A couple of years ago, I applied food-grade diatomaceous earth (DE) under some pieces of furniture and along the edges of a carpeted room. Recently, I tried to clean it up and used a rented Dewalt shop vac for the job, making sure to wear a mask for protection. After vacuuming, I mopped the hard floors in the adjacent room and wiped down the carpeted area with a damp towel, also using Clorox wipes on nearby surfaces. I'm a bit anxious about whether I did everything correctly and if my home is safe now. Just looking for some validation for my cleaning efforts!
4 Answers
Next time, if you're vacuuming up fine dust like DE, consider using a filter bag in your shop vac. The standard filters don't handle fine particles very well, and they can end up in the air.
Honestly, it seems like you went a bit above and beyond with your cleaning. You're definitely in the clear!
You're good! Food-grade DE is nontoxic, so no worries there. Just a heads up: the shop vac isn't always thrilled about cleaning up DE since it's somewhat abrasive, but you did fine overall.
Did you really not clean in those two years since applying the DE?
I have cleaned, but mainly in spots that don't get too much attention, like under heavier furniture.