DOES DIATOMACEOUS EARTH KILL BED BUGS?

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DOES DIATOMACEOUS EARTH KILL BED BUGS?

Diatomaceous earth is a natural product that can effectively be used to kill and prevent a bed bug infestation.

In order to use it safely, you should:

• wash all beddings and soft furniture;
• steam clean what you cannot wash;
• vacuum your entire home, paying attention to carpets and rugs;
• apply diatomaceous earth to cover all surfaces and hard to reach areas;
• let it sit for at least a week;
• clean up;
• repeat, if needed.

Read this post to get all the info you need to treat a bed bug infestation fast using this natural product.

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Dear friend, let me tell you: bed bugs are nasty and gross insects!

Probably one of my worst nightmares ever was to wake up covered in small, red, itchy spots or rashes!

I can’t even think of it!

Such a bad dream prompted me to research what bed bugs are, how to prevent them and how to get rid of them for good.

This post is specifically aimed at providing you with all those info and more. 

diatomaceous earth 

My focus, however, is on the use of an entirely natural product called diatomaceous earth. This powdery substance is a safer alternative to chemical solutions and toxic substances when it comes to eliminate tiny bugs and small insects.

If you want to learn how diatomaceous earth work as a natural bed bug killer, please read on!

IMPORTANT

Although the natural ingredients used in the recipes and instructions below are generally safe, always consult with your doctor before using any product. Pay particular attention if you suffer from any condition, allergy or if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Seek immediate advice and help from your trusted medical care provider if you are concerned about your health or that of your family.

CAN DIATOMACEOUS EARTH KILL BED BUGS?

Bed bugs are tiny little insects that like to hide in warm and sheltered places such as clothes, mattresses, the headboard of your bed, the bed frame, carpets and furniture. Because they can reproduce very fast, an infestation can quickly spread to the rest of your home, if left untreated. 

In this post I’m going to share with you how an easy and effective way to use diatomaceous earth to treat a bed bug infestation.

In fact, you don’t need to use expensive and chemical loaded, toxic products to address a pest infestation in your home, provided you act promptly and you follow these easy step – by – step instructions.

IMPORTANT

If, despite your best attempts at cleaning and disinfecting your home environment, you can’t get rid of pests after a few weeks, or if you suspect you have a more serious infestation, immediately call a pest control service in your local area.

Do no wait, as pests can cause serious health problems to you, your family and your pets.

WHAT IS DIATOMACEOUS EARTH AND WHAT IS IT MADE FROM?

Diatomaceous earth is a cream coloured, powdered material derived from the skeleton of very small water organisms called diatoms. 

Dead diatoms decay and fossilise over time, forming soft sedimentary rock deposits in rivers, streams, and other bodies of water. The deposits are then mined, and made into a fine white powder.

The main component of diatoms skeletons is a natural substance called silica. However, DE contains also traces of other natural minerals.

Silica is very common in nature. For example, sand, quartz, clay and glass are forms of silica.

ACCORDING TO WEBMD.COM: 

“Diatomaceous earth is a type of powder made from the sediment of fossilized algae found in bodies of water. Because the cells of these algae were high in a compound called silica, the dried sediment produced from these fossils are also very high in silica. These deposits are found all over the world. The ancient Greeks used diatomaceous earth to make building materials, like bricks and blocks. Later on it became popular in Europe for various industrial uses.”

ARE THERE DIFFERENT TYPES OF DIATOMACEOUS EARTH? 

There are indeed 2 different types of this desiccant dust. How you plan to use it, will depend on what type you buy.

The two main forms are crystalline and non-crystalline (amorphous).

FILTER GRADE (CRYSTALLINE)

Filter grade DE (also known as pool grade) is not suitable for human consumption. This type can include up to more than 60% of crystalline silica, which is toxic for humans.

Inhaling crystalline silica can cause inflammation and scarring of your lungs, known as “silicosis”.

However, filter grade DE has many commercial purposes. For example, it is used to clean swimming pools and water filtrations in general.

FOOD GRADE (NON – CRYSTALLINE)

Food grade DE, on the other hand, is perfectly safe for human consumption.

This type contains only between 0.5% and 2% of crystalline silica.

Therefore, this type of DE has many applications. For instance, it can be used to help with constipation, to improve skin, bones, hair and nail health, and as a natural pesticide. 

For more info on its uses, you could read this article from webmd.com.

IS DIATOMACEOUS EARTH SAFE OR IS IT TOXIC?

Before you start using this product around your home and your family, it is very important that you establish what type of DE you bought.

I would always recommend you buy food grade diatomaceous earth only, just to be safe!

The FDA lists food grade DE as a safe product for human consumption.

Safety tips to use diatomaceous earth

Although the food grade type of DE is safe to use around people and pets, you should still use this ingredient with caution. Particular attention should be paid to indoor use.

Food grade DE can potentially irritate your airways and cause shortness of breath, so it is very important to avoid breathing it in. You should also avoid exposure to your eyes and skin.

Always avoid direct contact with it by wearing a protective dust mask, glasses and gloves.

Follow the application instructions provided on the package at all times.

WHAT IS FOOD GRADE DIATOMACEOUS EARTH USED FOR?

DE has become very popular in recent years because it can be used in so many different ways.

Although some people may claim that it has many health benefits, more studies are needed to prove those claims right.

According to some, food grade diatomaceous earth may be helpful to:

• Improve bone health;
• Support a healthy digestive system;
• Promote hair growth;
• Support skin health;
• Improve nail strength and general appearance of nails;
• Provide the body with some trace minerals;
• Improve cholesterol;
• Support heart health.

I personally have never consumed DE, and I cannot back up any of the above claims.

The only use I have at the moment of this ingredient, is to naturally disinfect and clean my chicken coop on a regular basis.

DOES DIATOMACEOUS EARTH KILL BED BUGS?

Food grade diatomaceous earth can be used as an effective natural pesticide, to kill various external parasites, such as: 

• fleas,
• cockroaches,
• crickets,
• ticks,
• spiders,
• bed bugs, 
• chiggers,
• gnats,
• and more.

HOW DOES DIATOMACEOUS EARTH KILL BUGS AND FLEAS?

DE kills bugs and fleas not by “poisoning” them with toxic ingredients, but by depriving them of moisture till they die of dehydration.

Bed bugs, like some other insects, have external protective skeletons (called exoskeletons). When in contact with DE, the exoskeletons get damaged by its tiny abrasive particles and sharp edges, and slowly deteriorate, allowing the DE to absorb all moisture from the insect. In other words, diatomaceous earth works by desiccating and dehydrating pests to death.

This method of killing pests is defined as “mechanical”, as opposed to “chemical”. That is to say that pests cannot become immune to it.

How do I use diatomaceous earth to kill bed bugs?

As mentioned in this post, DE can successfully be used to kill fleas in many areas of your home. Bed bugs are no exception.

Because it comes in the form of a very fine powder, diatomaceous earth can be particularly effective when used on mattresses, hard to reach corners, carpets, rugs, and so on.

All you need is a shaker bottle (like those little ones used for spices) filled with DE, and your vacuum cleaner.

WHAT ARE BED BUGS?

According to the Mayo Clinic website: “Bedbugs are small, reddish-brown blood-sucking, wingless insects. Bedbug bites usually clear up without treatment in a week or two. Bedbugs aren’t known to spread disease, but they can cause an allergic reaction or a severe skin reaction in some people.

Bedbugs are about the size of an apple seed. They hide in the cracks and crevices of beds, box springs, headboards, bed frames and other objects around a bed and come out at night to feed on their preferred host, humans. The risk of running into bedbugs is higher if you spend time in places where nighttime guests come and go often — such as hotels, hospitals or homeless shelters.”

are bed bugs dangerous TO HUMANS?

Bed bugs aren’t known to cause serious infections and to spread diseases. However, their bites can be a source of discomfort.

It is important to notice that some people might have no reaction at all to bed bug bites, while others might experience an allergic reaction. This can include severe itching, blisters or hives.

You should immediately seek medical attention if you experience a severe allergic reaction or a serious skin reaction to bed bugs bites.

WHAT IS THE LIFE CYCLE OF BED BUGS?

A female bed bug can lay up to 250 eggs in her lifetime. Those eggs will hatch after about 6-10 days, releasing a “nymph bed bug”. A nymph will then look for its first blood meal in order to move onto the next stage of its life, the adult phase.

The nymph stage can last about a week, but it can be prolonged if the insect can’t find a source of food.

The last stage, the adult one, will last about 6 to 12 months, depending on the specific circumstances.

WHAT DO BED BUGS EAT?

Bed bugs feed exclusively on blood. It takes them roughly between 5 to 10 minutes to complete a feed, and that is why they usually feed at night, when a human host is asleep and therefore less reactive to the bites.

An adult bed bug can survive for up to a year without feeding, depending on the temperature of the environment where it lives.

HOW DO YOU GET BED BUGS IN YOUR HOME?

You can bring bed bugs in your home in several ways. For example, you can get them from:

• bags and clothes used in an infested hotel room;
• other rooms or apartments in a complex building;
• a person coming from an infested environment.

How can you avoid bringing bed bugs into your home?

Although no method is 100% safe, you can try these simple ways to keep bed bugs from coming into your home.

Firstly, when staying in a hotel, do not place your bags on the floor or on the bed, and keep them away from walls and furniture. Instead, place them on an elevated surface, such as a rack.

Upon returning home, wash all the clothes used during your stay, and dry them in a hot dryer. Also, check your bags and disinfect them, if at all possible.

If buying used furniture, check it with extreme care before purchasing it. A good idea would be to place it in a garage or shed (if you have one of course), and treat it first, before bringing it into your home.

HOW DO I KNOW IF I HAVE BED BUGS IN MY HOME?

There are several signs to look for in order to know if you have a bed bug infestation in your home.

The first step would be to look for bed bugs bites or rashes on your body.

what are the symptoms of a bed bug bite?

Bed bugs bites leave marks on your skin that are quite similar to other insects bites.

They normally appear as:

• red spots, usually with a darker mark in the centre, and quite itchy;
• an itchy and inflamed rash;
• blisters filled with fluid;
• a cluster of bites, with no neat alignment, but just randomly arranged.

Bed bugs bites are not exclusively limited to legs and feet. On the contrary, they can appear on your arms, hands, face and neck.

OTHER BED BUGS INFESTATION SIGNS IN THE HOME

The problem with bed bugs is that they are so small and they hide very well, so it is hard to spot them around the house. However, there are ways you can see them.

Look around your bedroom and you might be able to identify tiny red or dark specks on your mattress: those are either blood marks from dead bed bugs, or their faeces.

Also, look near your skirtings and on rugs and carpets you might have in the room.

DOES DIATOMACEOUS EARTH KILL BED BUGS?

As explained earlier, diatomaceous earth is a very common, all natural product, that you can effectively use to kill various types of pests in your home.

Diatomaceous earth is readily available, inexpensive and non toxic, making it an ideal tool to fight bed bugs infestations.

It is very important to remind that, because DE is not chemical based, it kills insects mechanically, and therefore they can’t develop a resistance to it.

There are just a few simple steps and safety guidelines you should follow in order to use diatomaceous earth effectively and safely.

Let’s have a look at them.

IMPORTANT

Always avoid direct contact with diatomaceous earth by wearing a protective dust mask, glasses and gloves.

It is very important that you use diatomaceous earth only and exclusively if you can guarantee no one in your household (people and animals) will get in contact with it. Excessive amounts and exposure can be harmful to humans and animals.

Furthermore, walking on DE will leave traces everywhere in your home, reducing the effectiveness of the method, and leaving behind a terrible mess on your floors!

Lastly, make sure not to have working fans near the sprinkled areas, as they will blow the diatomaceous earth powder everywhere, exposing your family and your pets to breathing in the product.

How do you apply diatomaceous earth to bedding?

The very first thing you should always keep in mind, is to wear protective gloves when cleaning your home, car, or outdoor areas. Never handle any cleaning product or infested item without protecting your hands first!

When it comes to apply diatomaceous earth on your bedding, it is important to remember that you will need to cover all areas where bed bugs might be hiding. Female, pregnant bugs for example, will choose more secure and protected hiding places.

With the help of a sprinkling bottle or a powder duster, spread a thin layer of DE over the entire bed, making sure to cover the mattress, the headboard and the bed frame.

Avoid applying the DE in mounds, as bed bugs will simply avoid them. It is far better and more efficient to cover all surfaces instead with just a thin layer of product.

IMPORTANT

Before applying or spraying any product on your furniture or upholstery, check the labels and cleaning instructions.

Do not spray or treat any expensive item, as you might possibly damage it. Leave costly items to the professionals!

Always test on a small, inconspicuous area first.

Can I put diatomaceous earth on my mattress?

You can certainly apply a thin layer of diatomaceous earth on your mattress. This can also be particularly helpful to prevent future infestations.

Naturally, you might want to purchase a bed bug mattress cover and place it on your bed before dressing it with your usual bed sheets. This cover will ensure the diatomaceous earth product you used will not be disturbed, and will not get in contact with your skin or be breathed in while you sleep.

Can I sprinkle diatomaceous earth on my carpet?

If you have a bug infestation in your home, whether it’s bed bugs or fleas or some other insect, it is very important you treat all your carpets and rugs.

Diatomaceous earth can be applied safely to them, as long as you follow some simple steps.

I explain how to use this natural product to treat carpets in this post, so feel free to check it!

How to apply diatomaceous earth in the home

After treating your bed, you can move on to apply diatomaceous earth to the rest of your bedroom and home.

Bear in mind that you cannot apply too much diatomaceous earth, cause it is not a chemical based product. However, you don’t want to waste it either!

Again, with the help of a sprinkling bottle, apply a thin layer of DE around your rooms, paying particular attention to the base of furniture, under skirtings, on carpets and rugs, etc.

When in contact with bed bugs, diatomaceous earth will slowly kill them by damaging their exoskeleton first, and by dehydrating them afterwards.

How long should I let diatomaceous earth sit?

Although very effective, diatomaceous earth will not kill bugs and pests instantly.

It takes time for it to eat through their outer shell, and then dry up the moisture.

Most importantly, diatomaceous each will not kill bed bugs eggs, but only adult ones. Therefore, you need to let it sit until at least all eggs have hatched and the nymphs have had the chance to get in contact with it.

It is recommended to let diatomaceous earth sit for at least a week. Two weeks, however is preferable.

How often should I apply diatomaceous earth?

Once you have applied diatomaceous earth around your home, it is not necessary to reapply it.

Diatomaceous earth is not an organic material, and therefore it cannot spoil and rot.

Naturally, it is up to you to decide if you want to apply a second coat of it around your home after a few days (between 3 and 5 days minimum, since the initial application). If you chose to do so, you should vacuum the initial layer first though.

If you vacuum the diatomaceous earth before applying a second coat, you will get rid of all the bed bugs already dead, of some alive ones, and of the eggs.

Will diatomaceous earth kill bed bug eggs?

No, diatomaceous earth will only affect adult bed bugs.

This is why it is very important to let it sit for at least a week before cleaning it up, to give the eggs the chance to hatch. 

Can bed bugs survive diatomaceous earth?

In severe cases of bed bugs infestations, diatomaceous earth alone might not be enough to solve the problem.

You will need to follow these steps if you want to get rid of those pests in your home.

WASH ALL BEDDINGS, TOWELS, THROWS, PILLOWS AND CUSHIONS

Go around your home, and pick up all beddings, blankets, throws, pillows, mats, etc., and wash them in the washing machine on the highest and longest setting available.

After the washing cycle, put the items in your dryer and run it at a very high temperature.

Lastly, store all fabrics in sealed bags or plastic containers, as to avoid exposure to pests still present in the home.

STEAM CLEAN WHAT YOU CAN’T WASH

Understandably, you might not be able to wash all fabric items in your home.

For those ones you can’t wash (such as your mattress or some curtains), if at all possible, steam clean them.

Using a steam cleaner on sofas, soft furniture and upholstery can be extremely effective at getting rid of pests. In fact, bed bugs cannot survive in high heat for long. When the temperature goes above 50 degrees Celsius, they will soon die.

VACUUM THE ENTIRE HOME

Time to bring out your trusty vacuum and start running it throughout your entire home!

As painful as this might sound, vacuuming is a necessary step. Vacuuming will get rid  of adult bed bugs and their eggs too.

If your machine comes with separate attachments, make sure to move furniture around (where possible), and hoover those hard to reach areas, inside cupboards, under the skirtings, etc.

APPLY DIATOMACEOUS EARTH

Following the instructions I gave earlier, now you can start applying diatomaceous earth around your home.

Apply on all floor surfaces (such as tiles, hard wood, carpets, rugs, etc.), and on beds and sofas.

Let the DE sit for at least a week before removing it. This will give the bed bugs eggs time to hatch, and to the nymphs to get in contact with the powder.

CLEAN UP your home

After at least a week has passed since the first application, you can start to clean up your home.

You can use your vacuum cleaner for this task, but bear in mind that large amounts of DE could actually clog your machine. 

If you prefer, you could use a broom first, to clean as much diatomaceous earth as possible, and then you could follow up with your vacuum.

Alternatively, if it is in your budget, you could rent out a professional vacuum at your local home depot or hardware store. Those machines are really hardworking and will make cleaning up easier and stress free.

Whatever method you choose, make sure to dispose of the vacuum bag immediately.

REPEAT AS NEEDED

Sometimes, despite your best efforts, you might find it difficult to get rid of a bed bugs infestation after one treatment only.

If you still experience bug bites at night, or if you are able to spot those annoying pests in your home, you might need to perform a second treatment.

Please, don’t get discouraged: it might happen, but you will be able to exterminate those bugs soon.

It is very important to keep up with the daily vacuuming of your home, as hoovering alone can get rid of the majority of bugs in the home, regardless of their life stage.

Does diatomaceous earth lose its potency?

Diatomaceous earth does not loose its potency, and doesn’t spoil.

This happens because DE is completely natural, without added chemicals.

Remember that diatomaceous earth doesn’t not kill bugs by poisoning them, but by depriving them of moisture. Therefore insects can’t become resistant to it.

Can you make a spray out of diatomaceous earth?

You should know that DE will only be effective if completely dry and not exposed to any type of moisture or water. Unfortunately, you cannot mix it with water and make a spray with it.

WHERE CAN YOU BUY DIATOMACEOUS EARTH?

Diatomaceous earth powder can be purchased easily in many outlets, such as at your local home depot, hardware stores, or health stores.

I personally love to buy this natural product on line, so I never run out of it!

DOES DIATOMACEOUS EARTH KILL BED BUGS? CONCLUSIONS

Although I never wish you have a bed bug problem in your home, I hope you find this article helpful.

Beg bugs are certainly a nuisance and sometimes they can be hard to exterminate.

Diatomaceous earth is a natural bed bug killer, and it can certainly be very effective not only as a tool to get rid of an infestation, but also to prevent a new one.

Please feel free to leave a comment below, I’d love to hear from you.

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