Posted by Les Mauvaises Herbes
What can you NOT do with diatomaceous earth?
Nothing.
End of article.
Hahahaha! I'm kidding, but that's not far from the truth! Diatomaceous earth is kind of magic.
It's a natural ingredient that can be used just about anywhere: around the house, with pets, in the garden and with houseplants, and on your face and underarms! Everywhere.
If I had to make a top 3 of the best minimalist, all-purpose ingredients, diatomaceous earth would definitely be on it, alongside Castile soap and baking soda.
Unfortunately, it's still relatively unknown! So I want to do my part to shed some light on this wonderful ingredient that every good granola-loving North American (like me) should have in their medicine cabinet and/or broom closet and/or garden corner.
What is diatomaceous earth?
You could classify diatomaceous earth as a type of clay, but it's no ordinary clay, oh no! It's in a category I'm inventing right now: the SUUUPER CLAAAYS!
Diatomaceous earth is an entirely natural substance made of silica from the fossils of diatoms, single-celled microscopic algae. These tiny algae fossils built up at the bottom of lakes and oceans millions of years ago. They're extracted and ground up to make what's called diatomaceous earth, which is mainly made of amorphous silicon dioxide.
So yes, it's clay made of aquatic organisms fossilized millions of years ago. Kind of wild, right? Anyway, the nerd in me finds that FASCINATING (and I'd bet Charles Tisseyre would too).
So what do we do with this magic clay?
So many things! I'll break it down by category to keep things organized and digestible.
To protect your plants (and your home) from invaders
Diatomaceous earth has an ultra-fine, powdery texture, but each particle actually has sharp edges invisible to the naked eye. These edges cut through insects' exoskeletons and absorb their fluids at the same time, dehydrating and eventually killing slugs, beetles, ants, mites, and other critters. Yum, enjoy your meal! Don't worry, it's only dangerous for insects. No risk for us!
Whether inside or outside the house, diatomaceous earth is also a big help against kitchen-invading ants, under-the-rug silverfish, fleas, bed bugs, and other unwanted guests. Just sprinkle it wherever they're found. You can focus your efforts along walls, near exterior doors, and in cracks and holes.
For houseplants infested with mites, gnats, aphids (or any other pest with an exoskeleton), sprinkle some on the soil to give your green friends a helping hand! With this trick plus our homemade insecticide, you'll be all set.
Same thing in the garden. You can put some at the base of plants or on the leaves (in small amounts), but avoid putting it on flowers. We wouldn't want to harm our precious pollinators!
Around the house
Fridge deodorizer
Yes, you read that right! Diatomaceous earth is SUPER absorbent. Put a small amount in an open container and leave it in your fridge to absorb bad odours.
Trash can & compost deodorizer
My personal trick? Use a spice jar with a lid that has small holes (you know, the kind that lets you sprinkle) and put diatomaceous earth in it. Every so often, sprinkle a bit in your trash can or compost to absorb the not-so-fun smells. You're welcome!
Carpet & textile deodorizer
Okay, I think you're starting to get the idea. Diatomaceous earth has a really strong deodorizing power: it absorbs odours wonderfully! You can lightly sprinkle it on your carpets, let it sit for 10-15 minutes, then vacuum. You can also find a slightly more elaborate recipe for this use in our book Remue-Ménage: homemade household products, a book I warmly recommend if you don't have it yet. You might be thinking: "Come on Marie, you're not exactly unbiased, you co-wrote it!" But I stand by it: judging by the testimonials and reviews people take the time to send us, it really does change the way people who get it do their cleaning!
Boot & shoe deodorizer
Check out our deodorizing powder for smelly boots and shoes recipe, made with diatomaceous earth. That alone will convince you!
For pets
Whether it's treating fleas and other parasites on your dog or deodorizing your cat's carpet, diatomaceous earth is really useful for your furry friends! Ô Poils talks about it in detail, and they know a lot more than us about our four-legged friends!
In our scouring cream recipe
Our scouring cream recipe has proven itself with our community! A big favourite, it's highly effective even with only baking soda as the abrasive ingredient. BUT. Let's say you want something a bit more elaborate and even more impressive, you can swap the white clay for diatomaceous earth. Let us know how it goes!
For oil spills
Diatomaceous earth's absorbing power is such that it makes an excellent tool for oil spills. Apply a good layer of diatomaceous earth on the spill, and let it sit for 12 to 24 hours before sweeping it up.
For your body
Face mask
You can whip yourself up a great face mask (for example, our lavandin & chamomile hydrating face mask recipe) or simply mix a bit of diatomaceous earth with water and apply it in a thick layer to your face. Leave on for a few minutes before rinsing.
Face cleanser
Personally, I use diatomaceous earth almost daily! I take a quarter teaspoon and mix it with a bit of water in the palm of my hand. You want a texture like a kind of thin milk. It's an ultra-natural mix, we can agree on that! Then I massage my face with the mix and rinse. It's so fine, gentle, and doesn't dry out the face, but it cleans deeply. Result: a fresh, clean face!
Gentle face exfoliant
This fabulous fine powder can also be used in a face exfoliant recipe, mixed with honey or a vegetable oil, as simple as that! There's no limit to your imagination!
Baking soda-free deodorant
Diatomaceous earth is a GREAT alternative to baking soda: it's not irritating, unlike baking soda, which can be harsh on sensitive underarms! Feel free to experiment by swapping the baking soda in our basic deodorant recipe for diatomaceous earth. You won't regret it!
Precautions
No worries, diatomaceous earth is super safe! But as with lots of things, there are sometimes a few small precautions to take.
Internal consumption
Diatomaceous earth is typically food-grade and can be consumed internally. That said, we invite you to do your own reading on the subject if it piques your curiosity! This is not our specialty, and our diatomaceous earth is packaged for cosmetic and household use, not for food use.
Handling
Diatomaceous earth can irritate the lungs and is pretty airborne! So handle it gently to avoid creating excessive dust. And don't go taking a big sniff straight from the bag on purpose, okay? Okay.
Are you convinced? In any case, writing this article re-convinced myself, and I'm off to make myself a little mask right now, haha!
Bye!
Marie xx
