When & How should Diatomaceous Earth and other Pesticide dust be used in my Phoenix & Scottsdale Pest Control treatments?
When we give service most often people ask the question of how to properly use Diatomaceous Earth and other pesticide dust. Generally, that’s not true at all! Which is probably why millions of pounds of the stuff get misused and wasted every year! Here is a quick guide on how to use pesticide dust in the safest, most natural, and most effective way.
The types of dust we will be discussing are the ubiquitous internet favorite Diatomaceous Earth (DE) and other dusts with added chemical insecticides. It is mainly white powder. All of these types of dusts should be used in the same places and in the same way. They all have safety concerns attached to them, mainly inhalation, so the same precautions should be taken when applying them.
What Places Should Dusts be Used?
DE and other insecticide dust should be applied only in small enclosed spaces. Some of these places may include:
- Wall Voids
- Cracks and Crevices
- Block Fence Columns
- Weep Screeds and/or Weep Holes
Wall Voids
Sometimes, not often, it’s necessary to treat inside walls. When this occasion arises outlet covers can be removed and sometimes small holes can be made in order to puff small amounts of dust into walls. This can be effective because the dust puffs into a cloud and can do a good job of covering a lot of space inside the wall. it also is great in walls because it’s dry and thus doesn’t cause any moisture issues inside the walls.
Cracks and Crevices
Phoenix and Scottsdale Pest Control techs will often look for cracks and crevices that seem inviting for bugs to live in, and puff dust inside those spaces. Again, these cracks and crevices need to be enclosed enough that the dust doesn’t migrate out of the space too easily. These crevices also need to be in an area that stays dry in order to not compromise the effectiveness of the dust.
Block Fence Columns
Yes! Puffing dust into a cinder block fence is a great way to use them!
The most commonplace that I use dust is inside the columns of cinder block fences. These spaces harbor all manner of creepy crawlies but the worst ones are scorpions! Puffing dust into the cracks along the edges of these columns can make the inside a nightmare of a place to live for scorpions and their prey. The other nice thing about these fence columns id that the inside is relatively well protected from the weather so the dust treatment can last quite a long time in there.
Weep Screeds and Weep Holes
Yes! Puffing dust into weep holes and behind weep, screeds is a fantastic way to treat those areas!
A Weep Screed is a metal piece that is usually just a few inches above the foundation on many homes. behind the metal piece there is often a gap where a duster can be placed and dust puffed up into the void above the screed. Weep holes are little holes in the screed that can also be used as a place to puff dust into. These spaces can harbor lots of bugs and stay dry, making them a great candidate for dusting.
Where and how to use Pesticide Dust!
NO!!! Piling up DE and other dust in the open is not only an ineffective way to use them but can also pose health risks.
While used by many Phoenix and Scottsdale Pest Control pros, these dust can and are often misused. All of these dust, whether all-natural, like Diatomaceous Earth or those that contain chemical insecticides, can pose inhalation issues. DE can, over time, cause a lung disease called silicosis. As for the others, breathing in pesticides is always a good thing to avoid.
So many internet and word of mouth sources are telling people to pile this stuff around and even inside their homes that it just must be correct. Right? NO! Just because DE is all-natural doesn’t make it 100% safe to use in every situation and in any way you want to. The problem with using it out in the open, especially in the large quantities that I have seen, is that wind, or a foot, or rain, or many other things can kick it up and make a cloud of it to breath in.
The absolute craziest places that I’ve seen it used are out in the open INSIDE homes and on furniture! Inside a home that stuff will be floating around for a long time for everyone to breath in. Please do not use dust to treat carpets or furniture inside your home!
Need to Pest Control in Your Area
If you’re having a problem with pests…or you simply have a question about pest control…call NaturZone Pest Control at 602-476-1088 and ask for me, Jeffrey. I’ll be happy to speak with you anytime.
Till then, thanks for reading!
Here’s to helping YOU live Pest Free,
Jeffrey
PS. Call 602-476-1088 today for a FREE Consultation and FREE 58 Point Pest Analysis of your home or office!
We do Termite, Bed Bug, Scorpion, and General pest control in Phoenix, Scottsdale pest control Exterminators, Queen Creek, Chandler, Gilbert, Glendale, Peoria, Ahwatukee, Avondale, Litchfield Park, Cave Creek, Fountain Hills, Mesa, Apache Junction, San Tan, Waddell, El Mirage, Carefree, Buckeye, Verrado, Tempe, Sun City, Sun Lakes, Youngtown Paradise Valley, Gold Canyon, Maricopa, Goodyear, Surprise and Anthem!
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