Steve Tvedten Food Grade DE Non-toxic pest control
from Jim West
http://harpub.co.cc
Amazing Bedbug/flea/mite/spider/invisible etc., non-toxic
solution
DE is extremely effective (personal experience), and has been in use by
agriculture for centuries. Just try it, and you will be amazed at how minor
"skin itches" disappear, that you didn't realize were micro-bug related.
Now I'm posting the words of the master, Steve Tvedten (
http://www.thebestcontrol.com/tvedten.htm ), who
for decades has run a non-toxic pest control service.
From Steve Tvedten:
How to safely and effectively apply
Food Grade DE - There are many creatures
that can bite you or your pets including bed bugs, fleas, mites, spiders, ticks,
etc. - one of the easiest and effective ways to control them all is with food
grade diatomaceous earth (DE). First, you should thoroughly vacuum the infested
areas (beds, furniture and floors) to remove as many pests as possible. Then,
put on a dust filter mask and turn the vacuum around so that the exhaust points
towards these vacuumed areas. With food grade diatomaceous earth (DE) in a
pepper shaker, lightly shake out some DE so that it will fall directly into the
vacuum's exhaust stream. A very light cloud of DE will then be lightly applied
all over the infested areas. Do not enter any area until the dust completely
settles. You can clean up any unwanted residues from surfaces that are not
suspected to be infested using a Swifter or a spray containing Endust or simply
a damp cloth. Properly applied DE either repels or kills most insects and
arachnids and does not need not to be applied very often - so do so only as
needed.
[jw: I don't use a particle mask (not advising this for anyone else). I hold
my breath during the 1 second application, turn off the vaccuum cleaner, walk
away, and let the DE settle for a few minutes. I find adequate, one application
per month. It takes a few minutes to do this and it is amazingly effective.
Explains the why of a bird's dust bath. Caveat: Too much DE or not shaking the
shaker to break up DE, before application to the exhaust stream, can lead
possibly to a visible DE dust clump on dark clothing. So shake first before the
final shake into the exhaust stream. This one shake is a fraction of a CC
spread out over 100 sq feet, ie., very little DE is very effective. Also
amazing is the political promotion of "bed bugs", and the expensive testing and
ineffective solutions (~$3000), i.e., evacuation of apartment, CO2 and heat
treatment of apartment, Bugs return anyway. Air pollution can create itching
and skin marks that resemble bug presence.]