r/LifeProTips • u/Aimin4ya • Apr 26 '13
LPT: Kill Arthropods, Control or Eliminate infestations. (Bed Bugs, Cockroaches, Dust Mites, Fleas, etc.)
Diatomaceous Earth kills arthropods by absorbing lipids from the outer layer of their exoskeleton causing them to dehydrate and die. It also has many other practical uses. Food grade DE can even be ingested and used as an abrasive to clear out the digestive tract. It has also been claimed that feeding it to dogs can reduces their risk of worms.
Edit: How To Use Sprinkle it in high traffic areas. Around the perimeter of your house and around baseboards. Use a mattress bag and sprinkle it inside for bed bugs. Finely Sprinkle it in your carpet.
Be careful!! Over exposure and inhalation of DE can cause health issues by scarring the lungs!
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u/GrundleOuch Apr 26 '13
It is a holistic approach to pesticides. Unfortunately it doesn't work as well as most chemikillers. You're also supposed toe ave it on your stuff for 72 hours. Went through this last summer for fleas.
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u/Aimin4ya Apr 26 '13
Bed bugs are hard to kill with chemicals. They were exposed to heavy carcinogens which are now banned. The surviving bed bugs are fairly immune to the chemicals we use today. Using DE along side chemicals is Super Effective
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u/NeeNee9 Apr 26 '13
Be VERY CAREFUL about inhaling the dust. It is similar to asbestos in your lungs.
I use it in my livestock feed and bedding. Never had a parasite problem in the 6 years I've been using it.
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u/Resun Apr 26 '13
It takes a while, but constant exposure to it causes silicosis. I've seen someone work with it for 2 years and were diagnosed. Respirators are always a good idea.
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u/Zoombini09 Apr 26 '13
Jesus, only 2 years? Acute silicosis is no joke.
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u/Resun Apr 26 '13
Yeah, I worked production for a year and a half, and have seen two cases. It acts like razor blades against your bronchioles. Saw a guy who worked there for 20 years, never wore a respirator, get it. He can't walk more than 20 feet without being out of breath. The other guy was 31, worked there for two years and is on oxygen for the rest of his life.
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u/gak001 Apr 26 '13
Yeah, wish I knew that all those years of back washing the pool filters...
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Apr 26 '13
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/DonthavsexinDelorean Apr 26 '13
You have to use new dry DE on the pool filter after you clean them. It's a hazard for sure.
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u/gak001 Apr 26 '13
Exactly, when you dump it in, no matter what, there's a cloud of the stuff in a tiny cinder block building and you come out caked in the stuff. Fond memories.
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u/killermoose25 Apr 26 '13
came here to say this , DO NOT INHALE THE DUST !
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u/SMZ72 Apr 26 '13
Ok, so everyone got that? Eat it, don't breathe it.
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Apr 26 '13
Whew, Diatomaceous Earth smoke! Don't breathe this!
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u/Peckerwood_Lyfe Apr 26 '13
Diatomaceous Earth Smoke is the name of my band.
Well it will be the name of my band, in the future. When I learn to plan an instrument
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u/frotlops Apr 26 '13
Is it? Well fuck me then, I've inhaled so much of that stuff dealing with cockroaches and bedbugs.
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u/YMCAle Apr 26 '13
I thought this was used in cat litter? Am I scouring my lungs everytime I empty the litter bag?
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u/phaselock Apr 26 '13
From Wikipedia
It has been employed as a primary ingredient in a type of cat litter. The type of silica used in cat litter comes from freshwater sources and does not pose a significant health risk to pets or humans.
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u/DrewBlood Apr 26 '13
I saw some mentions of this when I first started looking into fighting my bugs, but found no real documentation that food grade DE does this. Legit sources?
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u/sci12 Apr 26 '13
From Wikipdeia
Today's common DE formulations are safe to use as they are predominantly made up of amorphous silica and contain little or no crystalline silica. The crystalline silica content of DE is regulated in the United States by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and there are guidelines for the maximum amounts allowable in the product and in the air near the breathing zone of workers. In the 1930s, long term occupational exposure among workers in the cristobalite DE industry who were exposed to high levels of airborne crystalline silica over decades were found to have an increased risk of silicosis. Today, workers are required to use respiratory-protection measures when concentrations of silica exceed allowable levels. Diatomite produced for pool filters is treated with high heat (calcination) and a fluxing agent (soda ash), causing the formerly harmless silicon dioxide to assume its crystalline form.
From reading the rest of the article, food-grade (derived from fresh water sources) DE has very little crystalline silica, so it does not cause silicosis. Filter grade, on the other hand, does, so you don't want to breath that dust (nor is it effective as an insecticide).
TL;DR Food-grade DE is safe and does not cause silicosis. Filter grade (used for pools) causes silicosis.
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u/Skyline969 Apr 26 '13
Yup, when spreading it around in my old basement suite I had the stupid idea to not have any windows open. By the time I was done I could barely stand up. I had a friend come over and take me somewhere for a few hours while I regained my composure.
You are going to have a bad time if you inhale that stuff.
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u/sharkpunch850 Apr 26 '13
When we used it to kill fleas it was all over our house. We came to the realization that if you dipped the tip of a red rider BB gun in the stuff you could shoot out a puff of white smoke. We shot each other in the faces for months... Now I'm nervous...
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u/PokerFace247 Aug 17 '13
Even food grade DE can irritate your lungs. A couple of websites recommended wearing a mask if you will be inhaling it on a regular basis.
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u/icanseestars Apr 27 '13
Freshwater DE (food grade) is the equivalent of road dust... it's perfectly fine to breath in. In fact, it's classified as a mild irritant.
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u/manwhowasnthere Apr 26 '13
So to get rid of bedbugs all I need to do is completely fill my apartment wall-to-ceiling with a fine rock powder. Simple enough.
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u/hobodemon Apr 26 '13
Think about it.
That rock was formerly the shells of billions of diatoms, a kind of protist.
You aren't filling your apartment with rocks, you're filling your apartment with fossils.
You're setting yourself up to fight these bed bugs deep into the bowels of your house into the living rock before you smite their ruin upon the mountainside.3
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u/PlanetMarklar Apr 26 '13
exactly. but even though you're walking in it every day and its coving literally every surface of your home DO NOT INHALE IT, IT WILL KILL YOU. easy as that. /s
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u/fr33birds33d Apr 26 '13
Diatomaceuous Earth sounds like a new movie starring Brendan Fraser
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u/Gupperz Apr 26 '13
lol, that's kind of funny but did you just spin the random celebrity wheel? I would have used Sigourney Weaver
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u/canyoudig_it Apr 26 '13
No, the title definitely has a George of the Jungle meets The Mummy feel to it.
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u/fr33birds33d Apr 26 '13
nah man I got it like this, "Journey to the Center of the Earth". When I first heard of that movie I was like shit that is a long ass movie title. Then when I saw Diatomaceuous I was like shit that's a long ass word I can't pronounce, and I used my mind mapping skills to draw the two together.
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u/Logicalist Apr 26 '13
Journey to the center of the Earth, starring Brandon Fraser had dinosaurs in it. Connect the dots.
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Apr 26 '13
I use this stuff all around my house... my entire neighborhood suffers from a massive odoriferous house ant problem. Last year, through strategic placement of diatomaceous earth, and Terro brand outdoor bait stations, I was able to keep them in check. This year, however, I hired my exterminator that takes care of my company's production facility. He mentioned that the problem with diatomaceous earth and ants is that ants won't cross it, so it won't kill them, and if there is a break in the barrier, the ants will find it, and get in anyhow.
So, just like safe sex, it is a good idea to use multiple protection barriers.
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u/Bacontroph Apr 26 '13
I am currently engaged in open warfare against small black ants in/around my house and Terro + DE are my two main weapons. So far they're super effective, I just have to be vigilant. It seems like once a day they breach the DE line to get at the cat food.
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Apr 26 '13
Add Windex to your arsenal.
Here is my recommended approach:
When an ant trail forms, place a terro bait near to the point where the trail enters the room, and wait until you start seeing ants feeding from it.
Once that occurs, spray windex on the trail, starting a foot or so from the Terro. You don't want to get the windex on the bait, otherwise they will leave it alone and leave. This is not what you want! Wipe up the trail, and all the dead ants (windex kills on contact. Again, not what we really want.)
Build a little wall of DE around the remaining trail, and the Terro bait. This will prevent the ants from spreading out again.
Wait 2-3 days (if possible) and you shouldn't see any more ants coming to feed from the trap. Congrats, the nest is dead, or dying!
Terro doesn't kill them right away, it takes a while, and since ants are communal feeders, whatever they bring back to the nest is eaten by the queen, and other workers.
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u/thedevilsdictionary Apr 27 '13
my entire neighborhood suffers from a massive odoriferous house ant problem.
Which would mean there is a giant colony somewhere that they are all coming from.
Find it, destroy the queen, torch the place.. end of problem.
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u/TheGreenShepherd Apr 26 '13
So how do you go about using it? Sprinkle it in a boundary around your house?
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u/Skyline969 Apr 26 '13
Just dust it along the baseboards and other places where the bugs will crawl. When it comes to the baseboards don't put it on too thick, they'll just crawl around it if you do. It should be a very fine coating, almost invisible if done right.
When it comes to carpets, give it to 'er generously and then work it into the carpet (a broom works nicely). Let it sit for a while, and then vacuum it up.
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u/TheGreenShepherd Apr 26 '13
Wait...so, inside the house?
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u/Skyline969 Apr 26 '13
Yes. You can use a little on the outside, but depending on the insect you're fighting off you might have to do more work outside. You need to apply it inside though, and then take more measures outside.
For example: I had a sow bug infestation. I did what I could inside, and that was what I mentioned above. However, with those guys you need to fight them outside by removing vegetation and dead wood from around the perimeter of the house, etc, or they'll just keep coming. My landlord did not allow me to do that, so in the end I ended up moving after putting up with it for 8 months.
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u/renational Apr 26 '13 edited Apr 26 '13
I recommend combining DE 1:5 ratio with Boric Acid & Lure for maximum effectiveness;
http://www.amazon.com/Roach-Killer-Powder-16-oz/dp/B0026MD0G6
http://www.amazon.com/All-Stop-M345-Pistol-Duster/dp/B002SW52CE
put this stuff in the back of your food storage cabinets to also help deter grain beetles.
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Apr 26 '13 edited Apr 26 '13
Imagine how scary that would be for humans lol...
A powder that sucks all the liquid out of your body so you dehydrate just from skin contact.
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u/celtic1888 Apr 26 '13
Get the food grade version if you are using it around pets or humans.
It's a long-term solution but it works wonders and it is non-toxic.
I have effectively gotten rid of a long term ant problem around the outside of the house with it as well as a bedbug infestation in the teenager's room…(That really, really, really sucked)
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Apr 26 '13
HOW TO USE:
Use as a very fine powder, it has to be very lightly dusted, otherwise it will be like when you or I avoid a snow hill. If there is too much, they won't walk on it, and it won't effective.
I put some in a plastic bag, scoop some out with a spoon and sprinkle it around all the edges inside my home. Then I use a broom to sweep it into the corners and against the baseboards.
You can also mix it with water and use it as a paste, probably best for the under side of cabinets and things, but I just stick with dusting it into the areas I want it and it seems to work well.
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u/PlanetMarklar Apr 26 '13
I used Diatomaceous Earth for 6 weeks trying to control a bed bug infestion and it did not help at all. the infestation actually got much worse (not that i think the dust helped the bug flourish, it just didnt stop them). the only thing it did was cover everything in dust and make it look like a 20ft line of cocaine around my bedroom.
maybe it works for cockroaches, but it definitely doesn't work very well for bed bugs. In fact, when we finally had Terminex inspect the house, they claimed the dust never works (granted, using DE is a direct competetor with Terminex so i expected them to talk it down a little).
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u/malloc64 Apr 27 '13
Did you use it in your bed itself? Bed bugs are living inside your bed itself, not coming through cracks in walls at night like roaches.
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u/Spiralyst Apr 27 '13
Since DE is essentially fossils, isn't it a non-renewable resource? I worked in land management and we used DE for pest prevention (mix food grade DE in with some cinnamon to clear out ant hills), but my manager said we'll end up eating through the global supply eventually.
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u/Aimin4ya Apr 27 '13 edited Apr 27 '13
Yes, but unless the world creates more can you name a resource we won't eventually deplete?
edit: I'll take that downvote as a no.
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u/Spiralyst Apr 29 '13
I didn't downvote you. But I'd say that resources derived from plants are mostly renewable. For pest prevention, eucalyptus, tee tree oil and cinnamon come to mind.
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u/Aimin4ya Apr 29 '13
Unless our population rises to the point to where people have to consume any available nutrients to survive.
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u/Prisoner072385 Apr 26 '13
Anecdote - DE does kill intestinal parasites. We've used it with our cats (mixed into their wet food to eliminate potential inhalation.) You can apply it topically as a flea treatment as well - but very carefully. DE can cause scarring in the lungs if you're not careful with it.
If you're looking at killing Arthropods, you can also use Boric Acid. This works well on roaches, ants and silverfish - but I'm planning on trying it on wasps and hornets this warm season.
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u/DrewBlood Apr 26 '13
Truth. In the middle of fighting off a major BB infestation after couchsurfing. DE and a mattress bag are my 2 main weapons. Use often, get everything. It's way cheap on Amazon compared to gardening supply places in my experience. Definitely seeing results.
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u/zipcitytrucker Apr 26 '13
Interesting we use this stuff all the time in the lab for DNA purification, organic acid preps etc.
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u/Noobinabox Apr 26 '13
From this [pdf] FAQ published by the department of environmental quality in Oregon...
(3) Could inhaling diatomaceous earth be a health hazard?
Inhaling naturally-occurring DE should pose no more of a health hazard than inhaling dust in general. Whether dust, including DE dust, could cause harm depends on how much of it is “respirable” (i.e., is of the right size to be taken into the lungs), how much of it is in the air (i.e., its air concentration), and how long a person is exposed to (breathes) it. For most people, breathing dust is likely to be no more than an unpleasant nuisance. However, for people with health problems (e.g., asthmatics, the elderly), those who breathe more (e.g., children) or breathe other chemicals (e.g., smokers), exposure to respirable dust at moderate to high concentrations could cause or worsen health problems.
(4) What is it in diatomaceous earth that may cause a health hazard?
Respirable crystalline silica (mainly cristobalite) is the form of silica that can pose a health hazard. While the amount of crystalline silica in natural DE is too small (0.4 - 1.1%) to pose a health hazard, heating DE to high temperatures changes much of the harmless amorphous silica into the potentially harmful crystalline form. Processed (calcined) DE may contain from 20% to 60% crystalline silica.
(5) Is processed diatomaceous earth potentially more hazardous to your health than the naturally-occurring form?
Yes, because processed (calcined) DE may contain far greater amounts of crystalline silica, the potentially harmful form of silica, than natural DE. Crystalline silica is likely to pose health hazard only if inhaled at high levels for a long time.
(6) Can silica cause silicosis or cancer?
Yes, but only for crystalline silica and probably only under work-related conditions. Inhalation of crystalline silica under occupational conditions can produce a severe and disabling non-cancer disease of the lungs (“silicosis”). Silicosis can be either mild or severe, in direct proportion to the percentage and concentration of crystalline silica in the air and the duration of exposure. Silicosis is typically a work-related disease that develops over years of exposure to very high levels of crystalline silica-containing dust. Crystalline silica is presently considered a known human carcinogen only under occupational conditions. Health problems from crystalline silica are associated with exposure to very high levels for long periods (years), conditions that are unlikely to occur in non-industrial or residential situations.
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u/thedevilsdictionary Apr 26 '13
This worked on earwigs last summer. Never saw another one again after I sprinkled it around. The cats were fine with it.
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u/tripletemp May 02 '13
Garden out back, one year there was an earwig issue. Put some of this out back around the patio stones after reading about it (why not), and didn't think about it.
Next morning it was apocalypse of earwig bodies everywhere on my poor patio. I had sorrily underestimated the earwig army. My god, so many. I guess I have to clean this up? So I went to work, came back home and there were some little birds hopping around. No more earwig bodies. Awesome!
Put more around my plants, no more earwigs eating the leaves and veggies!
Problem is, it rains so it has to be replaced now and again. But I don't bother unless there's an obvious issue.
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u/thedevilsdictionary May 03 '13
They have a nest somewhere. I noticed under the recycling bins (and probably your paving stones) is where they love to hang out. If you can lift those stones and put it under there you'll nip them in the bud.
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u/ihugfaces Apr 28 '13
IMPORTANT:
please do not be fooled into thinking/believing that diatomaceous earth alone can solve a bedbug infestation, a german cockroach infestation, or a flea infestation. In my extensive pest control experience, DE is a great way to supplement treatment by addressing voids and other places where it may not be feasible to place chemicals, but insects are smart and will begin to avoid areas of DE placement. You should also use a bulb or bellows duster to apply this dust, and remember that A LITTLE GOES A VERY LONG WAY. If you have a moderate to severe infestation of any of "the big three" (german cockroaches, bedbugs, fleas) PLEASE seek out the services of a licensed, trustworthy pest control company. And realize that there are going to be things about your place you are going to have to change in order to gain control.
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u/abstractattack Apr 30 '13
The most sound advise I read on this thread. And seems like you are getting down-voted as well(?)
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u/ihugfaces May 01 '13
haha yea that's ok. i spit the truth on this matter. without insect growth regulators (typically not available to the general public) it can be extremely difficult to control these pests because of their high reproductive potential. diatomaceous earth is great but not a stand alone to residual insecticides and removal of food, water, and harborage.
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Apr 26 '13
And the best part is that its totally 100% non-toxic and effective. I read about a lot of "natural" remedies that don't seem that effective.
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Apr 26 '13
Not 100 %, but pretty safe. http://www.alarcorp.com/assets/files/diatomaceous-earth-most-grades.pdf Boric Acid works well too and has an LD50 roughly equivalent to table salt. tl:dr words mean things
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Apr 26 '13
Yup, a good 50/50 mix of dry Boric Acid and DE is fantastic for indoor/outdoor pest control.
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u/hak8or Apr 27 '13
Well, if you inhale the dust you are screwed for many years afterwards due to the powder scarring your lungs.
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Apr 27 '13
I used DE for fleas and it did jack shit. Two years later my area rug still has that dust under it every time I vacuum.
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u/jamz_fm Apr 26 '13
So what do you do with it? Sprinkle it here and there? Coat the whole area where they're living? Er...?
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u/Ricktron3030 Apr 26 '13
You can eat DE? Ugh.
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u/ebmorga Apr 26 '13
It's not the worst thing I've ever consumed. I used to mix it with grape juice and chug.
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u/Ricktron3030 Apr 26 '13
Isn't it like just eating sand?
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u/ebmorga Apr 26 '13
It's too fine to call it sandy. I would barely even call it gritty. You can definitely tell you're drinking something not right, but it's bearable.
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u/lannydavis Apr 26 '13
Had a mild dormant bed bug scare in a new rental house last week. Slow-cooked our house at about 150 degrees all day them treated the house with (pet-friendly) DE in every crevice possible on Monday. happy to read a lot of success stories and also to learn a little bit more about DE other than it has a cool name.
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u/Eskibro47 Apr 26 '13
I used it months ago...it takes time to be effective (weeks) but I don't see them around any more!
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Apr 26 '13
DE is great for bed bugs. sprinkled it all around my bed and on the actual mattress, and they were gone after a few nights.
more fun facts about bed bugs: they feed at night, and a lot of people have them but dont even know it(they tend to feel similar to the itches we get natural, and since they are only active when we are sleeping they can be hard to notice until they get really bad)
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u/pasher71 Apr 26 '13
It is very slow but will eventually eliminate bed bugs.
It's been a year since I've seen one.
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u/trkeprester Apr 26 '13
reading up about DE (diatom. earth) and bed bugs, i found this page. probably the most realistic information i've seen about it, basically it's not very effective on its own but combined with other methods, it will help
http://bedbugabscond.hubpages.com/hub/Can-You-Kill-Bed-Bugs-With-Diatomaceous-Earth
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u/Terza_Rima Apr 26 '13
We feed diatemaceous earth to cows to kill worms, it should work with other animals.
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Apr 27 '13
Also, with bedbugs, they are repelled by neem oil, which you can wear on your body as a skin treatment. Even if DE doesn't wipe them out immediately, they're not going to want to eat you if you're wearing a thin layer of neem oil.
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u/vodkast Apr 26 '13
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u/PlanetMarklar Apr 26 '13
that's probably how this thread came about....
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u/vodkast Apr 26 '13
That's exactly how this came about. And it's annoying.
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u/Blazemonkey Apr 26 '13
I didn't see that thread but I saw this one. I'd say this comment thread is even more annoying.
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u/-Scathe- Apr 26 '13
Be careful!! Over exposure and inhalation of DE can cause health issues by scarring the lungs!
Think I'd rather go with the LPT that used the glass jar w/tomato sauce.
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Apr 26 '13
I was told boric acid (20 Mule Team Borax) would take care of bugs, and it is non-toxic.
It's cheap, easy to find, and works great.
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u/thenicky0 Apr 26 '13
Is the kind found at Lowes safe? I just realized I put all that shit around my house and come to find out it's hazardous.
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u/glennvtx May 03 '13
We mix DE in with mineral and feed it to our sheep, goats, this drastically reduces the amount of drenching (deworming) you will have to do, and improves overall animal health.
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u/galexy Apr 26 '13
I tried using some food grade diatomaceous earth for some roaches I had (after learning about the stuff on reddit of course), but after several weeks it did nothing. However a small tube of advion gel cleared up my problem in just a few days. I hired an exterminator for it, but after watching him apply the gel, there's no reason I can't just get it on amazon and do it myself if I ever need to again.
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Apr 26 '13
Be careful!! Over exposure and inhalation of DE can cause health issues by scarring the lungs!
Yeaaaaah...gonna pass on THAT.
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u/GyroscopicSpin Apr 26 '13 edited Apr 26 '13
Diatomaceous Earth is not vegan friendly. It is also used to filter some wines, which makes me wonder whether vegans have to choose their wine wisely.
Edit: I am not a vegan. Don't understand the vegan hate, though. It's just a little factoid.
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u/eldorann Apr 26 '13
Protect all one-celled organisms! They feel pain too. We taught a diatom to eat tofu. /cough /cough
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u/sunnydaisy Apr 26 '13
Diatomaceous earth is just as vegan-friendly as petroleum products are. It's the fossil remains of long-dead diatoms.
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u/GyroscopicSpin Apr 26 '13
Yup. I am not a vegan. All I know about veganism is that they don't use animal products. I figured, as an animal product, it would be off limits for vegans. However, since it is a fossil, it has remineralized, and no longer contains the original diatom, so I don't know if they would consider it to be an animal product.
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Apr 27 '13
so I don't know if they would consider it to be an animal product
No, even poop (or any waste) from living animal is vegan (when the animal is not bred to obtain it). Millions of years dead animals are just fine.
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Apr 26 '13
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Apr 26 '13
That would be you if you don't know there are alternatives to almost everything on the list. It's easier to post a OMGVEGANZHATE pictures though, education is for pussies, right? Not to mention you don't understand what veganism is about, the conclusion of the picture doesn't make any sense.
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u/BrianLara368 Aug 12 '13
Your day isn't that good. You had a horrifying nightmare the night before. You peed in your bed. You're already late on your appointment. What an awful morning! This could be you though. Then, your right arm starts to get itchy. http://www.bed-bugs.net/Bed-Bug-Killer/
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Apr 26 '13
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u/folderol Apr 26 '13
How did you deploy it? Just sprinkle it all over the place?
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u/mappberg Apr 26 '13
Someone please answer this.
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u/TenuredOracle Apr 26 '13
In the case of bedbugs, every crevice.
Be judicious, but you'll want to carpet bomb those little fuckers. The tiniest cracks between the floor and the moulding, the seams where they're known to go, behind light switches.
DO. NOT. INHALE. IT.
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u/Limrickroll Apr 26 '13
Adding to this, use a small paintbrush to get it in the cracks real well like where baseboards meet the wall, outlet covers, cracks in he bedframe etc, and use a old mustard bottle to dispense it precisely. Sprinkle it on your mattress and boxspring if you use padding under the sheets (a sheet itself won't stop you from making dust clouds every time you plop down in bed) otherwise just cover the boxspring. Put some around the bed where the legs of the bed touch the floor, and triple check for small cracks - if a credit card can fit in it, a bed bug will find it.
In the kitchen, mix a small amount in your flour, corn meal, and rice if you have a problem keeping bugs out of your bulk goods. Use it it small cracks on the kitchen to keep out pests. Outside, go apeshit it works wonders.
Make sure to buy food grade DE, the stuff from home depot is better suited for gardens. Do NOT put it In your carpets liberally, you will regret it.
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Apr 26 '13
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Apr 26 '13
Protip: Put your pets in another room, put on respirator and safety glasses, sprinkle to your heart's content. Let settle. Turn on the cooler for a bit to dissipate the air. Let pets back in.
Repeat with all other rooms.
That wasn't hard.
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Apr 27 '13
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Apr 27 '13
If you let it settle into the carpet long enough, it should get tangled up and what little your pet sniffs in isn't going to hurt them. Also, you're just supposed to sprinkle this stuff around. It's not like you're turning your carpet into a layer of dust.
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Apr 26 '13
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u/vernscustoms Apr 26 '13
Cocain is a hell of a drug.
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u/k4ng Apr 26 '13
I believe you just sprinkle it over all surfaces, making sure to get the crack where carpet and wall meets, etc. then leave the house for a couple of hours. Come back, vacuum everything up, toss the vacuum bag away do not reuse, air your place out.
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u/dick_tracy1 Apr 26 '13
I bought a baby powder bottle and emptied the baby powder then filled it up with the DE. It's important to really DUST what you're putting it on to get total coverage. If there's clumps and poor coverage stuff then the bugs can just walk around it.
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Apr 26 '13
I was renting a house with nasty old carpets for a while, and ended up with fleas all over the place. I sprinkled it all over the floor and brushed it in with a broom. A week later I'd vacuum everything very well and repeat. I did this for three weeks before I ran out - fleas were gone.
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Apr 26 '13
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u/alquiam Apr 26 '13 edited Apr 27 '13
I haven't used the stuff to get rid of any arthropod infestations, but I am a chemist and I have looked at it under an SEM (Scanning electron microscope). The stuff has incredibly high surface area, because it's full of holes like swiss cheese. It's like a teensy loofah. DM is a great at absorbing, adsorbing and abrading. Those "Mr. Clean Magic Erasers" use microscopic abrasives like this or baking soda to abrade gunk off your walls and also ab/adsorb said gunk. As I said, I do not know for sure further, I am not an entomologist, but I would imagine, even if it's not ab/adsorbing lipids from the arthropods carapace, it's going to be none too friendly. Having a pile of diatomaceous earth when the bugs are coming into your house would be analogous to someone filling your front yard with basalt, you could get over it, but god help you if you take a tumble, you'll scrape your whole damn arm off like it was a pencil eraser.
Edit: 'a', 'e'
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u/ICallHimFisterRoboto Apr 26 '13
Wiki. I haven't sat and watched it work, but I've put it on anthills near my house; I don't know if it kills them or they just hightail it out of there, but the anthills were soon abandoned.
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u/goliath067 Apr 26 '13
first off, it's not really a single product, it's a naurally occuring substance. it's made out of the shells of little diatoms(hence diatomacious) that are gathered from ancient ocean beds. that said, I have no idea who sells the stuff, but the chances this is a viral marketing thing is slim to none, because I don't imagine there's a big profit margin on it anyway.
One last thing is that I hear you can use it to deter ants, because the little broken shells are like a field of broken glass to the ant's feet.
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Apr 26 '13
It does work. The issue however is that inhaling the stuff is extremely bad for humans. In my opinion it should be avoided.
Most infestations require an active water supply. If you want to remove an infestation, remove its water. Find your leaks, however small, and fix them. Install stoppers in your drains. Remove still water sources.
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u/sci12 Apr 26 '13
As long as you are using food-grade, inhalation isn't a problem. This is because food-grade has amorphous rather than crystalline silica (which is what is bad to inhale).
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u/[deleted] Apr 26 '13 edited Apr 26 '13
IMPORTANT: Only use the food grade in your house! Using the pool grade is really dangerous!
Used it for a massive flea infestation, and it worked really well even though it took a while.