Yes! Diatomaceous earth (DE) is safe. Thousands of people use it successfully in dozens of ways to benefit their health, families, pets, and homes. Just be sure you get the right grade of DE for your needs and use it responsibly.
DE comes in several different grades, such as food-grade, pest control grade, and pool grade.
Food-grade is used as a health supplement for people and pets. It can also be used externally as an exfoliating ingredient in homemade soaps, face wash, and other DIY healthcare products.
Pest control grade is used to kill ticks, bed bugs, ants, and other pests in your home, yard, and garden. Depending on what brand you use, it may have added chemicals to make it kill insects more quickly, which means you must be very careful not to inhale or ingest it. Our pest control DE, on the other hand, has no additives of any kind.
Pool grade can be very detrimental to health, so it sometimes gives people the misconception that all DE is dangerous. We do not sell pool grade DE.
Many people worry about accidentally inhaling DE. If you accidentally inhale DE, it can irritate your lungs, but it won't damage them unless you inhale large amounts over many years. If you have a respiratory condition, we recommend wearing a dust mask to protect your lungs from irritation while applying DE around your home or yard. If you don't have a respiratory condition, protective equipment is not required as long as it doesn't bother your lungs. For bigger projects, or for projects where you know the DE will be kicked up into the air, it is always a good idea to wear protection for your eyes and lungs.
As with any product, diatomaceous earth is safe as long as it's used properly. Just be sure that you have the right grade for your needs, that your DE comes from a trusted source, and that you avoid breathing it in.
If you have any questions or concerns about whether the DE you have is safe, feel free to contact us on the live chat menu at the bottom of the screen, by email at info@diatomaceousearth.com.