How to Get Roaches Out of Your Electronics and Small Appliances

Can Roaches Live in Electronics?

Yes, roaches can live in electronics, primarily if you use the device frequently.

Some examples of electronics roaches live in are game consoles, TVs, Internet routers, and desktop computers. However, cockroaches may live in other devices like large kitchen appliances, clocks, radios, and more.

Cockroaches love living in warm, dark, and secluded spaces. In that case, they will be drawn to those areas more.

You may find your electronics may become infested with eggs, feces, or roaches themselves.

How to Get Roaches Out of Electronics

There are many ways to eliminate a cockroach infestation from within your electronics.

Boric Acid

Sprinkle a small amount of boric acid around your electronic devices or create a bait mixed with 1:1 peanut butter or 1 part sugar and 3 parts boric acid. Then, wait until the roaches exit the vicinity.

After a few days, the roaches will die from the boric acid poison, so get rid of the dead bodies to ensure others do not feed off them.

Freeze Them Out

Cockroaches cannot survive freezing temperatures, so put your electronic devices in a water-tight bag and place it in the freezer for 3 to 5 days.

While using this method, be mindful of moisture and water, so do it properly.

Electronics with LCD screens can get damaged if exposed to cold temperatures for a long time.

After you take the electronic out, ensure it thaws out and no condensation is left inside the device.

Use Pressurized Air

Using compressed air will force the roaches out of the device. Make sure you do this method outside, as the cockroaches will scatter out instead of hiding somewhere else in your home.

Keep the device unplugged with this method and check the user manual in case the electronic device has something specific that may not allow this method to be used.

However, once you get all of the cockroach feces, eggs, and bodies out, you can take preventative measures to ensure they do not get back in.

Remove Them Yourself

For people who are handy and love cleaning their devices, you can remove cockroaches yourself with a thorough cleaning.

We do not recommend a novice doing this due to the potential of damaging the electronics. You also need to know how to reassemble the device exactly how it was previously.

However, this is a highly effective method as you can thoroughly inspect it yourself.

Make sure to use gloves and remove all the roaches with a paper towel from the device to ensure your fingerprints do not get on the mechanisms.

You can use a soft cloth, a q-tip, and small brushes to clean up the eggs and feces.

For new devices with a warranty, ensure your warranty will not be voided if you open it up. If that is the case, you would be better off doing the other methods.

Use Glue Traps

Placing sticky traps around the electronic device ensures the cockroach does not go far away. This is because roaches will eventually come out in search of food and water. In that case, they will stick to the trap and eventually die.

Using a glue trap will also help prevent roaches from entering the device.

Overall, you should see a significant difference within the next few days. However, get rid of the dead cockroaches to ensure they do not lure roaches to the area.

Use Roach Bait Gel

Using a gel bait is a reasonably easy way to ensure the cockroaches inside the device will get lured to the bait stations you placed down.

The roaches will take the bait and die within 24 hours of consuming the bait. Nevertheless, they live long enough to bring the bait back to their colony.

Put a Plastic Bag Over the Device

Another excellent way of eliminating roaches is placing a plastic bag over electronic devices.

Cockroaches can survive a few days inside plastic bags, but after 3 to 5 days, it will kill roaches and ensure they no longer stay around.

Placing your equipment in a plastic bag is an excellent alternative to freezing if you are worried about damaging your stuff.

Use Diatomaceous Earth

Very similar to boric acid, diatomaceous earth (DE) can work for eliminating cockroaches. However, this method works slower.

You can make a bait with sugar or peanut butter and place them where they come in and out.

Why Are Roaches Attracted to Electronics?

There are quite a few reasons why roaches are attracted to electronics. Let us take a look down below.

It is Quiet

Electronics make a low humming noise and do not produce much sound. Therefore, cockroaches want to be there due to how quiet it is.

They do not like hearing noises such as doors slamming, clapping hands, or stomping.

The Device Contains Heat

Cockroaches thrive in temperatures from 77 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit, making an electronic device regularly plugged in the perfect temperature.

Roaches Have Access to Food

If your electronic device is close to the kitchen, roaches will find it a more suitable area due to having much food access.

Read More: The Cockroach Diet

The Roaches Found Security

Electronics typically stay in the same place and will hardly be disassembled. Therefore, electronics are the perfect home for many roaches.

There is Room to Breed

Cockroaches need protection from predators and plenty of room to breed, so choosing an electronic device is suitable.

Read More: What Does a Pregnant Roach Look Like?

It is Dark

Electronics provide cockroaches with a small, dark place. Since the device is much smaller and does not let much light in, the electronic is perfect for their everyday needs.

How Common is it for Roaches to Infest My Electronics?

It is quite common for roaches to infest your electronics if you have a roach infestation.

Once cockroaches are inside that space, they will work diligently on making that their home. In that case, you need to work harder to keep them outside that space to ensure they are gone for good.

Which Electronics Are Most at Risk for a Roach Infestation?

The electronics that are most at risk for a roach infestation are those that get turned on frequently. These electronics include but are not limited to gaming consoles, desktop computers, TVs, routers, and laptops.

Cockroaches are also drawn to electric devices that they have easy access to.

If you recently purchased a new electric device and have a cockroach problem, take preventative measures before using it frequently. Something you can do is purchase a clear plastic container or something similar and tightly encase the device in there while not in use.

If you suspect insects are inside, you will see a visual within a few days.

Where Should I Look for Roaches in My Electronics?

You should look for roaches in your electronics in all openings in your electronic device, mainly where the power supply plugs or other areas are.

Use a flashlight to ensure you see everything more clearly. It may be wise to take a video so you can see a more clear picture if need be.

Afterward, set a plan into motion for what you will do next.

Can Cockroaches Mess Up My Electronics?

Yes, cockroaches can mess up your electronics. They can ruin the internal electrical components if you do not get them out quickly enough. There are quite a few reasons why this happens.

Shedding in High-Voltage Areas

A roach can touch or shed its exoskeleton in high-voltage pieces, destroying the electronic devices’ internal electrical areas.

Block Air Ducts

Cockroaches can block the air ducts that electronics use to cool themselves down. Thus, potentially causing the device to overheat.

For example, if the roach population becomes rather large in your electrical appliances, the appliance cannot run properly, thus making it not work correctly and eventually break.

The Device Malfunctions from a Roaches’ Dead Body

Roaches inside electronic devices can cause malfunctions from dead bodies lying around. Another unfortunate side effect of cockroach remains being inside your devices would be the circular problem it creates.

Roaches are cannibalistic by nature and will happily eat their kind if it means survival; this trait can easily lead to them living, dying, and thriving inside any electronic device they inhabit.

Bearing that in mind taking the devices apart after identifying an infestation is vital to getting the situation under control.

Causing Short Circuits

Cockroaches can cause short circuits in electronic gadgets from laying their eggs inside the essential parts.

Lastly, these critters can cause circuit boards due to roach droppings, which can build up over time.

Overall, the expensive equipment you saved so much money for can get ruined by some small critters who have no business being inside.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Smells Keep Roaches Away?

There are many smells that keep roaches away. Here is a list of some:

• Eucalyptus oil
• Lavender
• Citrus
• Bay leaves
• Cinnamon
• Garlic
• Coffee grounds
• Citronella oil
• Peppermint

Which Scent is the Most Effective at Keeping Roaches Away?

Peppermint is the most effective scent at keeping roaches away due to its effectiveness and extreme potency, serving as a deterrent and treatment.

In its undiluted form, Peppermint oil will outright kill any roaches that happen to get exposed to it directly because it is so intens .

The remaining scents will be pleasant to anyone who enters the room and continue to combat any ongoing infestations.

How Long Can Roaches Live Without Food or Water?

One month is how long roaches can live without food but only one week without water.

However, roaches can collect small crumbs, bring them back to their nest, and share them with others. Having crumbs inside your home is one of the main reasons why you have a roach infestation.

Can You Spray Raid in Electronics?

No, you cannot spray Raid in electronics. This is due to the potential hazards it may cause.

Raid contains fluids such as propane and butane, so using it near plugged-in electronics may lead to an explosion or fire.

Besides potential flame hazards, Raid is a toxic chemical mixture and can prove harmful or even deadly. You should avoid extensive exposure from a safety perspective, as it can cause short-circuiting or long-lasting damage from an electrical one.

How Long Can Roaches Live in a Plastic Bag?

Roaches can live between 3 to 5 days in a plastic bag because of their unique respiratory system. Assuming the bag is vacuum sealed, a roach could survive approximately 40 minutes without air access.

Where Do Cockroaches Lay Eggs?

Cockroaches lay eggs practically anywhere. These areas include inside your pipes, kitchen cabinets, kitchen countertops, inside your garbage, electronic devices, etc.

Read More: What Does a Roach Nest Look Like? How to Find and Get Rid of One

Call a Professional if You Cannot Get Them Out

Call a professional exterminator if you cannot seem to get the cockroaches out of your device. They will know where to look and how to get them out immediately.

On top of that, they can tell if you have a cockroach infestation within your home and will take steps to eliminate them from the premise.