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I don’t understand why people would poison themselves like thi (bug bomb), especially when safe alternatives like Diatomaceous Earth are available

by cascom 8y ago

casion 8y ago
Likely because people don't know it exists. I worked in pest control when I was younger (friend's family business) and I live in an area where there's 2 very common unwanted pests. Pest control is a somewhat common topic and nearly every person I know (except myself) has "bombed" their house multiple times. Your post is the first time I've heard of DE.
- mikeash 8y ago
  I highly recommend the stuff. Works great, supposedly harmless for us mammals, and ridiculously cheap. I bought a bag for a few bucks years ago and I’m maybe a quarter of the way through it now. Any time I see unwanted bugs, I dust around likely entrances and they stop coming.
  - andrewl 8y ago
    Breathing certain forms of diatomaceous earth can cause silicosis and other lung problems: http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/degen.html http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/degen.html Apparently breathing the amorphous form causes only mild and reversible lung inflammation. Breathing the crystalline form can be more dangerous.
    - mikeash 8y ago
      Good to know. It sounds like normal household use is fine, but frolicking in the stuff might be good to avoid.
josephpmay 8y ago
The problem with DE is it takes awhile for the bug to actually die, where as poison is instant
- masonic 8y ago
  DE is for exterior boundary use.
dawnerd 8y ago
Also have to be careful with DE. If you try to vacuum it up you’ll probably end up with a ruined vacuum, at least according to a lot of people online - I don’t want to find out for myself.
- cannonedhamster 8y ago
  My wife vacuumed it daily for 2 weeks. It didn't seem to affect our Dyson, that's still going strong months later.
  - dawnerd 8y ago
    Dyson should be safe, they filter out a lot more than cheaper vacs. Some more info: https://www.saferbrand.com/articles/clean-up-diatomaceous-earth https://www.saferbrand.com/articles/clean-up-diatomaceous-ea...
cannonedhamster 8y ago
Doesn't work all that great on fleas. We had a bad flea infestation and it basically took my wife on her hands and knees with a can of Hot Shot flea killer. Bug bombs did nothing. Took us nearly 2 weeks of this to get the area clear, but it eventually worked.

I don’t understand why people would poison themselves like thi (bug bomb), especially when safe alternatives like Diatomaceous Earth are available

by cascom 8y ago

I don’t understand why people would poison themselves like thi (bug bomb), especially when safe alternatives like Diatomaceous Earth are available

casion 8y ago

Likely because people don't know it exists. I worked in pest control when I was younger (friend's family business) and I live in an area where there's 2 very common unwanted pests. Pest control is a somewhat common topic and nearly every person I know (except myself) has "bombed" their house multiple times. Your post is the first time I've heard of DE.

mikeash 8y ago
I highly recommend the stuff. Works great, supposedly harmless for us mammals, and ridiculously cheap. I bought a bag for a few bucks years ago and I’m maybe a quarter of the way through it now. Any time I see unwanted bugs, I dust around likely entrances and they stop coming.
- andrewl 8y ago
  Breathing certain forms of diatomaceous earth can cause silicosis and other lung problems: http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/degen.html http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/degen.html Apparently breathing the amorphous form causes only mild and reversible lung inflammation. Breathing the crystalline form can be more dangerous.
  - mikeash 8y ago
    Good to know. It sounds like normal household use is fine, but frolicking in the stuff might be good to avoid.

josephpmay 8y ago

The problem with DE is it takes awhile for the bug to actually die, where as poison is instant

masonic 8y ago
DE is for exterior boundary use.

dawnerd 8y ago

Also have to be careful with DE. If you try to vacuum it up you’ll probably end up with a ruined vacuum, at least according to a lot of people online - I don’t want to find out for myself.

cannonedhamster 8y ago
My wife vacuumed it daily for 2 weeks. It didn't seem to affect our Dyson, that's still going strong months later.
- dawnerd 8y ago
  Dyson should be safe, they filter out a lot more than cheaper vacs. Some more info: https://www.saferbrand.com/articles/clean-up-diatomaceous-earth https://www.saferbrand.com/articles/clean-up-diatomaceous-ea...

cannonedhamster 8y ago

Doesn't work all that great on fleas. We had a bad flea infestation and it basically took my wife on her hands and knees with a can of Hot Shot flea killer. Bug bombs did nothing. Took us nearly 2 weeks of this to get the area clear, but it eventually worked.