Product photo via Safer. Uncredited photos: Shutterstock. First published June 8th, Last updated August 13th, Hi Linsey. I use DE personally and find it a fantastic product. I have roses that are affected by aphids. Can I use DE on them and what dosage? Hi Catherine. Thanks for your question! You can definitely use it on your roses. You may sift a few tablespoons or so onto the leaves and stems of your plants to coat the surface in a fine dust, being sure to reapply after any rain if the problem persists.
A mesh sieve devoted to garden use is great for this. Be sure to wear a dust mask when you apply it, as the particles can become airborne.
Depending on the product, you may also make a spray of a few tablespoons DE per gallon … Read more ». If the package says for garden but nothing about food grade can I still use it around my herb garden? Thanks for your question, Arcelia. Have you already bought a big quantity of the stuff? The type recommended for garden use should be alright applied around the base of plants as opposed to the kind for swimming pools.
Will DE get rid of japanese beetles? Those nasty little critters just about ruined my rose bushes last year. I have the good grade DE. Thanks for your question, Jeannie! Some experts are fans of DE for this purpose. Changing your lawn irrigation and mowing habits can help, in an effort to create a less hospitable environment for the beetle grubs to develop. Insecticidal soap sprayed onto your plants can also help.
Good luck! Please check out our article on preventing and eradicating Japanese … Read more ». Thanks for your question, Felipe. Liquid micronised DE, which can be absorbed by plant roots, is a different product which is broken down so the particles are very small. Food grade DE is safe for your pets. I use an old strainer with a long handle to apply my DE in my gardens. It works great and keeps things simplified.
Nobody wants to see this first thing in the morning when they head out to the berry patch. A Word on Bee Protection Bees are our friends. Getting the Best Price on DE While you can order it online, be aware that the price per ounce can vary dramatically between suppliers. Facebook Twitter Pinterest I know this is a little off the topic of DE but just wanted to put that out there since she brought it up. Greetings Sally! DE is already added to food products to allow for free flowing product, anti clumping agents, etc.
Its FDA approved for such applications. DE is also added into some feed to keep bugs out of the feed stock. Rub it on my legs from knees down to toes to keep chiggers from eating my crotch.
I take it internally for bowel cleansing, we use it in toothpaste, and other cleansing products. Why would we really care if the FDA has put its seal of approval on it? There seal is practically useless to us nowadays. After nearing on three decades in administrative law, I can, comfortably, say, blindly relying on government is the errand of fools.
In my world, one plus one remains two. A review of public records reveals great influences of legislative entities by lobbyists. In the private sector, the same would be classed fiduciary breaches that reached the realm of criminal activity. Take valarium, as just one example. Sally, I appreciate your comment. Exposed inhalation over time does, however, increase the risk of lung cancer. Your eyes are closed…. So I am healthy, and my mother died of diabetes and my brother is close behind. Alternative options are the answer.
I have used coconut oil for 17 years now as a toothpaste careful how you dispose of it in North climates, lol…even living in Fl…. Bruce Fife, folks…look him up.. I read hundreds. I recently …6 years ago.. The exoskeleton…. I used to sell it back in the 90s.. I knew about it for bugs and weight loss, but not all these other testimonials….
It is a powerful and harmless detox in this small quantity for adults. And it works, although it contains ricin. It is also, amazing for skin, ad hair with its anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties. I hope that helps! Considering how long it takes for something to become fossilized, NO it is not a renewable resource in the same way of petroleum and coal. I am wondering how DE is extracted, and the effects on the earth from that. DE may be amazing and helpful, but statements like that make the author sound ignorant of body functions, and that makes me doubt her claims about DE entirely.
This is all that was said about our bowels… apparently you skimmed through this part. Nice, diatoms! Regulates bowel movements, lessens gastrointestinal inflammation, cleans out the colon, treats both diarrhea and constipation. It is a great choice for families on the GAPS diet! I was. I only eat it to make sure it comes out within 24 hrs…. I read somewhere this same question and the answer was there was enough now to last a hundred years..
Perhaps there will be more deposits found by then. I am wondering if the ladies using DE as toothpaste have been to their dentists afterwards? I ask, because I was looking into activated charcoal. I saw on one site where dentists answered and said it was too abrasive and damaging to the teeth. FOOD grade as in okay-ed for animal consumption, but not human. Is this just red tape? Can I use this stuff since I always have it on hand? I would think that since it is made from fossils of diatoms, assuming that they are not extinct, we could make more.
However, fossilization takes a long time. I am a thinker, not a scientist. Silica shells of one celled diatoms over time sink in the ocean and create layers of deposits.
That is what we mine and call diatomaceous earth. It takes millions of years to create the vast deposits now used for DE mining. Silica, unlike calcium is insoluble in seawater — so it does not degrade or change form.
It remains its potent and sharp form which until the government intervened …. That is interesting! I want to try brushing with it now! Maybe it is similar to what the hygenist uses to polish our teeth…? DE is very abrasive and can harm your enamel. I mix DE and baking soda with peroxide to make a paste … then brush.
Very interesting post. I was only able to find one on cholesterol but not on any other effects this has on the body. I like to read more before I put something in my body natural or otherwise. Cortney, I have no affiliation with the FDA. If you want to cleanse your body there are safer ways to do it. Herbs are better for human consumption. This reminds me of the soy lecithin everyone was eating until the results were calculated. I drink 1 TBSP in water everyday. My arthritis is practically nil now and my nails are growing for the 1st time in years!
I also sprinkle it on my dog for flea control. They testimonials and recipes! Actually a lot of people eat dirt. Pregnant women can have cravings for dirt. Kids routinely eat dirt. Animals eat dirt! Ever stop and think about the mass production of the foods you eat? Why the nutritional values are lower than they were fifty years ago? We have depleted the soils that our food grows in, so we add fertilizers.
Take a good look at commercial fertilizer. DE used to be on and in a lot of the foods we ate including our water sources.
Hybridization, over use, chemicals…. It was proven over and over again! Yet the FDA approved it! Actually Sally, I believe you are a protagonist. DE has been used for centuries as a safe and effective wormer and bug killer. Do some thinking and some research before chatting on about something you know nothing about. Hope that helps.
Basically people browsing the notes are into natural remedies and just want to see how many have benefitted by the treatment and I really find it tiresome to have someone banging on about stuff that dosent concern them and that no one cares about or they wouldnt be seeking alternative cures in the first place , due to lack of results in the medical field.
It is used in grain in this country to keep it fresh and keep it from developing bug problems. Every health blog has to put that disclaimer start reading more and you will see it everywhere, oil pulling has been done for thousands of years but if you wanted to write an article on it and the health benefits you would have to put the disclaimer. We certainly do not want them regulating our access to vitamins and supplements or limiting our access.
The internet is a great place to share but the people who do the sharing have to protect themselves from frivolous lawsuits. The FDA has approved a lot of drugs that have really harmful side effects. The moneys they have to put out for lawsuits when someone is badly hurt from their poorly tested drugs is just in the millions. So whatever they pay out for wrongful death or injury is a pittance compared to the money they make rushing new drugs on to the market without the proper studies.
If you think Big pharma is looking out for you, you are very naive. And yeah, billions of people around the world DO eat dirt to survive. DIRT: : a substance such as mud or dust that makes things unclean? Their shoes were covered with dirt. No amount of cleaning will get rid of all this dirt. DE deposits are composed of pure silica; perhaps mixed with some deposited minerals derived from seawater.
Remember, most salt is mined from naturally occurring deposits — it is gritty and comes from the earth. We use bentonite in our calf pens and the calves lick it freely. Our horses choose to chew it if it is made available. Our chickens dust themselves in it and peck at it. We are animals too…and I can see no reason to consider DE unsafe for humans when it is perfectly safe for other animals.
DE is a component of pelletised feeds which binds the pellets together. Ann, that is interesting.. I have horses and where do you buy the bentonite for them? I have never seen it in the feed store.. Have some for myself, but it would cost too much to feed to them.. Affiliated with a drug company? I am of Cherokee decent and I can tell on solid fact. Ask yourself how American Indians were among the first to be healthy and live longer?? Every see or hear of an old "pilgrim"?
Biggest case in point is the now widening use of medical marijuana. What , may I ask, do you think was in our peace pipes? And yes, I am a direct decent. I was raised on a Cherokee children mission , just out side of Cave Springs, Oklahoma if you care to research that. The biggest problem with "earth medicine" is you have a few wack jobs out there that become extremists and give intelligent users a bad rep.
And if you really want to dissect it, research what the "active ingredient" in your holier-than-thow FDA items. That will really surprise you. At what time , in most countries, education wasn't "approved" either. Why do you think that is? Let people decide for them selves or provide better argument. Oh and not to bust your bubble, BUT tin foil hats wont keep them out either!!! Soy is very bad for you…any soy product that is processed with any heat releases a gas in you…….
Much cheaper sources than them, however they have some interesting articles on the stuff but mostly anecdotal. In regards to published papers… probably not too many studies performed on this non money maker for the sellers of drugs. Just remember it must be food grade.
Industrial grade DE is deadly to the human body. Pool filter DE is an example of industrial DE. Hi Danielle, Thanks so much for this info! If I sprinkle it in the carpet do I need to vaccum right away or can it sit? Is it safe for my pets to go near after? Hi Libby! I use DE to keep insects at bay. I sprinkle it around our foundation. The only issue I had was it washing away with the rain. I hope to watch the weather better this year before applying. Food grade DE is cheap; buy that.
With bee colony collapses, we need every bee we have to pollinate crops, so we have food. We are all interconnected. Yes, I agree! As I mentioned in the article, do not sprinkle on or around flowers. We need all the bees we can get! We use DE during our production of maple syrup. It is used with filter paper to help make the syrup clear.
I never thought about using it in the house. Ellen, We do sell wholesale. You can send me an email at stein sweetdreammaplefarm.
Thank you for asking, looking forward to hearing from you! Amy Stein. There is DE bagged specifically for human consumption. I started using DE about a year ago for my chickens mostly, but I mix it with the feed for the piggies and goats. I had one pig that most definitely had worms, and In short order she was OK. When I bought my DE, I was told that food grade was white in color, and industrial grade was mostly brown.
I put it in the bedding for my chickens and the bedding in my goats pen for fleas, mites, lice, and other insects. I am learning this week about putting it into the feed for my chickens and my goats. Depending on where I lived, as the shipping is the thing that is expensive…. We used to be heavily involved in Animal Rescue and many of the rescue animals came into the rescue with worms and parasites.
But they were too sick to do a de-worming protocol from the vet, so we gave them DE with their food. It also makes their coats shiny and soft. I did a ton of research. I decided to wait until I could find more conclusive evidence for this one question that lingers in my mind. Knowing that, and knowing the delicate membranes in some of our digestive areas, I still have a concern that those same sharp edges could, over time, act as sandpaper on our intestinal and stomach tissues.
So, at this time, I think the only way I would use this is for a short time burst — then I would let it rest. If that makes sense. This is a very interesting point, and I would also like to know if anyone has come across research that says anything about this. Just a thought.
It could also be the amount taken that does not cause any problems within the stomach and intestine? I think that is my concern — I am just uncertain. Sometimes I take a less is more approach until I have my facts secured. I wondered this also. If it cuts up exoskeletons I wonder what keeps it from cutting up soft tissue?
Maybe it softens up with moisture, hence the reason we have to keep applying it if it gets wet? Yes, I do understand that concern. What gave me reassurance in that area is that it is recommended by Dr. She talks more about DE on the bottom of page 9 and onto page There are a lot of questions and answers to read…very interesting!
I have a question? I have a friend who can not eat my eggs if I have fed the alfalfa or she gets sick since she is allergic to alfalfa! Just curious of thoughts. Unless you plan on eating the shell. I would not say that eggs from chickens could be a source of DE, since DE is technically diatoms. I would say that the egg itself and the eater???? Hope that makes sense. Not sure what happened. We own a feed mill and incorporate DE as we bring in grains, so, ultimately it is in our grist and ground feeds.
The USEPA began their witch-hunt and spent a couple days going through our labeling and then spent hours going over our website and concluded we were selling an unlicensed insecticide. Took them one year, but they slapped us with a fine of over a quarter million dollars. Careful what you say…. Disclaimers do NOT exempt anyone anymore. Farmers use DE to protect their wheat from pests. It has to be dry for it to be effective against carapaced, exoskeletoned beasts.
Do you think it changes when you put it in water and swallow it? And, by the way, has anybody heard of Aulterra powder for enhancing nutraceuticals and absorbing EMW radiation? I bought some and tried it for the little german roaches and they just walked around with it all over themselves. IT is food grade though so maybe I should get the other?? I would stick with the food grade. You might could try reapplying, making sure to cover all crevices and points of entry and reapplying after rain.
I hope that helps. I used it for squash bugs in the garden as well as for lots of other things and found in my research and experience that it works on them when they are still young and soft. I use it with my chickens a lot, in their nests, on their droppings, occasionally in their feed, etc.
The first bag I bought was a fine, white powder. Does anyone have experience with it? If in doubt throw it out! I take natural supplements.
Will DE interfere with them. In other words, Is there a timing issue that would assure DE would not be removing the supplements, for instance should I wait an hour after taking supplements to take DE? From what I have read, DE should not interfere with food, natural supplements, or probiotics. If you have doubts, then just take it between doses. God bless you, too! Most recently I was desperate at midnight when I realized my dog was suffering from hotspots, I mixed a little with water and applied it, next day they were gone.
Try it for 3 days and you will notice a natural energy bestow you and motivation to get er done! Diatomaceous earth is a fossil, from diatoms. I use it for parasites, red ants in the yard, fleas on my animals, as well as parasites. My animals are healthy, and I have no fire ants. How young of a child can be given DA? It also lists as safe for pregnant and breastfeeding.
They have had no adverse reactions. There is no hurry with DE, start with small doses and slowly work your way up. Go read the back of your acetaminophen or ibuprofen bottle.
If you are still willing to take both of those products, then what could be so scary about dirt? If adults should start out taking one teaspoon in liquid, how much should you start out children taking?
My children both weigh between 90 and lbs. I would start off in small doses, definitely, and work your way up to these. I have used DE for decades to clean historic garments that cannot go into the wash. You place a paste over stains and when it is dry brush or vacuum off. We have used DE for a few years. We have found it has made our bodies much healthier. Also I have found when I take a heaping tablespoon in some milk before bedtime I sleep very well, much deeper than I had ever before.
No flies. Could go on but I think you get the point. Is the DE used in pools the food grade stuff? My opinion is as good as yours, maybe better. And I can state my opinion with or without your approval. Take some time to do some research on DE and then get back to us with your opinion.
Oh, and by the way, I never said I eat DE or feed it to my children, but it was really polite of you to jump to that conclusion. Please grow up. These comments are for educational discussion, not 3rd grade drama. If somebody attacks you, ignore it. The DE used in swimming pool filters is Industrial Grade. If the DE is getting into the pool, the filter needs some repairs possibly new filtration grids. I have been using DE for 5 months now. Well, my thyroid was working fine, it was my crap ass diet that was to blame!
Since then, I have cleaned up my act and DE is part of it daily. If I have to, I put the tablespoon in about 20 ounces of water and give it a good shake.
Yep, its gritty- tastes like dirt. No flavor.. The smoothie is much more enjoyable. Plus I throw chia seeds and bee pollen in there.
I also use it in my garden to keep the pesties at bay. This stuff is finer than frog hair. If you want to check your thyroid at home, just takeyour temperature first thing of a morning.
It should be Normal temperature during the day is It drops. If your temp is below I used to bring it back from Europe because it was so hard to find here in the US. Thank you for your comment. Sorry if you thought I was being snotty. I guess you assumed that was my intent…it was not. My bag, which I got from Tractor Supply to treat my dogs fleas when I found out it was good for that- it worked great!
Food Grade DE is a white color like in the picture. If you are thinking of using it for yourself, you must buy Food Grade. The difference here lies with the way that each type of DE is treated. Pool grade DE is calcined, meaning that is treated with very high heat. This turns the silicon dioxide that is present in the DE into crystalline silica.
DE varies in color due to the fact that each deposit is composed of a unique makeup. The reason that Red Lake Diatomaceous Earth is brownish-grey is that, in addition to diatomaceous earth, this deposit is also enhanced with naturally occurring montmorillonite also known as calcium bentonite.
Thank you farmer for clearing that up as I bought the Red Lake Earth brand food grade from local feed store and it is grayish not white. I have been feeding it to my horse and reading all this sent me into a panic that even though it says food grade it is still the wrong one.
Yes, that is my same problem. Is it safe? The DE police are on patrol again! Last time I checked we live in the land of the free and the home of the brave.
My whole family and i , including the dog and our hairless rat have been taking this for five months now.. I take mine first thing in the morning. Yes, we all have noticed the difference in our bodies..
I highly recommend for others to read about it and give it a try. Interesting ideas here. But people should use caution about sprinkling it in the home. After nearly three months, I realized the DE that might be the cause and cleaned it up. Within a week my son and could breath again. And all we did was sprinkle it. My son never had asthma before that. I get asthmatic in peoples homes who keep pet cats. So no major history of breathing disorders here.
Just the earth, so please be careful especially if you have pets or kids. Yes, do take care not to breathe it in. Can I use them together? Or are the basically the same? DE absorbs heavy metals. Does it also absorb other minerals we need such as magnesium, selenium, calcium, zinc, etc?
How does what DE does for the body compare to what bentonite clay does? What are the relative benefits of both? Do they serve different purposes or the same or similar? I have heard it from a trustworthy source that the bentonite will absorb the good and the bad….
That is also why it is advised to take bentonite only with water. It is amazing stuff! If you take it between meals it can pass thru quickly and will not effect the digestion of the next meal.
We prefer to take bentonite at night right before we brush our teeth so we can clean it off our teeth right away..
I am still learning about the DE so I cannot say if it acts totally the same. From what I have heard in this article and others, the DE is better at the scrubbing, cleansing action.
Sounds like it is just more aggressive in that manor, but they both absorb the impurities the same way. DE is priceless to have and use. Detoxing results in movement of toxins through the lymph system which means they can pass into the milk, on to unborn baby. That would mean that you have been removing impurities for a while and continue the protocol as a maintenance tool. A little detoxing is healthy, otherwise you are just storing it up and it is in the blood stream that effects the baby. Starting heavy use of DE while already pregnant is probably not a good idea…should start slow and with small ammounts and then you can increase the dosage if no negative symptoms of detox.
Hello everyone! I live close to a diatomaceous earth mine, or as most of us call it, a chalk mine. Another name for it is zeolite.
It is used for a multitude of things from kitty litter to health supplements. If you want to google it in the expensive form, google NCD2. I am sure that this is not the only company that sells it for medicinal purposes but it is the one that I am aware of.
This one comes in liquid form. I am not in anyway advocating it, but I know people personally that do. I am struggling my way through a colon cancer diagnosis and was given several bottles of it by a friend that feels it cured her.
She also gave it to a horse suffering from cancer that was sent home from the vets to be euthanized. After a few days of packing water and feed to the horse and giving it the NCD2, the horse got up and trotted away. They are still riding the horse today, six years later! Her story, not mine, but this was my neighbor, not some random person on the internet. Maybe if you go to this companies website, you can find some sort of believable research.
I asked my oncologist and he said that the difference could be that one was safer because it was pasteurized. I checked, it was not. Like I said, I am not pushing any of it, just giving a little insight and another resource for information. We have diatomaceous earth everywhere in my area, we just call them chalk hills. Also in Dr. Marks site he recommends a combination of affordable and apparently effective strategies to assist in fighting cancer above and beyond what Vernon did.
If your interested…. Ah, thank you! Finely ground eggshells will work too. I wanted a natural pest control for my yard this year. I bought food grade DE. The directions said to mix it with water and spray it on. It killed every bug within yards of my property. The bees were gone unfortunately, flies and knats were gone, and it killed all the blossoms on my azalea bush.
I also started getting ants on my kitchen counter and sprayed a little of it around my outside foundation and haven't seen an ant since. I will use it again, but more spareingly. I don't want to kill the good insects and bees. DE is an indiscriminate killer so beneficials will be killed along with the bad bugs. You need to use it sparingly. To lessen the impact on bees and other pollinators, avoid spraying it in or near blossoms. Apply it in the evening when most pollinators are not active.
If it was applied heavily to your azalea blossoms it probably dried them out. Our tomato plants were overrun with horn worms this year, so we tried diatomaceous earth before resorting to chemicals; it worked great—saved our crop this season.
Highly recommend! There are outcrops of DE along roads in my neck of the woods. I'm guessing the raw product from these outcrops is just as good our better than the store bought? I just saw a video which recommended sprinkling catnip on D. The D. But this article warns against the potential hazards of airborne D. Is this safe for cats or not? Food grade DE has smaller particles and lower silica content.
It is the silica that eventually damages your lungs. I always err on the side of caution which is why I would recommend that you wear a mask when using DE just in case. Many pet owners swear by it for flea control on their cats and dogs. It does dry out their skin so it is also recommended that you bath them after a few days to wash it off. I have never tried bathing a cat, have you? My container of DE said to mix it with water and spray it on my plants and underneath them. It got rid of every bug, flying and crawling, in my whole yard.
I had ants getting into the kitchen through the outside wall. I sprayed it outside of the wall and haven't seen an ant since. One caveat, don't spray it on flowers or blossoms. It kills them too. Had some house guests who had recently moved to a new apartment. Unbeknownst to them, their new apartment had bed bugs. Needless to say, by the time they left our house, we had bed bugs too. The bed bugs persisted.
Got some Diatomaceous Earth, and spread it in all out dresser drawers, around all the baseboards, and around the headboard of the bed.
Bed bugs nest in wood, and only get into beds to feed on teh people sleeping there. We left the DE there for four weeks bed bug eggs gestate for three weeks , and have not had an issue since.
Will it kill stink bugs? They have been terrible this year in my garden, and I am just thinking about how to have a better crop next year! If you grind your eggshells up you save from your chickens you can make your own diatomaceous earth for free!!!! I quickly bought non food grade DE and sprinkled it with a sifter from the dollar store.
It works. It stopped the damage almost instantly. I've since decided to use only food grade so the local cats don't get sick even though I have most of my plants surrounded with chicken wire. When my fall lettuce starts growing I'll use it on this to as this summer I was plagued with cinch bugs. Thanks to all. More a question than a comment. Does non food grade do any good against insects and why would it lose it's usefulness by getting wet?
Does it loose it's silica or would it return to it's natural form when it dries? I am in Texas so I want to use it in the house as well as the garden. The non-food grade is not recommended because it has been subjected to high heat which changes its silica into crystalline silica which can be harmful to humans and pets. That is why it is only used for filters. Food grade is called amorphous silica.
Since DE works by cutting thru the exoskeleton of an insect and drying it from the inside out it is not going to be as effective when wet. After it has dried out it will be effective again. It is recommended to reapply if it gets washed away.
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