ls and through outlets these nasty creatures that only go away when treated....and this company just ignores because all they care about is the money. the person with 20 years and no bed bugs why were you on this site if you dont have issues with bed bugs...questionable post.

t you should not breathe it. it's hard to find research, but people report longterm shortness of breath and asthma from exposure to the "freshwater" or "food-grade" forms of d.e. that are vaguely recommended for less risk. (other forms are a clear danger to our breathing.)

rumor is bed bugs disperse along hot water and radiator pipes or anything warm to infest new areas, so d.e. may be best for use inside of walls; also possibly under furniture and appliances where it will not be disturbed. you could dampmop it up after a few months.

it is probably not a good idea to vacuum d.e. because the dust is fine and may be dispersed, even with a hepa filter. who knows...i don't see any studies.

while boric acid kills insects that ingest it, it is not recommended for bed bugs because we don't know how to get them to eat it. however, though it might irritate our lungs, it is unlikely to permanently harm normal lungs, and exposure might gradually harm bed bugs. so might as well leave it in cracks and crevices in hopes of slowing them down.

by the way, lemongrass (smells great) oil or fresh herb, and neem (smells horrendous) oil or herb, are commonly recommended as repellents. so it might be good to use these regularly around bedding and appliances to discourage infestation...keeping in mind that repellents will probably encourage dispersal.

neem oil is also thought to interfere with the lifecycle of most if not all insects. other neem extracts may not repel like neem oil; and if they contain glyerin or glycerol, they may attract.

hmm, maybe if we eat lots of lemongrass-y thai food they'll leave us alone. a silver lining.

the block???

last but not least, wear a mask while applying d.e., and vacuum it back up in exposed areas, using a vacuum w/hepa filter, so you leave a thin layer but you're really not breathing it.

in these neighborhoods where the buildings are mostly touching, especially when the weather is nice because they like it warm, i wouldn't put it past the buggers to head out the window to someone else's place and back again. so treating your own apartment with extreme care, along with filling all cracks and entry points with d. earth to repel them may be key to any hope of achieving freedom from these critters.