10 Uses for Diatomaceous Earth for Home & Farm
on Jan 22, 2019, Updated Apr 29, 2024
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These 10 Uses for Diatomaceous Earth for Home & Farm range from indoor pest control and teeth whitening to food preservation and animal health.
Diatomaceous earth (or DE) is a natural and organic insecticide that kills insects by breaking their exoskeletons causing them to dehydrate. It is used in industry as filtration aid, abrasive, absorbent, stabilizer, thermal insulator and filler.
It can be found as food-grade (safe for human consumption) and non-food grade (used in industrial settings), but we want to steer clear of the non-food grade stuff for the purposes of this post.
Table of Contents
- FAQs about Diatomaceous Earth
- 10 Uses for Diatomaceous Earth for Home & Farm
- Body Detox
- Joint, Bone, Ligament Health
- Kills Parasites and Viruses for Humans
- Teeth Whitening
- Plant Health and Growth
- Indoor Pest Control
- Natural Garden Pest Control
- Animal Health
- Skin Exfoliation
- More Healthy Living Recipes and Ideas
FAQs about Diatomaceous Earth
According to Dr. Josh Axe, “diatomaceous earth (DE) is a natural product made up of fossilized remains of tiny, aquatic organisms called diatoms. Composed of the cell walls/shells of single cell diatoms, it easily crumbles to a fine powder.”
Diatomaceous earth has a wide variety of uses and can be used to support animal, plant, and even personal health. It comes as a powder or a liquid and in food grade and non-food grade forms.
You can get DE in most hardware or farm supplies stores and you can find it on Amazon as well. For the suggestions in this post, be sure to get the food grade diatomaceous earth.
10 Uses for Diatomaceous Earth for Home & Farm
Food grade DE can be an impactful piece of your natural lifestyle and hobby farm. While there are countless benefits and uses, I’ve highlighted 10 for you here.
Body Detox
DE can help detoxify your body and maintain optimal gut health by attracting harmful toxins and flushing them from the body. You can take about one teaspoon of food-grade diatomaceous earth with water once a day to detox. Drink plenty of water afterwards and throughout the day to stay hydrated.
You can also mix it in with other things – juice, smoothies, yogurt, etc. – but make sure to still drink plenty of water with it. You can slowly work up to 1 tablespoon a day, keeping in mind that it’s best not to use it continuously for long periods of time.
Joint, Bone, Ligament Health
DE has been shown to support bone and connective tissue health. Take it orally as described in step 2 to fight against osteoporosis and other bone disorders.
Kills Parasites and Viruses for Humans
Taking DE as part of a detox process can kill parasites and harmful viruses to improve overall health.
Teeth Whitening
DE is a gentle abrasive so it can help to clean and whiten teeth. Simply sprinkle a bit of the dust over your toothpaste every so often for a deep clean. This is not something you want to do continuously so as to not harm your teeth’s natural enamel.
Plant Health and Growth
Add DE to potting soil to help it retain moisture and nutrients, allow oxygen to circulate freely, and fight off parasites.
Indoor Pest Control
DE removes the waxy outer layer of insects’ exoskeleton which helps them maintain moisture, thus causing them to dehydrate. Use it on carpets, upholstery, or anywhere else you think bugs or pests may be lurking.
Brush or vacuum the area first, then spread a light film of DE over the whole surface. Leave it for 4-12 hours and then vacuum. Repeat weekly for 3-4 weeks.
You can also spread it around the outside of your home or in other areas inside where pests like spiders and ants show up. Safer and cheaper than harsh chemicals!
Natural Garden Pest Control
DE is best used dry. Lightly sprinkle it where slugs, Japenese beetles, or other unwanted pests will come in contact with it. Make sure to keep it away from insects that you do want, like bees. It’s not as effective when wet, so refresh your treatment if the area gets wet.
Animal Health
DE is helpful for keeping unwanted pests away from your animals. Include DE in your chickens’ dust bath to prevent lice or in your animals’ feed as a natural way to fight off fleas, worms, and other parasites.
You can also give your indoor pets (or their beds) a light dusting to help fight against fleas and allergies. I also like to put down a like layer of DE in the bottom of the coop and in nesting boxes after cleaning and before bedding is added to help prevent mites and lice.
Skin Exfoliation
DE can be a great exfoliator every once in a while. Use it as part of a facial scrub or mask by mixing 1 tablespoon with water, milk, or diluted honey to make a thick paste. Massage it into your face in circular motions and let it set for 1-2 minutes before removing with a warm washcloth, again in small, circular motions.
Food Preservation
Mix a small amount of DE in with dry grains, legumes (about 1 tablespoon in a 5-gallon bucket of grain) to prevent weevils. If you’ve ever had weevils you know how frustrating it can be to get rid of them.
More Healthy Living Recipes and Ideas
Recipes
Celery Juice
Smoothies
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Fermenting
How to Make Kombucha
Lunch Recipes
8 Wholesome Lunch-Box Ideas for Adults or Kids
References
https://draxe.com/diatomaceous-earth/
https://www.mommypotamus.com/diatomaceous-earth-uses/
https://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/pest-control/how-to-use-diatomaceous-earth-zw0z1304zkin#axzz3K0OnalDR
https://www.motherearthnews.com/homesteading-and-livestock/uses-of-diatomaceous-earth-on-the-homestead
Disclaimer:
Melissa Griffiths/Bless this Mess is not a medical expert. The information on this website has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent, or cure any disease.
I have enjoyed,the benifit,of this product for,for gardening.
So I bought some DE and I didn’t realize did I bought the non-food grade. I can’t find anywhere that says what to do with the non-food grade. I was getting it to use in my garden.
It’ll work ok in the garden, just wash your veggies and such. It has some other caking agents and stuff in it.
How do you use it on pets for fleas. Do you dust them or put it in their food and how much and how often.
I would assume you’d put it on the coats where the fleas were but do more research, it’s not at all good for you to breath in and can really irritate your lungs. I don’t know how you would apply it without having a pet breath in the dust. Proceed with extreme caution.
Dosage
Internally in dogs, give these amounts:
Small dogs and puppies: 1/2 tsp per day in food
Up to 50 lbs: 1 tsp per day in food
Over 50 lbs: 1 Tbsp per day in food
100 lbs or more: 2 Tbsp per day in food
It’s best to mix it with raw or other moist food. If you feed dry food, add some water or broth to moisten the powder.
For external pest prevention, rub the powder into your dog’s coat. Start near the tail and pull back the hair to get it on the skin.
Avoid the eyes, nose and mouth as it can irritate mucous membranes
Hello
Thank you for usefull article regarding Diatomaceous earth, we also found it very important for human health. Please keep us updated with more usefull informations.
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Best Regards
Mazyar
I love diatomaceous earth indeed! I drink it every day, although I am pretty healthy, I have noticed my hair is thicker and my nails dont brake as much. I follow Dr. Axe suggestions on health and I share his knowledge with many people I come in contact with. Thank you so much!
Sonja
For detox you say not to take for a long period of time. What is a long period of time? Should it be taken as an on ond off period of time?
I’m a week in at 1 tsp. A day first thing in the morning. I hoping to help with cholesterol and weak hair and nails. I will check back in a month.
Ohhh that’s awesome, I’d love to know how that goes for you!
Wonderful product. Love it for detox & on my pets to get rid of fleas. Also, really good feeling when I wash my face with it.
Hi Herminia, I’m also interested to see how it works for you. Because my daughter is a type 1 diabetic since she was 8 years old. And her hair is super thin and breaking off and falling out and her nails also are not all that good and I’m sure she has some cholesterol issues. So I would like to hear how your results are in a month. Sincerely, Debby
Bobby, you said that you used it also on your pets.Do you happen to have a cat that you use it on also? Because my cat is an adult cat and he has long hair and he is also an indoor outdoor cat which he carries in all sorts of crud and critters and it’s driving me crazy because I have all sorts of mites in the house! So I’m anxious to hear if you have a cat that you also put it on.
How do u apply on pets without them breathing the dust or yourself?
I tried to make contact close, like dip a cup in a put the cup right next to their fur if that makes sense, don’t sprinkle it and let it float around, put it right where you want it to go.
How do you give to pets for f fleas
Trying it now! One tsp in my water. Hoping it helps with digestive and joint issues.
Wonderful! I love the flow of this post, howr it was written, and how informative it is! Thank you. 🙂
It’s a cool product! I hope you’ll be able to try it sometime…