I live in an apartment complex with indoor carpeted hallways. For the past couple weeks, there has been white powder that looks about like baby powder (maybe a little coarser) in front of one of my neighbor’s doors, spread all the way across fairly uniformly. I was wondering what was up with it, and then today I noticed that they seem to have added more to that door (a lot of it had gotten tracked away), and now one of the other doors has it too.
What could this be?
I’m guessing diatomaceous earth. It kills insects but is otherwise fairly harmless unless atomized and aspirated.
I figured it was probably some kind of pest control thing, and that’s what I was afraid of because does that mean they’re going to come in my unit next?? It’s already spread to another unit! They’re on opposite sides of the hall but pretty close. The new one is just two doors down from me. :eek:
Diatomaceous earth, boric acid or plain borax. Kills bugs.
I don’t know about you all, but I have a 70lb bag of DIATOMACEOUS EARTH for killin’ creepers in various places around the ranch.
Did I really just type that?
Yup. You did that.
Or it could just be salt, to keep out slugs. Try tasting/snorting it.
I figure it is most likely salt to deter ghosts and all variety of demons. And if they are blocked from entering your neighbor’s place, where do you think they are heading, neighbor?
You live near the world’s sloppiest coke dealer?
Should you use kosher salt to keep dybbukim away?
It’s responses like this that caused me to join the SDMB. 
If this neighbor is prone to muttering under his breath about the CIA, Obama and government plots, and grows castor beans, I’d be a bit more worried about that white powder.
I told my daughter to taste it and report back but she wouldn’t 
But no, we’re on the fourth floor and it’s indoors, no sluggies.
I don’t care, that’s better than bugs! There was an ant problem, those tiny little ants, at my last apartment and I almost had to kill myself to escape them. I couldn’t even just leave, because twice I was at school and saw that I had brought one with me on my jacket! Ghosts don’t follow you around town.
Still better than bugs.
Maybe you could knock on their door and, I don’t know… ask them?
I don’t want to bother them and they probably don’t speak English anyway.
Not to alarm you, but diatomaceous earth is one of the only things that kills bed bugs (besides fire and stabbing with knives). We had in infestation in a share flat when I lived in London, and while originating in one room, they managed to get tracked through the house to rooms on the same floor and upstairs to my room (we think perhaps on footwear, but perhaps under their own steam?)
So I would be suspicious that your neighbours might have them, and if they do, it could spread to your place. No guarantee that’s it, but I’d be keeping an eye out. Horrible things.
For those of us that are hopelessly and tragically gentile, please translate dybbukim.
Okay you have definitely alarmed me. I guess I better ask management about it!
Shit shit shit, and I just checked and it’s actually the place next door, not two doors down! I wish the office was open right now.
Does he stop and comb his hair there?
Basically, evil ghosts. I used a pseudo-Hebrew plural form because Internet.