“What does diatomaceous earth have to do with bed bugs?” you may ask. The answer is that it can help get rid of bed bugs. Read on to find out more, and how you can get some from the Co-op to deal with bed bugs in your suite.
What is it and how does it work?
Diatomaceous earth is crumbled up rock that contains the fossils of freshwater organisms and marine life. When bed bugs crawl over the diatomaceous earth (the critters can’t fly), they get cuts in their outer hard covering. This causes them to dehydrate and die. However, the effect is not instant. It could take up to 3 days.
Why should I use diatomaceous earth?
First, using diatomaceous earth is natural. Therefore, it is a more environmentally friendly way to get rid of bed bugs.
Second, bed bugs are stubborn and hardy. They often can’t be gotten rid of in one shot, even with chemicals used by pest control companies. To get rid of them, you need to be stubborn as well, and use a variety of methods. Diatomaceous earth works, but may not get rid of a bed bug infestation on its own. (Sorry, this article doesn’t cover other methods.)
How do I tell if I have bed bugs in my suite?
Check your mattress, especially around the seams, for small brown-red dots as signs of the bugs. You probably won’t see any bugs during the day. Some people don’t seem to get bitten, while others do. Bites are small red dots, often two or three in a line, anywhere on the body. If you think your suite might have bed bugs, even if you’re not sure, contact the co-op maintenance coordinator. He will arrange a pest control inspection to find out whether there are bed bugs in your suite.
How can I get some diatomaceous earth?
If you haven’t done so already, let the maintenance coordinator know that you have bed bugs in your suite. You can then get some diatomaceous earth from the Maintenance Committee, call the office, they’ll tell you who to contact.
How do I use the diatomaceous earth?
In addition to the diatomaceous earth, you’ll receive a dust mask. Breathing the diatomaceous earth is the only potentially harmful aspect of it (keep pets away when you’re applying it). The diatomaceous earth that is food grade (also used as a food additive for people and animals).
Diatomaceous earth should be applied using a small paint brush. You can mix it with a little water and dish soap. Brush it around cracks near your bed, such as in the bed frame, in the seams of your mattresses, around bed legs and night table legs, shelves, fixtures, etc. Think like a bed bug! Brush it where they might crawl in order to hide, or to get to your bed to bite you.
Good luck!