping the floor clear makes it easier for you to clean it thoroughly and more regularly – which will naturally help reduce pests in your home.
Clean Your Electronics Regularly
Not only is it essential to keep your house clean and clutter-free, but it is also crucial that you clean your devices often. Insects are less likely to squirm around clean surfaces and items. So dampen a microfibre cloth and wipe the surfaces of your electronics.
You can remove smudges and dust from LCD screens with the same damp microfiber cloth. To clean touch screens, you may use an eyeglass cleaning solution. Alcohol and water make a potent cleaning solution for your keyboards.
While cleaning the exterior of your products is relatively straightforward, dust that accumulates on the inside can be more stubborn. To tackle that, you can use compressed air cans. Point it at the cooling vents of laptops, gaming consoles, etc., giving them short bursts of air. This will knock the dust loose. You may even discover nests of pests in your electronics when performing this task.
Limit Food Sources for Pests
One of the easiest ways to tackle pests around your gadgets is to do nothing except let them starve. So, first of all, stop eating around your devices. Crumbles and leftovers often serve as food for pests. Instead, eat in your dining space and clean well immediately. This way, the pests will have limited food sources and be forced to leave your home in search of a better food supply.
For this to work, you must also ensure that all food items in your home are correctly stored. Keep trash covered and throw them out regularly. However, keep in mind that this will only affect a few pests as there are pests like termites and bed bugs that do not rely on the same diet as you.
Pest Control to Remove Pests from Electronics
If you are sure pests are hiding in your electronics, you must get rid of them as soon as possible. To do so, you can implement a range of pest control measures. The first approach is simple: Apply pest deterrents on and around your electronics.
You can use sprays, powders, and bait stations. Placing these in the pests’ hiding places or on the pests themselves can help eradicate them. Use a bug bomb to fumigate your device with airborne pesticides to eliminate any bugs and mites living inside. Using mothballs will effectively kill mite eggs and also keep other insects away.
If the pest infestation has grown so big that you cannot tackle it on your own, you can call for help. Yes, call professional pest control to assist you. Pest control specialists have the right tools and expertise required to clear your electronics and home of pests.
Conclusion
It is not unusual to be wary of household pests and the extent of the damage they can cause. But, unfortunately, they can cause some costly damages to your property – and this includes your treasured electronics.
If you want to save your gadgets from the wrath of a notorious pest, you need to be very cautious. Look out for signs of pest disturbances and take appropriate measures.
When preventive approaches such as cleaning the home and your electrical equipment fail to help, you can resort to using chemicals to eradicate pests. You may also leave matters to professionals by hiring a reliable pest control company.
