[Rob C]

So I got the Clima Pest Guard and it’s been fine so far, but I’m not sure if I’m using it right. Does it still work if I have a lamp or TV on? Or does it need total darkness to actually pull anything in? I’ve only had it a few days and haven’t noticed much, but maybe I’m expecting too much. Just wondering if anyone else keeps it in a lit room or if that’s a waste of time.

[Carla82]

Room lights don’t seem to bother mine much, but I did notice it pulls way more when I leave it on the balcony overnight versus inside with the TV going. Brought it on a work trip and it sat in a bright hotel room for two days catching basically nothing. Dark corner, that’s where it actually earns its keep.

[LiamW]

A lamp or TV doesn’t make any real difference. The UV is what’s doing the work, not the room being pitch black. I’ve run mine in a lit living room plenty of times and it still catches stuff. What actually matters is whether there’s a better light source nearby pulling bugs away from it.

But here’s the thing, and this is where I’ll disagree with the general vibe. If you’re expecting this thing to clear out a mosquito problem in a few days, that’s not happening. I’ve had mine for about two months now. It does catch bugs, no question. But it’s slow. Some nights there’s barely anything in the tray, other nights there’s a decent amount. It’s not a switch you flip and suddenly no more bites.

So no, the lit room isn’t your problem. Your expectations might be. Give it a few weeks and judge by whether you’re getting bitten less, not by how full the tray looks after three days.

[Khan]

Mine still catches stuff with the ceiling light on, so I don’t think total darkness is required. That said, I noticed it works way better once everyone’s asleep and the room’s actually quiet and dim. First few days I didn’t get much either, took about a week before I found anything in it.

[Harper J]

Mine still catches gnats with the kitchen light on, so you’re fine. It took about a week before I noticed anything in the tray though. Give it a few more nights.

[Sara Beast]

Lights off is what actually makes it worth having.

[Nina]

I’ve actually had the opposite experience with mine. When I have my desk lamp on right next to it, it barely catches anything, but the second I turn that light off it starts working way better. Maybe it’s just my setup but the extra light does seem to mess with it.

[Mike in NYC]

I run mine in a room where I usually keep a small reading light going and it still does its thing. The UV is basically competing with whatever light is around, so yeah a lamp or TV is going to dilute it a bit, but it’s not like it shuts off completely. Where mine really struggles is if it’s sitting right next to something bright, then it’s basically wasting the night. Move it further from the light source and it picks up more. I honestly don’t think total darkness is required for it to function, but it definitely helps the odds. A few days isn’t much time either, the tray stays empty for a while before you see anything worth noting.

[S4r4 Hernández]

I’ve tried running mine with a light on and it caught basically nothing for two weeks straight. Once I started shutting the room down completely it actually started filling up. Light definitely messes with it in my experience.

[Tina M]

Mine has been running in the living room while we watch TV at night and it still picks off the occasional moth, so I don’t think it needs pitch black. The catch tray was empty the first few days though, which had me second guessing it too. It picked up once the weather got warmer here.

[Olivia_park]

Mine works fine with the hallway light on.

[Owen21]

It doesn’t need pitch black. Mine sits in a room with a TV going most nights and it still pulls in the occasional bug. The UV just gets a bit of competition, that’s all. If you expected a massacre in three days, that’s on the marketing, not the lamp.

[SarahM]

I got one for my parents and they keep it on in the kitchen with the overhead light going all evening. It still catches the odd fly here and there but nowhere near what mine does in a dark bedroom. So the light does seem to make a difference in my case.

[Emma Locke]

Mine definitely still catches stuff with the lights on, so it’s not a total waste. I’ve had mine by the window in my office for about a month now and it’s been picking off gnats and the occasional mosquito even with my desk lamp right next to it. Give it a bit longer, a few days isn’t really enough to judge.

[Sam Carter]

Lights on or off doesn’t matter much, these things aren’t magic. If you’ve got actual mosquitoes in the room it’ll get some, but a few days isn’t enough to judge anything. Give it a week or two before you decide it’s useless.

[Tommy Burrel]

Lights on definitely cuts down what it pulls in, in my experience. I ran mine in a dark bedroom for a week and got a decent amount, then moved it to the living room with lights going and it barely caught anything. Not saying it’s useless but acting like lighting doesn’t matter at all is wrong.

[Rob C]

Fair enough, I’ll just leave it running and see.

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