Replied By Georgia (Toronto, Canada) on 05/15/2010
diatomaceous earth - I found this in the form at a garden nursery ( so the label said) as silicon dioxide...it was in powder form...do you know if in this form it's supposed to be harmful in inhaled??
EC: People on the site report taking Food Grade or Medical Grade Diatomaceous Earth, which is different from the kind found in nurseries and pool supply stores.
Re: safety hazards, please see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diatomaceous_earth#Safety_considerations
Replied By Don (Gardner, Ma) on 04/15/2011
The only Diatomaceous Earth products you should use inside your home are those that are Human Grade Formula. Many outdoor Diatomaceous Earth products/posions contain added chemicals that can be harmful to humans/pets.
Be Safe, Not Sorry.
Replied By Heather (Katy, Tx) on 05/20/2011
We used this with AWESOME results. Get food grade DE (it's relatively cheap), and sprinkle around the beds and baseboards. No type of DE is safe to inhale, you can use a mask if you like, but I didn't bother.... There weren't clouds of it wafting up or anything.... It's like a powder. Bugs were gone that night and haven't come back. It's been over a year, and we're bed bug free. But if you have animals you may want to try a different method, or lock them out of the room if you're lucky enough to only have one room infested. The other grades of DE are heat treated or have additives, and the shape of them has changed so they don't work as well, but they work wonders for pool filtering and agriculture. And the food grade DE is supposed to have other health benefits if you add it to your diet.... Just don't be stupid and snort it.... Very bad for your lungs!Replied By Caroline (Houston, Tx) on 07/25/2011
I want to get in touch with Heather from Katy, Texas to talk to her about diatomaceous earth and how she used it exactly. Is there anyway you can give her my email address? Thank you!Replied By Teresa (Richmond, Indiana) on 03/26/2012
Having problems with bedbugs. Please help!!! Were did you buy the Diatomaceous? Does the food grade work? Please email me. Do you know if its fast around animals?
Thanks
Replied By Yeag (Louisville, Ky) on 06/10/2012
I killed 14 bugs last night.. I am now trying diatomaceous earth. Started dusting at 10am... Lord, I hope this works... I will keep you all posted... & thanks for the help... yeagReplied By Karen (Leander, Tx) on 07/29/2013
i would like to know Where you found food-grade diatomaceous earth. I've been all over the Austin area... Including feed stores... And let me tell you, there must be 100 store employees around and about the area that now think I'm an idiot... and kept trying to send me to pool supply places. I will gladly drive to the Houston area to buy some, and stop to visit relatives while I'm there.Replied By Trudyg (Al) on 07/30/2013
Try Tractor supply co or your local co-op. Ask for different dusts for your poultry--they should have small bottles to large bags They may not realize what the name of it is, but if you say you need a dust for your feed grain or to dust your hen house, they'll show you where all the dusts are and then you have to read the label. I've seen it called earth dust or red earth, but the label will show it correctly. It's great stuff.Replied By Dawn (Reno, Nevada) on 09/09/2013
To the lady wanting to know where to purchase the "FOOD GRADE", you can find it at any animal feed store. I have learned the DE is best applied as a mud and rub skin. You will be amazed to see them rub off, but remember there are eggs and largea still in your pores. I also am using, Bag balm, hot water, cool water, a good soap, baking soda, Corn Starch, Epsom Salts, Betadine, Alcohol and high heat steamer cleaner, like a shark. I picked mine up at Lowes. The shower mud up with DE. I rub everywhere with it. Include the bottoms of your feet and trim nails cause they hide under the free edge, and pour in hair. Saturate everything with mud and leave as long as you can. I usually rinse the first application removing the ones loose on the surface. Apply a second coating. This is the coating to leave on as long as you can. After rinsing the DE follow with baby shampoo or a regular bar of soap. The hot water should be used if possible to open pores. I like to finish with a cool rinse. Finally, I either finish with leave on Eptom Salts or Vinegar splash. I also put the DE in my tea controling any problem that I might have ingested. Drink Vinegar now too cause I found reserchers documenting the helpful result from intake. See Symptom Finder. Wise Geek web site also explains the Arthopod problem and solutions in detail. Some of these mites are so small that they are not visible even with the use of a microscope. The baking soda sprinkle it on your couches and floors and bed(ing). Massage it into the fabric and leave it. It drys them out and you will see the corps floresent ready for vaccuuming. If you have pets, leave the baking soda on the floor to help them stay mite free. When finishing up your after shower treatment q-tip betadine on to any welts, which are burning bites. The Alcohol onto the scalp and seal with a towel. Just take a hair clip and hold the towel in place. Get yourself a high steam pressure machine about 70 dollars. I have not seen anything kill these tough bugs die instantly other than high heat. Wash all clothing in high heat and with Borax (Boron) or baking soda, both are natural sources just like DE. If you can afford a service call you local carpet cleaners cause they cost much less than the exterminator. Be vidulent on keeping the cleaning routing daily, maybe run the steamer around the house twice at first until you notice the reduction of bites. The last thing I have learned about the problem with these bugs is that in a house hold of five one or two may be effected by them. It is the allergy tollerance (wise geek site) of the individual which determines the situation. I am getting eaten alive and my husband nothing. I cleaned his favorite area with baking soda, his bugs presented after four hours were large, and make me wonder if he isn't the problem. I wish you all the best. This is the worst medical problem I have had in my entire life. Even if you feel like this, don't stop treating your home with baking soda and cleaning with the items I have mentioned. It will take time to get all the eggs from your home cloth surfaces and out of your pores. Brush your hair alot and spray the dog with vinegar daily before his brushing.