Diatomaceous Earth - What It Is and How to Use It
by
Andrea Fabry
Trying to avoid hazardous chemicals in your home? Diatomaceous earth is 100% natural and can be used in a multitude of ways including pest control, personal care, pet care and much more!
The primary component of DE is silicon dioxide, also known as silica. Silica comes in two forms: crystalline and amorphous. Crystalline is the result of heated silica (which can be found as pool grade.) Amorphous results when no heat is applied. This is food grade DE and safe for household and personal use.
Why is DE effective for pest control? When ants or any bug with an exoskeleton comes in contact with diatomaceous earth, it dries them up. They no longer can hydrate because the diatomaceous earth sticks to the waxy layer found on the exoskeleton and prevents them from hydrating from the moisture that is in the air.
Food grade DE can be ingested to rid the body of excess toxins. It can be used in gardens, yards, tooth powder and a multitude of other uses!
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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In what proportion do you use it in your plant pots?? I have a terrible time with earwigs and I've seen this recommended on here...
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I use the food grade DE all the time. I ordered a 10-lb box of it off Amazon. Just yesterday, I had put a bowl of dog food outside for my dog. He normally eats inside, but he wanted to be outside because it was such a nice day. Ants were all over it by the time he wanted to come back inside, so I sprinkled DE all over it and around it. The ants were all either gone or dead this morning. You can feed your dog or cat with a little of it in their food each day in order to kill any intestinal parasites they may have, and it helps to control fleas, too. When you give your dog a bath, just use extra conditioner, then when he/she is dry, put some DE on the fur and rub it in. Just don't get it in the eyes, because DE can have a drying effect on the eyes. I live in Montgomery, Alabama, and there are lots of the big flying roaches here. There are trees all over my neighborhood, but I don't see any roaches in my house, because I use DE around the perimeter and on outside window sills and doorways. Just re-apply if it rains a lot.
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