Nuvan ProStrips - Questions & Answers

You could only treat a large room like that if it was in the basement or a storage room.  It is not safe to treat a room in a house where people would be opening the door and be inside the room.  This is not the intended use for Nuvan Prostrips.  If this room is a storage area, you must make sure there is no ventilation in the room or windows and doors that are not sealed properly.  The room must be air tight and you must leave the room enclosed for 2 weeks without opening it.  You should evenly distribute the items as much as possible.  A 13 x 13 x 8 room is 1352 cubic feet.  The strips treat 100 to 200 cubic feet, so you would need at least 7 Nuvan Strips, but you will probably get better results if you use about 10 strips.  The strips should be arranged so they cover the room evenly.

You cannot use the Nuvan strips to treat an entire room in a residential area. If you follow the product label and place the strips in a closet, wardrobe or cupboard, you will only be treating that confined space.

Spider Beetles are a type of pantry pest. This type of pest generally infests stored food products but has also been known to infest rodent nests or bird nests. We recommend placing out insect glue boards in the infested apartment. Check the boards frequently and note the boards that seem to have the most activity. Once the area of activity has been established a thorough cleaning is called for. Dispose of any possible food product that may be infested. Place Nuvan pest strips in enclosed food pantries and check the glueboards frequently. The Pyganic dust may not be effective because the source of the infestation has not been located yet and the spider beetles are still reproducing. Sanitation will be key to getting rid of the infestation

Nuvan Prostrips should only be used to treat items in small confined areas such as storage boxes, closets, cupboards or sealed bags. Do not use Nuvan Prostrips in open areas such as bedrooms or other living spaces. Please take a few minutes to read through the Nuvan Prostrips product label and the FAQ page to be sure you are only using the strips as recommended by the manufacturer.

Yes.  The Nuvan ProStrips come in a thick foil zipper pouch that will keep the strips sealed and inactive until you are ready to use them. You can also place the pouch of unused strips in a Ziploc bag if you would like.  Be sure to use all the strips within one year of purchase.  

Yes, Nuvan ProStrips can be used inside of a sealed bag with nightstands inside. Be sure not to use this product in an open area that is frequently used by individuals. They need to stay sealed for at least seven days. It is safe to leave the sealed bags in a living room. Just be sure to make sure they are very secure. It would be fine to open closet or other enclosed areas where Nuvan ProStrips are applied for short periods of time.

Nuvan ProStrips are not labeled to be used out in regularly used rooms in homes. For residential situations, Nuvan ProStrips should only be used in confined areas such as closets, storage rooms or other enclosed areas. This allows the vapors to build and circulate to eliminate pests. Nuvan ProStrips can be used in reptile collection rooms and in museum exhibit rooms where people are present for 4 hours or less per day.

You can place books in large trash bags or rubber tubs that have a top with Nuvan Prostrips. Nuvan Prostrips utilize controlled release technology to slowly diffuse a deep penetrating vapor in enclosed spaces. The clean, odorless vapor is evenly distributed throughout the enclosed treatment area, killing visible and hidden insects on contact and preventing new insect infestations. The books do not need to be tightly packed in the bins/trash bags. No, the vapors will not penetrate pages. 

NuVan ProStrips release a small amount of short-acting insecticide continuously over the life of the strips. Since bed bugs stay hidden in cracks and crevices for most of their lives, it is important to keep items for at least the recommend 2 weeks when using Nuvan strips to treat for bed bugs. This time is also recommend so that any bed bug eggs that may have been in the items have time to hatch and be exposed to the insecticide. There should be enough room around the Nuvan strip and the items in the area for the insecticide to circulate, and strips should not be sandwiched between items. Keep in mind that clothing, bedding, and many other items can be treated by washing and drying in regular machines. A steamer is also a great tool for killing bed bugs and other pests on contact. Another option is to use a heat chamber such as the ZappBug Heater, which works in just a few hours. We have more great tips in our Bed Bug Treatment Guide here.

Yes, as long as the sofa and the Nuvan ProStrips are sealed in a bag and not just sitting out in the open living space, this is safe.

The product labeling for Nuvan ProStrips does not list any temperature restrictions; however, based on the nature of these strips, we would not expect them to be as effective in temperatures near or below freezing. Keep in mind that many insects cannot survive air temperatures that cold and would not be out in the open in these temperatures to be exposed to the insecticide. Bed bugs are one of few insects that are known to withstand some colder temperatures, however they thrive where there hosts live, which is primarily in areas where the temperature is regulated. We would recommend inspecting and cleaning any vehicles which are possibly infested, and treating with Sterifab and/or Bedlam. Items treated with Nuvan ProStrips should be stored with the strips for at least 2 weeks for bed bug treatment.

Tinea pellionella or Case making Cloth Moths can be difficult to eradicate. Please see our Clothes moth treatment page.  We highly recommend using Cy kick CS in cracks and crevices. Also, any closets that the moths may be in can be treated eith Nuvan Strips as well. Be sure that you can leave the closet sealed up for at least 1 week to allow the odorless vapors to treat the items. Be sure to read directions before applications.

Yes, you can transfer the Nuvan Prostrips as they remain active for four months once it was been opened. However, you want to be sure the strips have adequate time to work for your particular treatment before possibly moving them to another area.

You will need to bag up the clothing as the way the stips work is by building up a vapor in an area over time that has zero air flow. The closet if not taped shut around all door cracks will allow the vapor to escape and will diminish the effects of the product. Bag up all clothes planned to be treated that can't just be thrown in the dryer for 45 minutes, and leave closed tight with the strip for 1-2 weeks. Please let us know if you have any other questions.

You can also place laptops and other electronics in large trash bags or rubber tubs that have a top with the Nuvan Prostrips to treat these items.  They will need to be in place for about 2 weeks to ensure all the bed bugs are dead that could be infesting the items.. It is best to make sure things are loosely packed into the areas to insure that the vapors can adequately circulate through the items that need to be treated.

The Nuvan ProStrips are not individually wrapped. There are 12 strips inside the foil packet/envelope. If all the strips contained in the foil packet aren’t used, contain the remaining unused strips in the foil packet. Squeeze out as much air as possible from the foil packet, fold over the opened end at least twice and seal with tape to sufficiently protect your unused Nuvan Prostrips. The shelf life of Nuvan Prostrips may be diminished by as much as a month or more if left unused. It is not recommended to store Prostrips in zip lock plastic bags. The efficacy of Nuvan Prostrips is better protected in a foil-lined packet.

For larger areas such as rooms, the Nuvan ProStrips Large Size would be recommended. One 65 g strip of the Nuvan ProStrips Large will treat 900 to 1200 cubic feet which is about equal to an average room 10' x 13' with an 8-foot ceiling for up to four (4) months. In a larger room, if more than one strip is required, keep them at least 10 feet apart. Record the date of installation so that the old strip may be replaced with a new, fresh, full-strength strip at the end of the four (4) month period or when effectiveness diminishes.

The smaller Nuvan ProStrips will treats about 100 to 200 cubic feet of space for 4 months. Only use one strip per 100-200 cubic foot of enclosed area.

It is important to keep in mind that Nuvan ProStrips are not a substitute for detailed crack and crevice treatment for bed bugs, and they should not be relied upon as the sole treatment for a bed bug infestation. Please see our Bed Bug Treatment Guide for more tips and recommendations.

There should be no issue when the Nuvan ProStrips are used as directed.  Be sure items are aired out for several hours after being treated to ensure no lingering vapors.

You want to allow the vapors in an enclosed area to build up to a level that will be lethal to the insects that your are trying to eliminate. Opening and closing the doors to these enclosed spaces may result in poor efficacy. Depending on the insect you are trying to eliminate and the amount of things in the space you will most likely need to keep the Nuvan strips in place for about 2-4 weeks. It is best to make sure things are loosely packed into the areas to insure that the vapors can adequately circulate through the items that need to be treated. You should use one strip in a plastic trash bag or Rubbermaid bin and leave the items in the container with the strip for at least 2 weeks. As long as the bags themselves are not being opened during the treatment process, you can store the sealed bags in your closet with no problem. Pet bedding or clothing may want to be thrown in the washer or dryer just in case to make sure there are no lingering vapors or bugs on the items the pet/persons would come into close contact with. 

Nuvan ProStrips should only be used in areas where individuals are not going to be present for extended periods of time. If the car is not currently in use, the strips can be used there. You can place the items that you would like to treat in a sealed plastic bag with the strips and leave all the items in there until the treatments done by the pest control operators have been done completely.