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Do you notice that you have tiny fast moving bugs on your laptop when you are trying to work? You probably just disregard the bug as a stray ant or something. But then you realize that this is a reoccurring theme. The bugs seem to be there more and more. Bad New: You have computer mites.
These are tiny bugs that feed on organic material. Chances are they are inside of your computer and the ones you see are the outliers. They move really fast, are really small and are on a frantic mission to find something to eat. They eat tiny flakes of your skin that fall into the keyboard or anything else organic that falls onto it, like food crumbs. They may also be feeding on components in the device itself.
Don’t be terribly alarmed. These critters are really common. Many people just ignore them. There are ways to get rid of them though. But first lets go over a list of all the bugs that can be living on or inside your laptop:
Yes, that’s a long list. Bugs are attracted to the light, warmth and the food supply that your laptop offers. I know its weird. But as you may know there are tiny bugs living everywhere, even the surface of your face. So, why wouldn’t they be on your computer?
There are a few ways you can go about killing these bugs. If the infestation is superficial you can use a strong vacuum and go over the keyboard and any portholes with it. This may pick up any bugs you have an you may never have a problem again.
If the infestation is deep, you can place a bug bomb in a room and make sure your laptop is in that room. Another handy trick is putting your laptop in a sealed plastic bag with some mothballs. The fumes from the mothballs should kill the bugs. Make sure the bag is tightly sealed. Give it some time.
There is one other step you can take. These little bugs need oxygen to breathe like you or I. So, if you put them in a plastic bag and fill that with CO2, it will kill all the bugs. Since commercial CO2 requires a license to obtain, you can use dry ice. The dry ice will fill the bag with pure CO2 and suffocate the mites. Be careful, dry ice can be dangerous to your skin. If you have never handled it before, consult with someone who knows how to handle it. The bag has to be airtight.
We hope this article has shed some light on to your tiny computer bug problem. This is not what people usually mean when they say they have a computer bug. And some people may think you are going crazy when you tell them you have bugs in your computer. But you are not crazy. There are bugs everywhere!
This article was so useful, in my case it’s bird mites so sometimes I get bitten by them, really annoying
Thanks for sharing this information
I’ll try the methods mentioned in the article.
Do computer mites bite people?
Not that we are aware of No
Do that actually harm electronics?
Not that we are aware of No
yes, they might urinate on a conenction and short something. evidence of that you can see on youtube on louis rossmanns board repair streams
Thanks for the comment!
what are they actually called, species wise? What size are they?
Mine white, 1mm, fast moving. too small to pick up. not microscopic though.
What kind of mothball and where do I find them? It won’t hurt my computer right?
Any kind of mothballs should do. You can order them online or pick up some from WalMart. Place just one in a large airtight bag with your laptop overnight. The mothballs should not hurt your laptop but as a disclaimer, we want to say use your own judgement and do your own research. We don’t take any responsibility for your actions. If the bugs are still there the next day you may need to seal it in the bag longer. Make sure it is powered off. Good luck.