Have you ever heard of diatomaceous earth?
It is a natural and very fine white powder.
It is reputed to be a formidable natural insecticide. But, its benefits don't stop there!
It will quickly become essential for your animals, at home, in the garden and in the vegetable patch. To try it is to adopt it...
Here are the 20 amazing uses of diatomaceous earth that you absolutely should know about . Watch:
Diatomaceous earth is a very fine powder, fatal to insects within 24 to 72 hours.
It is super effective in getting rid of parasites. Indeed, if we look at diatomaceous earth under a microscope, we see that it is composed of silica.
And this one is very sharp. It is for this reason that it is fatal to fleas and parasites in general. On the other hand, it is safe for cats and dogs... or children.
- To rid your four-legged friends of fleas and ticks, sprinkle diatomaceous earth on their baskets and all their objects, outside the house. Leave on for 48 hours and vacuum or brush them.
- Do the same with the carpet and all the spaces where they usually rest.
- Next, sprinkle diatomaceous earth all over your hairball's coat.
Caress your pet to make the powder penetrate its coat and leave to act for 24 to 48 hours before brushing it carefully. Check out the trick here.
Be careful:it's best not to let your pet breathe in it, as inhaling diatomaceous earth can be irritating.
To protect him, you can cover his head with a damp cloth. Likewise, protect yourself by wearing a mask.
As you probably know, pets should be dewormed every 3-4 months.
Be aware that diatomaceous earth can be used as a dewormer, as it can be absorbed without any risk by animals.
Here is the natural treatment that you can administer to dogs and cats to prevent them from getting worms or eliminate them in the event of an infestation.
Simply mix diatomaceous earth with his food or in a drink, such as milk. Cats love it!
- For cats, plan one spoon per day.
- For kittens, half a teaspoon a day.
- For small dogs:2 scoops per day.
- For large dogs:one to two tablespoons a day.
Repeat this treatment every day for a week or two, or even a month if your pet is infected.
Be sure to choose amorphous diatomaceous earth that is not calcined. You must also check that it is food use .
In any case, always ask your veterinarian for advice before starting any treatment for your pet. Check out the trick here.
Are cockroaches or ants invading the house? Difficult to get rid of? With diatomaceous earth, it's easy!
To keep ants out of your home, sprinkle a thin line of diatomaceous earth all around your house.
Don't overlook windows and doors. You thus form a boundary impossible for ants to cross.
Another solution, put 4 liters of water in a sprayer and add 60 g of diatomaceous earth.
Spray your floors with this mixture and wait for it to dry for the diatomaceous earth to take effect.
Wait 48 to 72 hours, then vacuum to pick up dead insects.
This treatment is formidable against ants, cockroaches, but also fleas, silverfish, woodlice, beetles, earwigs and cockroaches. Find out how here.
Bed bugs have become infamous...
These are resistant to the worst insecticides, as they can go into hibernation for several months.
Put the odds on your side to get rid of these parasites with diatomaceous earth!
Sprinkle it all around your bed. Spare no space, nook or cranny. And don't forget skirting too.
Fill 4 cups with diatomaceous earth and place the legs of the bed in these cups.
Wash the sheets, duvets and cushions at 60° then put them in the freezer at -18°C for 3 to 4 days. Finally, leave them in airtight bags.
Generously sprinkle the mattress with diatomaceous earth and put it in a cover so bedbugs can't escape.
Check if your neighbors are also affected by this problem.
If so, pass them this tip to prevent bed bugs from spreading throughout the building. Check out the trick here.
In the garden, diatomaceous earth is also very effective in eliminating insects.
So, no need to use toxic chemicals that contaminate your plants and vegetables. It is therefore ideal for organic gardens and vegetable patches!
Sprinkling diatomaceous earth around the plants protects them from caterpillars, slugs, box tree moths or aphids.
For flying insects, water your plants then sprinkle them with diatomaceous earth.
Spray some water on the plants again to set the diatomaceous earth.
Preferably do this treatment in the morning so that the diatomaceous earth has time to dry. Find out how here.
Note, however, that diatomaceous earth kills these insects. If you just want to ward them off, try one of these tricks.
Also keep in mind that diatomaceous earth is less effective if it is wet or damp.
Choose white diatomaceous earth for this trick, as it's stronger and more effective when wet. Check out the trick here.
Have you adopted any chickens at home? It's great to have good fresh eggs every day and enjoy their benefits!
But it happens that the hens catch red lice.
Only one reflex then:diatomaceous earth! For this use, choose gray diatomaceous earth.
First step to disinfect the chicken coop, clean it completely.
Put on a mask and gloves and remove the soiled litter. Then sprinkle diatomaceous earth all over the coop:on the floor, on the walls, perches, nests, dust baths...
Protect the eyes of the hens, and sprinkle diatomaceous earth on their plumage.
Now install a clean litter box that you can also sprinkle with diatomaceous earth. Check out the trick here.
You can also carry out this preventive treatment, which you can repeat every week.
To make your job easier, you can use a diatomaceous earth blower.
To discover: 6 Effective Tricks To Get Rid Of Flies In The Chicken Coop.
Diatomaceous earth has a major advantage:it is able to absorb up to 150% of its weight in liquid.
It's a kind of natural sponge!
We immediately see the interest of this magic powder for the cat litter.
So mix a little diatomaceous earth in the cat litter.
Thanks to its super absorbent power, you will use less litter and it will last longer.
In addition, it also has the ability to neutralize odors.
Very practical for eliminating bad odors from cat litter, especially in small apartments!
To discover: Tired of the Smell of your Cat Litter Box? Put some Talc!
Spilled a large amount of liquid?
Some surfaces have poor resistance to humidity and also take time to dry.
Do not panic ! Sprinkle diatomaceous earth over the puddles of liquid. It will absorb the liquid very quickly.
Let dry then vacuum. You may need to repeat this operation several times to remove all the diatomaceous earth.
This is a great trick you can use if you spill coffee, tea or oil on a sofa, mattress, carpet or any surface.
It is also very useful for drying out a damp wall or partition.
And if you want to clean an oil stain on a floor in the garage, in your workshop or in a driveway, diatomaceous earth is your best ally.
It's also super handy if you have a water leak in your house or spill a bottle of oil in the kitchen!
The diatomaceous earth will absorb the damage quickly.
To discover: Finally, a Tip for Removing Oil Stains from Garage Floors.
No less than fifteen minerals and trace elements make up diatomaceous earth.
For example, boron, copper, iron, calcium, or manganese. So many rich nutrients for plants!
To have beautiful plants in great shape, you can mix a little diatomaceous earth with their soil.
In addition, diatomaceous earth will absorb water from your plant, but also nutrients.
It will then release water and nutrients over a longer period.
This way, you water less often and it saves water while boosting your plants.
Economical and ecological!
To discover: 5 Natural and Free Fertilizers For Super Healthy Plants.
Diatomaceous earth absorbs odors.
It is therefore an excellent deodorant that can be used on a daily basis.
We have all been confronted one day with a pair of stinky sneakers...
To remove bad odors from shoes, put a handful of diatomaceous earth in two old socks (or old tights).
Tie a knot to close and put your deodorizing socks in the shoes.
And no more bad smells!
To discover: 9 Tricks To Stop Your Shoes From Smelling.
Cheese, fish, cauliflower, onion... Sometimes in the fridge, it's a festival of bad smells!
To stop suffocating each time you open the fridge door, pour diatomaceous earth into a cup. And put it in the fridge.
Change the cup every week.
Diatomaceous earth is a great odor absorber! Your fridge will finally be rid of bad smells.
To discover: 10 Tips That Work To Remove Bad Smells From The Fridge.
It's just as easy to deodorize trash cans.
And it's very practical because if there's anything that smells bad in the kitchen, it's the trash can!
To avoid foul odors, put a little diatomaceous earth in the bottom of the trash bag before placing it in the trash.
This will prevent bad odors from developing. The other possibility is to place a jar filled with diatomaceous earth near the trash can.
Don't forget to renew it every week.
To discover: Trash Can That Smells Bad? The Trick To Deodorize It With Bicarbonate.
Do you have compost at home or in your apartment?
So, you have probably noticed that it gives off unpleasant odors.
This trick will interest you!
To avoid these smells, take a tray (like a litter box for example) and put a layer of diatomaceous earth about 2 cm thick in it.
Place the bin on top of the compost heap to absorb any odors that come from it.
Change the contents of the tray regularly.
Be careful not to pour waste into it and make sure the diatomaceous earth stays dry.
Indeed, once wet, it is less effective.
Be aware that it is strongly discouraged to put diatomaceous earth directly on the compost pile.
This would be fatal to the many insects that thrive there and are essential to the composting process.
To discover: How to Make Good Compost? The Easy Guide For Beginners.
Since diatomaceous earth is made up of sharp microelements, it is super effective at stripping.
For this, mix water and diatomaceous earth to obtain a thick and malleable paste.
Once you've made your scouring compound, you can deep clean the sink, toilet, shower, tub, or dirty floors.
Be careful not to apply this scouring powder on fragile surfaces, as you could damage them.
To discover: The Easy Recipe For Homemade Scouring Cream (More Effective Than Cif!).
If your grandmother's silverware is blackened, you can use the same technique to restore her shine.
This avoids buying expensive chemicals to shine dirty silverware.
And the result is just as impeccable!
To discover: How To Clean Your Blackened Silverware With Baking Soda In 1 Min.
To have a dazzlingly white smile, you don't need Ultrabrite!
As it is stripping, diatomaceous earth dislodges tartar and dirt that yellows teeth.
To quickly whiten your teeth, put a little diatomaceous earth on your toothbrush.
And scrub your teeth like you would toothpaste.
But beware ! As we have seen, diatomaceous earth is composed of abrasive microelements.
So by using diatomaceous earth, you're scratching your teeth, even if it's microscopically.
Thus, it is recommended not to use this remedy for more than a week.
Otherwise you will damage your teeth irreversibly.
It's like baking soda, you have to use it without abusing it.
And above all, do not forget to check a very important point:you must use diatomaceous earth for food use. Check out the trick here.
To discover: This Girl Found an Amazing Tip to Whiten her Teeth in 2 Min.
Diatomaceous earth is rich in minerals.
And like green plants, you can take advantage of these trace minerals by including it in your diet.
Just add a teaspoon of diatomaceous earth to a glass of water, fruit juice or smoothie and drink your remedy an hour before breakfast.
The benefits of diatomaceous earth for the body are numerous:
- it fights against parasites
- it fights against blood pressure and cholesterol
- it promotes the fixation of calcium
- it promotes the elimination of toxic residues in the body.
In short, it's a real detox cure!
But be careful:make sure you are using food-grade diatomaceous earth. Check out the trick here.
To have beautiful, soft skin free of toxins, nothing beats a bath with diatomaceous earth.
It's great for the skin! Just use it as you would with bath salts.
So run a good bath and put the equivalent of a tablespoon of diatomaceous earth in it.
All you have to do is relax in it. Don't forget to rinse well when you get out of the bath.
To discover: 4 Incredible Benefits of Baking Soda.
Do you have oily skin and are you looking for a natural remedy to clean it up?
As surprising as it may seem, diatomaceous earth is your friend.
Thanks to this homemade purifying mask recipe, she is merciless with sebum!
Ingredients
- 3 teaspoons of diatomaceous earth
- lukewarm water (not too hot so as not to diminish the properties of the essential oils)
- a drop or two of tea tree or lavender essential oil
How to
- Put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix to obtain a paste.
- Apply this mask to your face and leave on for 2 to 5 minutes maximum. No more, otherwise your skin will be too dry.
- Then rinse with clear water.
Your skin is thus purified. But do not do this treatment if you have dry skin. It should be reserved for oily skin.
To discover: A Homemade Natural Clay Mask For Oily Skin.
Food moths can wreak havoc on your food, especially dry foods like rice, flour, lentils, grains, beans, corn...
To protect them from moths, moisture, sprouting and mold, use diatomaceous earth.
Simply add a little diatomaceous earth to your dry foods in the food boxes. Find out how here.
Diatomaceous earth is found in containers as a powder or in capsules.
It is also called silicon dioxide, kieselguhr, tellurin, diatomaceous earth or rotten earth.
It is mainly composed of mineral silica.
It is extracted from a mixture of volcanic rocks and layers of deposits of marine microorganisms:diatomite.
It is found in areas that were covered by lakes and seas millions of years ago.
In France, it mainly comes from Ardèche or Cantal.
- You can find uncalcined or amorphous diatomaceous earth .
It undergoes no transformation. She is neutral. It is natural, non-toxic, ecological, economical and made in France! So many good reasons to adopt it!
Most of the time, she is white or slightly green . It can also be grey .
Grey Diatomaceous Earth is particularly effective as an insecticide. It is therefore recommended for indoor use or on chickens, cats or dogs. It can also be used in the garden.
In contrast, white diatomaceous earth is more resistant to humidity. It is therefore more effective outdoors.
It is insect repellent, vermifuge and can be used as a food supplement. His food code is E551. It is rich in trace elements and can be ingested.
White or grey, this diatomaceous earth does not represent any danger to human or animal health. It is the one we prefer and that we use most often.
- There is also diatomaceous earth calcined at 900 °. It is also called crystallized diatomaceous earth. She is pink. Do not confuse it with uncalcined or amorphous diatomaceous earth!
Calcined diatomaceous earth poses a hazard to human and animal health. It is mainly used by industrialists or for the filtration of swimming pools. It is also used as a filtering agent in the wine industry.
A priori, we do not use it at home.
Much less widespread than bicarbonate, diatomaceous earth can be found in DIY stores (Brico Dépôt, Leroy Merlin), garden centers (Truffaut), organic stores (Biocoop...) or certain supermarkets such as Carrefour, Auchan, Leclerc ...
You can also buy food grade white diatomaceous earth or gray diatomaceous earth directly here on the internet.
Note that we generally use 20 g of diatomaceous earth per square meter.
Diatomaceous earth is a light and highly volatile powder.
It is best to avoid inhaling it, especially if you have lung problems or asthma.
It is therefore advisable to wear a mask when using it.
It is also best to wear gloves to handle it, especially if you have dry skin.
