When creepy-crawly pests show up in your home, the instinct is often to reach for the strongest chemical spray available—or call an exterminator. But before you do either, there’s good news: many common household pests can be eliminated safely, naturally, and inexpensively.One of the most effective tools can be food-grade diatomaceous earth, often called DE.Diatomaceous earth is a fine, off-white powder made from fossilized marine algae. Under a microscope, it looks like tiny shards of glass. To insects, that’s bad news. When crawling pests such as ants, cockroaches, silverfish, centipedes, fleas, or bedbugs come into contact with it, the powder damages their exoskeletons, causing them to dehydrate and die.The best part? Food-grade diatomaceous earth is non-toxic to human
