Steve Tvedten  Food Grade DE  Non-toxic pest control

from Jim West http://harpub.co.cc

Amazing Bedbug/flea/mite/spider/invisible etc., non-toxic solution

DE is extremely effective (personal experience), and has been in use by agriculture for centuries.  Just try it, and you will be amazed at how minor "skin itches" disappear, that you didn't realize were micro-bug related.

Now I'm posting the words of the master, Steve Tvedten ( http://www.thebestcontrol.com/tvedten.htm ), who for decades has run a non-toxic pest control service. 

From Steve Tvedten:

How to safely and effectively apply Food Grade DE - There are many creatures that can bite you or your pets including bed bugs, fleas, mites, spiders, ticks, etc. - one of the easiest and effective ways to control them all is with food grade diatomaceous earth (DE). First, you should thoroughly vacuum the infested areas (beds, furniture and floors) to remove as many pests as possible. Then, put on a dust filter mask and turn the vacuum around so that the exhaust points towards these vacuumed areas. With food grade diatomaceous earth (DE) in a pepper shaker, lightly shake out some DE so that it will fall directly into the vacuum's exhaust stream. A very light cloud of DE will then be lightly applied all over the infested areas. Do not enter any area until the dust completely settles. You can clean up any unwanted residues from surfaces that are not suspected to be infested using a Swifter or a spray containing Endust or simply a damp cloth. Properly applied DE either repels or kills most insects and arachnids and does not need not to be applied very often - so do so only as needed.

[jw:  I don't use a particle mask (not advising this for anyone else).  I hold my breath during the 1 second application, turn off the vaccuum cleaner, walk away, and let the DE settle for a few minutes.  I find adequate, one application per month.  It takes a few minutes to do this and it is amazingly effective.  Explains the why of a bird's dust bath.  Caveat:  Too much DE or not shaking the shaker to break up DE, before application to the exhaust stream, can lead possibly to a visible DE dust clump on dark clothing.  So shake first before the final shake into the exhaust stream.  This one shake is a fraction of a CC spread out over 100 sq feet, ie., very little DE is very effective.  Also amazing is the political promotion of "bed bugs", and the expensive testing and ineffective solutions (~$3000), i.e., evacuation of apartment, CO2 and heat treatment of apartment,  Bugs return anyway.  Air pollution can create itching and skin marks that resemble bug presence.]