Karkala Nayak asks:
My laptop is swarming with ants. My laptop has become like a ants night club or some kind of a leisure public club. I want to get rid of them from my laptop what should I do?
12 Answers -
FIDELIS
January 26, 2012Hello, I would say your best bet is to disassemble your laptop completely. If you post your laptop model and brand name, I could probably find visual instructions for you to follow.
My Laptop model is Dell Inspiron N5110..
January 26, 2012Hello, here is the manual provided by Dell. Make sure to follow the steps provided with Manual. Keep in mind that if your laptop is still under warranty, it will be voided. Also be very carefull with tape cables, specially for keyboard, and plugs for speakers, etc.:
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/insN5110/en/sm/index.htm
If possible, download the manual so that you can follow instructions.
This next tutorial has images to help you take your laptop apart:
http://www.insidemylaptop.com/taking-apart-dell-inspiron-n5010-inspiron-15r-laptop/
Here is another link for a similar model:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/78499521/How-to-Disassemble-Dell-Inspiron-17R-N7110-Inside-My-Laptop
January 26, 2012Thank you very much for the great info and URLS but i cant take the risk of opening up my laptop so i would be giving it to the authorised dealer as my laptop is still on waranty.Anyway thanks
January 27, 2012It can be a problem, if they damage keypad or die in the screen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JekTp3yY6Ow
I had the same situation, ants were red that can sting.
After struggling for some days, they did not come back.
As soon as I noticed the ants, I started keeping my laptop to a place were ants can’t reach.
I read about some solution like keeping food near the laptop, blowing air etc.
But Dell provides a great service, and it will not cost you because of the warranty, so it will be the best option.
January 27, 2012Not a problem. You are the boss so you know what is best for you.
January 27, 2012Karkala Nayak
January 26, 2012My Laptop model is Dell Inspiron N5110…
Anonymous
January 26, 2012Check first a technician help for cleaning laptop in right way and this to ensure the safety of the laptop, if ants nested deep in laptop. Perhaps this is better then to do mistakes and get laptop beyond recovery.
Oron Joffe
January 26, 2012Ants aren’t going to damage your laptop unless they get electrocuted inside, so I would suggest leaving a little sugar outside the laptop near the ant trail, and putting ant poison near other openings of the laptop. Once the ants have left the laptop, put some ant poison near the “main entrance” to kill any remaining stragglers.
I second that
January 27, 2012Smayonak
January 27, 2012Karkala Nayak: Where are you from? There are actually a species of electronics-killing ants that were “discovered” in Texas several years ago. They are drawn to all kinds of computer equipment.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crazy_Rasberry_ant
If they get into your computer be careful that you do not get them angry as they will release pheromones that will attract more ants!
You’re quite right (and put a smile on my face!). Let me add this caveat then: ”Unless the the ants are crazy raspberry ants…”.
January 27, 2012Karkala Nayak
January 27, 2012I really don’t know about the species of these ants but they are very tiny, very fast and black in color. they are mainly aiming for those tiny spaces like gaps on the edges of the laptop screen.. keyboard areas… i cannot take the risks such as opening up my laptop like FIDELIS said…and smayonak am from India and not from texas anyway i loved the *electro-ant* article….I would take my Laptop to the dell service center as my laptop is still on waranty so *EVERYONE THANKS FOR SHARING THE HELPFUL THOUGHTS!..
Karkala,
You hail from Odisha ? I do and I am facing the same problem, tiny and fast ants as well as bigger red ants coming out through the keyboard of the laptop. Coincidentally, both of us are talking about the same model – Dell Inspiron N5010 ! They don’t bother me enough because within 5 minutes of powering up laptop, they flee, I use brushes to drive away whatever are left
But Smayonak’s comment has got me all bothered. Firstly because, I had the notion that all ants do attack small wires , not necessarily to eat, especially tiny wires as we see inside computers. That’s conventional wisdom here, I have seen them cut through paper and plastic bags such as Lays bag. (I may have been mislead)
However, just month back my hard disk crashed and became unusable. While taking the crashed hdd and installing new we didn’t find any ant infestation. But I find the same problem now and my DVD drive is not working.
The weirdest part is, I have a Dell Vostro too but it is seldom attacked by ants !
I was looking for some insecticide spray,the odor of which ants find,
July 19, 2012repulsive. So I can spray all around it when putting it where I do. I am pretty certain they come fr0m outside, no infestation.
hey Rehan..the same thing happnd with me today.. and dis ant insecticide which you mentioned, What if it cause harm to the laptop..?
August 24, 2012Amit Sharma
February 4, 2012Your Laptop needs a little Sun bath..believe me that’s going to help you out..Place your laptop for few hours under the sunlight..they’ll leave your laptop for sure..
Thank you Amit for your reply, I gave my laptop to the dell service center and they cleaned it up and I have my laptop back home now..Its safe and clean now…Anyway thank you for the Tip..
February 4, 2012I’m glad you fixed the problem! Using the warranty was probably the best solution. Smart thinking.
Out of curiosity’s sake, did anything sweet get spilled into it? Or were the ants just attracted to the heat?
February 4, 2012No Nothing got spilled, the main point was that I used to eat on the table, where my Laptop had laid. Also that night, I had harvested on some sweet dessert. Also some had got onto the Touch Pad(You know I ate then used the laptop in the middle, then got back to eating.) Oil stains were seen on the touch pad which was shockingly pointed out by the repair guy.
so that was the story.. 
February 4, 2012Aithusanthoshreddy
March 25, 2012i hav d same prblm… my laptob atacd by red ants… so best of ur sugestns i need 2 go 2 dell service centre….. thanq guys for posting ur ideas
Simply do this.
April 14, 2012Put your laptop on one end of the table a plat o nice food on the other side. Use the ant poison you can get online and put it in the food. After you will have a big mess of dead ants though but it works. Ive tried it. After that don’t put food on your laptop, keep it clean. Eat away from the laptop because this is the common reason why they are in your laptop is because you have some sorta food crumbs in your laptop usually from having food on the keys. Thats why I have a keyboard guard so if I mess my laptop it doesn’t go in the laptop.
I still do have a messy laptop right know though
I gotta clean it when I get around it. Lucky I have a keyboard guard
April 14, 2012soothsayer
April 18, 2012Keep a box of sugar just beside the laptop…once the ants come over move it far away…repeat it whenever they attack ur lappy
ashokmadhan p
June 14, 2012then sink LAPTOP in water for 5 minutes. THE ANTS WILL DEAD.
ants will be dead along with laptop…
June 27, 2012Siddu
September 30, 2012Use vacuum cleaner to suck them out. Its so simple
Linh
September 30, 2012I read this article. It’s truly helpful!
http://fertileforest.hubpages.com/hub/Getting-rid-of-laptop-ants