Main Uses Of Diatomaceous Earth

Diatomaceous Earth has dozens of users both for humans and for pets. In fact, one could argue diatomaceous earth is one of the most versatile products on the market. Just about every person could use diatomaceous earth in some way or another.

Here are the main uses of Diatomaceous Earth:

Different Uses Of Diatomaceous Earth

Along with the different uses, there are 2 different types of D.E.. Food Grade or Human Grade and Non-Food Grade or Industrial Use. When ingesting D.E. you should only be using Food Grade or Human Grade since the Non-Food Grade is very dangerous to consume. Make sure you check your labels.

Industrial Use – Non-Food Grade

The first original use for diatomaceous earth was actually to make nitroglycerin more stable. Researchers found nitroglycerin was more stable when added with diatomaceous earth and the construction and mining industries use this mixture even to this day.

Diatomaceous earth is also used as the primary source for filtration in swimming pools and fish tanks. It also is used to filter out impurities from other liquids like beer and wine.

Insecticide – Non-Food Grade

Diatomaceous earth’s shape allows it to be an effective pest control. Diatomaceous earth has very sharp edges, which cut insects and other pests, without harming larger animals or humans. These pests are forced to either leave or suffer a different fate. Some gardeners swear by diatomaceous earth to prevent slugs from overtaking a garden.

For insect control, diatomaceous earth actually uses a different mechanism. Diatomaceous earth absorbs water and other liquids at a very quick pace. After the sharp edges cut the exoskeleton of an insect, diatomaceous earth starts to dry out the insect. The insect or other small pest dies within a short period of time and other pests naturally become repelled away from the garden.

Spill Cleanup – Non-Food Grade

One of the lesser known uses for diatomaceous earth is to clean up toxic spills. In fact, the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends diatomaceous earth to clean up a variety of toxic liquid spills. As mentioned before, diatomaceous earth is very absorbent and can quickly clean up a spill and prevent toxins from affecting humans.

Pest Control – Food Grade & Non-Food Grade

In addition to killing pests in the garden, diatomaceous earth can also act as a pest control for pets. Diatomaceous earth can be given to pets like cats or dogs to remove parasites in the digestive tract like ringworm and tapeworm. It normally takes about 30 days for diatomaceous to remove any parasite in the pet’s body and get rid of any other eggs that may have been laid as well.

A coating can be brushed onto a pets’ fur every day to kill pets like fleas and ticks. These pests die in the exact mechanism that removes insects on plants. The parasites are dried out and eventually die.

Human Use – Food Grade

Human use of diatomaceous earth is only starting to gain a lot of traction. Humans can use diatomaceous earth for a variety of things. Humans can use diatomaceous earth to detoxify the body of viruses, bacteria, heavy metals, and other toxins. Humans also can use diatomaceous earth if they are lacking in silica – the most important mineral to the human body.

Silica is vital to bone, joint, teeth, skin, nail, and hair health. Silica balances out levels of calcium and magnesium, which can effect hormone levels if unchecked. Silica also stabilizes bodily tissues, cell membranes, and the walls of veins and arteries. Silica also plays an important role in the effectiveness of the immune system as well as the cardiovascular system.