Why People Put A Dryer Sheet In Their Mailbox (And Should You?)

Dryer sheets are common laundry room staples in homes, thanks to their ability to soften clothing and prevent static. Due to health and environmental concerns though, some households are moving away from these types of traditional uses. At the same time, some people are also trying out unconventional ways to use dryer sheets outside of the laundry room. One example is to place dryer sheets in mailboxes to repel bees and wasps, although this technique doesn't currently have any confirmed scientific backing.

Bees and wasps can be synonymous with warm weather. These pollinating species are important for the ecosystem, and they don't usually cause harm unless they're threatened. With that said, it can be concerning seeing swarms or nests around your home, as you certainly don't want you and your family to frighten the insects and get stung. There are several sneaky spots wasps can build nests around your home to be aware of. What's more, sometimes bees and wasps can try to take shelter or nest in more surprising places, including mailboxes. This can be a challenging place to tackle flying insect issues, as you certainly don't want you or an unsuspecting mail delivery driver to get stung. Experts always recommend using chemical insecticides as last resorts, which is why some mailbox owners have resorted to trying "natural" deterrents like dryer sheets to help prevent flying insects from hiding out among their mail.

Currently, there's no solid scientific evidence that dryer sheets may repel these types of flying insects. However, there is some evidence that linalool compounds in dryer sheets might repel fungus gnats in greenhouse settings, although this practice is not widely recommended just yet. It is likely these same properties that users of the mailbox dryer sheet hack are hoping might prevent bees and wasps from taking over their mail. This also explains why the hack is promoted on numerous blogs and social media channels. In fact, some postal service workers have purportedly used the dryer sheets themselves, although the U.S. Postal Service doesn't directly recommend this practice, either.

If you're wanting to try this pest management hack in your mailbox, it's unlikely that the dryer sheet will cause harm. At the very worst, the dryer sheet might get displaced upon opening the mailbox, or your mail delivery person might find the situation curious. The problem is there's no guarantee that this hack will actually work against bees and wasps. Instead, you might consider placing a dryer sheet in your mailbox just in case, and only when used in conjunction with other ways to help prevent these insects from accessing your mailbox. Fix any holes to make sure the box is completely sealed. Also, avoid planting flowering plants directly beside or underneath mailboxes to help reduce wasp and bee visitors. If you have persistent problems with bees and social wasps around your mailbox, this could be a sign it's time to call the pest control pros for help.