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Comment on Living
The_Che_Banana@beehaw.org 6 months ago
PSA for people with cockroach problems: Diatomaceous earth is a lifesaver! Non toxic, (also a good fertilizer for the garden) and keeps working until it gets wet.
What is it? fossils of diatoms in a chalky-powder what do you do with it? Sprinkle (dusting) into hard to reach areas (think behind & under kitchen equipment, drawers, along baseboards)
what it does is sticks to anything with an exoskeleton & dehydrates them…they die.
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diatomaceous_earth
we live in a humid, costal town where they are endemic and we have ZERO of these motherfuckers in our shop & home
Inui@lemmy.ml 6 months ago
The_Che_Banana@beehaw.org 6 months ago
From Wikipedia
“Inhalation of crystalline silica is harmful to the lungs, causing silicosis. Amorphous silica is considered to have low toxicity, but prolonged inhalation causes changes to the lungs.[44] Diatomaceous earth is mostly amorphous silica but contains some crystalline silica, especially in the saltwater forms.[45] In a 1978 study of workers, those exposed to natural diatomaceous earth for over five years had no significant lung changes while 40% of those exposed to the calcined form had developed pneumoconiosis.[46] Today’s common diatomaceous earth formulations are safer to use, as they are predominantly made up of amorphous silica and contain little or no crystalline silica.”
Any type of dust isn’t good for you but this stuff is wayyyy better than some chemical companies toxic aerosol, drop poison, or bait
BlueSquid0741@lemmy.sdf.org 6 months ago
Yes, I used to use this stuff all the time in my old roach infested apartment. And then I felt really bad for the cockroaches and had to stop though.
nossaquesapao@lemmy.eco.br 6 months ago
Nice to know I’m not the only one. I feel bad about them too.
Forester@yiffit.net 6 months ago
HEY JOE HOWS THE WIFE?