One of the most popular and environmentally safe ways to kill bed bugs is by using bed bug dust AKA Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth (DE). 
DE is a fancy name for fossilized water plants (algae-like plants called diatoms) that are ground to a fine dust and used to kill bed bugs. It's popular because when placed in a spray bottle (duster such as a plastic ketchup container) and dusted into infestations, you avoid paying added fees for commercial (and often toxic) pest control solutions.
Warning! The diatomaceous earth you find at the pool supply store is NOT what you want to use! You want Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth which is a safe all natural pest control which you can find at your local feed store; you can also look for Fossil Shell Flour at other stores.
Another Warning! Bed bug dust (DE) works by absorbing lipids from the waxy outer layer of their exoskeleton causing the bugs to die from dehydration; this absorbent quality will also cause significant drying of your hands if applied without gloves. It is also dangerous to breathe, so MAKE SURE TO WEAR A DUST MASK!
This is a completely natural, environmentally safe way to win the war against bed bugs (also called chinches), so let let me explain how it works.
When the bug comes in contact with DE's microscopic razor sharp edges, their protective covering becomes damaged; without protection and exposed to the elements, the bug becomes dehydrated and quickly dies.
How to Apply Bed Bug Dust (DE)
You'll need three weapons. First, create a mixture of %40 alcohol (ethyl alcohol works), %40 water and %20 dish soap [the spray]. Second, you'll need to place your diatomaceous earth in a duster [the dust] and third, you'll need a powerful vacuum with attachments - used for sucking loose bedbugs out of their hiding places.
Bedbugs love to hide and do a great job at it! If you read the comments throughout my site, you'll see case after case where the victim went months without finding signs only to discover later that there was an infestation right next to them! Know where to look, see my bed bug checklist; I'll cover some of their hiding places below.
Phase One - Cleaning: We need to clean, and good. Wash bedding and surrounding material with hot water that is at least 120 degree in temperature. Items such as pillows, toys, extra blankets should be cleaned and sealed in plastic bags for further decontamination later.
Start by vacuuming the baseboards, cracks in the floors and furniture (bed frame, dresser, headboard, picture frames, etc). Don't forget about electrical outlets, but BE CAREFUL to make sure not to get the area wet or use conductive attachments!
Inspect that bed, again! Take the mattress and box spring off the frame and stand them on their side, vacuum along the seams, under tags and everywhere that bugs could hide. Take that frame apart and vacuum any cracks or openings such as where the frames connect - bugs love making their home there!
Don't forget the surrounding areas, such as your dresser, night stand, under the carpet, chairs, electrical outlet and even in your clock! MAKE SURE to discard the vacuum bag immediately after use!
Once you've vacuumed everywhere, it's time to have fun and spray (which kills them on contact!). Spray the mixture on/in all the seams, cracks, handles, buttons and labels (tags) of your mattress and box spring; if there are bugs, those that don't get wet may become agitated and show themselves. Use a flashlight while doing this and look for signs of bugs, such as eggs, stains (looks like someone dotted the area with a black marker). If you find eggs (they look like tiny rice, use a fine tooth comb or masking tape to collect them. Make sure to place any eggs in a zip-lock bag with a little DE and get them in the trash immediately (outside trash!)
Phase Two- Heat Treatment: Okay, it's not the type of treatment that you would receive from a professional exterminator, but it's good enough to further agitate the bugs into showing themselves :)
Take a hair dryer set to high and start blowing heat into all those cracks and crevices you vacuumed earlier. As bedbugs start to pour out of their bunkers, take that opportunity to spray them with your alcohol mixture and vacuum the fallout.
Phase Three - BedBug Dust: Now take the duster, filled with your food grade diatomaceouse earth, and dust into the bottom of the box spring - you can choose to make a small hole in the fabric or simply dust through the fabric to prevent damage. I prefer making a small incision and getting the dust into the box spring rather than having a film of white powder on the outside. MAKE SURE you are wearing a dust mask and gloves!
You'll want to spray the bed bug dust into all the crack and crevices you vacuumed - a light dusting will do fine. Placed under the carpet along the edges, it will help prevent future infestations. Bed bug dust can also be used to kill ants, mites, fleas and more, plus it's safe to humans (again, don't inhale it) and easy handle.
After your treatment, you'll want to make it as difficult as possible for future infestations to occur by doing the following:
- Prevent the bed bugs from climbing up your bed by placing the legs of the bed into a plastic bowl with an inside coating of Vaseline. When they try to climb up the bed, they'll become stuck. If you have a large infestation and catch a good number of bugs this way, please, send me the picture! I helped you, please help me show others how successful this DIY treatment can be!
- Fill cracks and crevices with the appropriate filler
- Tape any holes that would allow bugs to enter your box-spring
- Use a mattress cover that completely seals - one made for dust mites will work just fine
Visitors have successfully eliminated bed bugs using this exact same method, and truth be told, you'll have to do most of this anyway if you were to hire a professional exterminator!
ooh i hate these little creatures. my mother moved into a place and about 4 months into the lease we discovered the problem after my children stayed the night. needless to say cleaning commenced and an exterminator was called and did a spray treatment. 10 weeks later and 3 living room suits later the little bastards are still terrorizing anyone that dares to stay into the wee hours of night. i only wish i had found this sight then. i am so excited to hear of these bed bug dust treatments cause seriously who has thousands of dollars to get a heat treatment that may not be guaranteed. Can’t wait to post the results of my revenge!
Hi. I got DE but its not food grade. I put on gloves and a dust mask and just grabbed handfuls and put along the baseboards covered the whole room that I found the bed bug in. Will it still work? Do you recommend food grade because it safer ? Please let me know. I hope I didn’t do all that for nothing . :|
My husband had been getting bit, had Terminix out and they told me i did not have bed bugs, however, just tonight my husband was sitting in his chair which is where i suspected them to be, as he has never gotten bit in our bedroom. He said “wow, where did that bite come from?” and he raised his arm and there was another one, after the third bite started itching real bad he got up looked in the chair, and low and behold there was a bedbug full of blood.
I had put DE all around the perimeter of every room in my home 5 days ago. In light sockets etc, Well, we took the bedbug and put some DE on a paper plate and put the bedbug in it, within 2 hours this bug was dead!!!!! It looked just like a tick in a way, but small like a seed of an apple.
I found your bedbug trap using alka seltzer, so therefore I have my project set up and it is midnight I am going to bed. I will let you all know what the results are in the morning. It is suppose to attract them and trap them in. One project calls for dry ice the other project calls for Alka seltzer, I am trying both in my home.
I will rid these creatures from my home one way or another. I also can tell you that i know the DE is working as i poured my dust cup on white paper from my sweeper, and there was 3 of the stink bugs in there, and they just crumble when i tried to move them. One was about half dead, so i’m a firm believer of DE..
Have A Good night you all.
I buy DE at my local TSC~so far that is the most reasonable place to purchase it. Most feed stores have it, make sure to get the bags that have CODEX FOOD GRADE!! I am using DE right now to help my grandfather get rid of bed bugs, will post our experiences after a couple of weeks.
I went to a pet store and they didn’t know anything about this product. Can anyone advise what DE is used for in the pet context?
How much DE and water can I mix to make an effective solution? And is this mix safe to spray on clothing items? Is it safe for my children to come in contact with? If sprayed in their room , toys, shoes, closets etc?
Hi James,
You can buy bed bug dust (DE) at feed and supply stores such as pet stores, or online (such as eBay).
Where would I go to purchace this foodgrade DE?
I have been battling these pests for the last few months using pesticides and repelents, I appear to be winning, but since I rent a room, and only my room is involved, I feel breathing the fumes as I sleep is not helping my health. Though I have not been bitten in the past few months, I still see them on occasion, so I can not give up. But I do not feel that great in the morning.
A working alternative would be greatly appreaciated.
there is an epidemic of bed bugs on the street i live on…I have been doing some research and the diatomaceous earth seems to be a good product to use….so far I have only seen 2 bugs….and a squish mark on the bed where I put one to its death….wondering though if mixed with water can it be put into a portable steamer and used this way…I have been told that heat will kill bed bugs just wondering if the heat destroys the properties in the diatomaceous earth that kills the bed bugs
We spray alcohol at our school. We are told it will kill the eggs and live ones on contact but does not have a lingering effect. Only kills on contact. Is that true?
What would you use to spray the water/powder and what concentration strength?
Regarding DE and water – used in a garden setting, rain or watering the plants will eventually rinse away the DE. It’s not that DE becomes ineffective, but simply it get’s removed from where you put it originally. In an indoor setting, unless you are watering your bed or don’t have a roof, this won’t be a problem!
Hi Kathy,
A mixture of DE and Water can be found recommended all over the net with many stating it’s recommend by entomologists as a great way to get rid of bed bugs, and, many verify that it has worked for them.
If you find otherwise, let me know where you found the information suggesting otherwise will you? Thanks!
I heard when DE becomes wet its not effected any more?
Am curious about our pets…2 cats and 3 dogs…one dog and 2 of the cats sleep with us…we have been keeping them out in fear of them transfering the pests to other areas of house. Is this possible>. do they stay on the animals? do the animals get bites? all of our pets are on frontline and have been for years. Should the DE be spread around like a powder? or mixed with water as a spary or both?
I know people put food grade diatomaceous earth into their pet’s food for deworming, so I don’t think it will harm them. Any Veterinarian should be happy to confirm this over the phone.
I have 2 cats and a bird. Are these products safe for my pets?