Diatomaceous earth, or DE, is a powder or dust used to control insects and spiders. People often use diatomaceous earth to control earwigs, ants, and other household pests. Diatomaceous earth is safe for dogs and people.
What is Diatomaceous Earth?
Diatomaceous earth is the fossilized remains of tiny, aquatic plant life called diatoms. Diatoms lived millions of years ago. When they died, their tiny skeletons accumulated in the sediment of oceans and rivers around with globe.
Diatoms are made mostly of silica, one of the most common minerals in the earth's crust. DE has a multitude of uses. It is used in pool filters, as a mild abrasive in toothpaste, and to make lubricants, skin care products and medicine, among other things.
DE has long been used to control insects and some formulations of DE are made specifically for this purpose. Pest HQ only sells DE approved for use as a pesticide by Health Canada. Pest HQ sells professional-grade DE for the DIY or do-it-yourself pest control market.
In the United States, diatomaceous earth is categorized as “Generally Regarded as Safe” by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration.
How does DE work?
DE is not a poison. Nor does it get eaten by the insect. Instead, DE works as a natural desiccant. When insects walk or crawl through DE-treated surfaces, they are exposed to the microscopic, razor-sharp edges of individual diatom skeletons. These sharp edges scratch the waxy cuticle of the insect’s exoskeleton. This lets moisture escape the insect’s body, causing the insect to dry out and die.
The DE products sold at Pest HQ are labeled for a wide range of insect pests, including bed bugs, ants and cockroaches. It’s not uncommon to see more than 30 different insects listed on the product label, making DE a key tool for insect prevention and control.
How do I buy DE?
You can buy DE from Pest HQ, which sells the most effective diatomaceous earth products from the most reputable manufacturers, including KUUS and Safer.
How and where do I apply DE?
Diatomaceous Earth is easy to use, but before getting started ALWAYS READ THE LABEL. DE is an insecticide regulated by Health Canada and the label is the law. The label also will give you specifics on how to use DE, where to apply it, safety precautions, and more.
In general, apply DE dust to cracks, crevices and wall voids where insects might hide. This may be where pipes come out of the wall under the sink, along baseboards, behind appliances, under bathtubs, or in the corners of a porch ceiling. Application sites will vary depending on the pest causing the problem and where you found pest activity during your inspection.
The key thing to remember about applying DE is that a little goes a long, long way. In fact, if you can see the dust, you have applied too much. Look at it from an insect’s perspective. If you’re minding your own business and suddenly come across giant snow drifts of DE dust, you’re not going to crawl over them. Instead, you’re going to find a way around them. By comparison, an insect will walk through a light dusting of DE, never realizing its waxy outer layer is getting fatally scratched in the process.
Whenever possible, it's also better to treat a bigger area with DE that just a narrow band of it. That way, the insects come in contact with more razor-sharp diatoms and have a greater chance of being scraped.
DE is mostly used indoors, or in areas where the dust won’t get wet and lose effectiveness. If DE gets damp, it should return to its natural form once dry and still may provide some insect control. But if the DE appears to be “caking,” or clumping, due to high humidity or dampness, you may need to consider another type of insect control treatment.
Is Diatomaceous Earth safe for dogs and people?
Diatomaceous Earth is not harmful to pets or people. The diatoms are much too tiny to cause cuts or scrapes to pets or people. If anything, the dust will feel abrasive.
The biggest risk to humans and pets is during application of DE, when the dust may be inhaled or cause eye irritation. Always wear a dust mask and eye protection when applying DE and let DE dust settle before allowing others into the area where it was applied. Clean up any excess DE where pets or people may be exposed to it. Always store DE dust away from children and pets, preferably in a locked cabinet. Exposure to DE can be reduced by reading the product label directions.
Diatomaceous Earth is considered safe for the environment. To dispose of DE, follow the directions on the product label.
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