It’s normal for anyone who discovers a bed bug infestation in their home to try out every home remedy and pest control method they see online to fix the situation. Some people soak their bedding in hot water, while others rely on natural remedies like using essential oils.
Many of you might have even come across anecdotes about dryer sheets and how they can be used to keep bed bugs away. Some people swear by them for eliminating bed bugs from their homes. But is it true? Do dryer sheets keep bed bugs away for good?
In this guide, we’ll delve into this home remedy and see if it’s actually effective in deterring bed bugs in your home or if it’s just a myth. Keep reading to see whether you can use your laundry dryer sheets to repel those pesky bed bugs once and for all.
What are Dryer Sheets?
Dryer sheets are thin synthetic sheets that you can toss in your laundry right when you’re about to dry your clothes. They’re awesome at reducing static in your clothes, giving your clothes a pleasant scent, and softening the fabrics to make them more comfortable when you wear them.
To use a dryer sheet, place it in your dryer before you start the drying cycle for your freshly washed clothes. One sheet is perfect for one load of clothing. Then, just sit back, relax, and let it do its job of softening your clothes and making them smell extra nice.
How to Use Dryer Sheets to Keep Bed Bugs Away?
Interestingly, some people have found a secondary use for their dryer sheets—using them as a bed bug repellent. Dryer sheets have pleasant, refreshing smells, such as peppermint and floral scents. Some believe that these scents will deter bedbugs from coming closer.
It’s important to note that there is no scientific proof that dryer sheets are effective at keeping bed bugs away. There is only anecdotal evidence of this belief online, where people rave about its amazing effects on pest control based on their firsthand experience.
The people who believe that dryer sheets work to keep those pesky bed bugs away get as creative as possible with where they place the sheets to work in their favor. Here are just a few ways they use them to eliminate bed bugs in their home:
Putting dryer sheets near your sleeping area
Since bed bugs like to lurk near their food source, they tend to stay near beds, as this is where they attack humans and feed on their blood. So, some people place dryer sheets under their sheets and pillows or between their mattress and box spring to deter bed bugs from staying in the area.
Stuffing cracks and crevices in the bedroom with dryer sheets
Bed bugs are also known to stay in cracks and crevices in homes because of their small size. People who believe the theory that dryer sheets drive bed bugs out will stuff these crevices and entry points with the sheets. These areas include floorboards and cracks in your furniture.
Placing dryer sheets in drawers and cabinets
Bed bugs also sometimes make a home out of your drawers full of clothes. So, some people place their dryer sheets in their drawers and closets, where their clothes are found. That way, they won’t have to worry about bed bugs getting to their favorite clothes.
Is Using Dryer Sheets Proven to Work for Bed Bug Prevention?
Unfortunately, there is no solid proof that dryer sheets work to deter bed bugs. Many of the anecdotes online are likely circumstantial. Perhaps something else happened in their pest control journey that drove the bed bugs out, but not the dryer sheets specifically.
The confusion that dryer sheets are effective against bed bugs may have arisen from a study by the Kansas State University and the University of Illinois which proved that Bounce dryer sheets are great insect repellents for fungus gnats. Sadly, there are no similar findings for bed bugs.
Another flaw in the theory that dryer sheets will shoo bed bugs away is that they won’t kill the bugs, they will simply repel them. So, these bugs might simply look for other crevices or parts of your bedding that don’t have dryer sheets near them and stay there instead.
In a nutshell, dryer sheets aren’t a reliable way to get rid of bed bugs, especially for serious infestations. It’s important to remember that the only evidence available for this theory is anecdotes from a few people. Realistically, it’s more likely that dryer sheets don’t work at deterring bed bugs.
A lot of pest control experts feel passionate about spreading the word that dryer sheets aren’t a reliable way to get rid of bed bugs in your home.
Four Better Ways to Keep Bed Bugs Away
Instead of relying on dryer sheets to keep bed bugs away, it’s better to go for preventive measures that are sure to work. Here are four different reliable ways to keep bed bugs away.
1. Repel them with a strong scent
The first way to repel bed bugs is by deterring them with strong smells. Bed bugs are quite sensitive to overpowering scents. After all, this is the main reason why people assume that dryer sheets will work. But instead of using dryer sheets, it’s better to use natural, essential oils instead.
Bed bugs hate the smell of tea tree oil, lavender oil, and citrus oils, like lemon or orange peel oil. Consider diffusing it in your bedroom before you sleep at night so that your room smells like these refreshing scents. It will relax you as you snooze but deter bed bugs from staying in the area.
These tiny insects also hate the smell of cinnamon. Aside from being overwhelming and strong, cinnamon contains eugenol—a chemical that is often used as an insecticide. So, bed bugs have a natural aversion to it and will run in another direction if they smell it.
To use cinnamon to deter bed bugs, sprinkle some cinnamon powder near areas the bed bugs are likely to hide, like cracks and crevices in your headboard and floors.
Bed bugs will also be deterred by the strong smell of rubbing alcohol. You can spray your bedding with alcohol right before you sleep so that the bed bugs scurry in another direction and are less likely to bite you.
Lastly, we have basil. Basil has a strong, distinct smell that bed bugs and other insects don’t like. You can either diffuse basil essential oil in your living area or place basil plants near your bedroom windowsill or table. Either way, the smell will deter bed bugs.
2. Keep your home clean
The messier your home, the more bed bugs will like to stay there. There will be tons of good hiding places for them if there’s a lot of clutter in your home, especially near your bed.
To make your living area less attractive to bed bugs, regularly vacuum your home. Focus your vacuuming on upholstered furniture, carpets, beds, and more. Consider reducing clutter as well by doing some regular spring cleaning.
3. Avoid washing your clothes in communal laundry facilities
Even if you have no bed bug infestation at home, you may pick up some of these creatures in your local laundry shop. If someone with bed bugs in their clothes uses the laundry machine before you, the bugs might transfer over to your clothes.
As much as possible, do your laundry at home with your own machine and dryer. If it’s not possible, go only to trusted laundromats that are particular with their sanitation and cleaning methods after each customer comes in.
Don’t forget to dry your clothes with high heat if you’re doing laundry at communal facilities. This helps kill any bed bugs that have found their way to your clothes.
4. Call professional pest control for help
Finally, call up pest control professionals if you don’t know how to catch the bed bugs in your home. These experts can assess your unique situation and create a comprehensive treatment plan for you. In no time, you’ll have a bed bug-free home at last.
Conclusion
Dryer sheets are amazing for softening fabrics and reducing static in your clothes. And while many people swear by their effectiveness in keeping bed bugs away from your mattress and other bedding, there’s no scientific evidence that this is the case. So, it’s simply a myth.
People believe that the strong scent of dryer sheets will help deter bed bugs from your sleeping areas. However, even if they do a good job of repelling bed bugs, these tiny insects will simply look for a part of your home that doesn’t have dryer sheets or strong scents.
If you want to get rid of bed bugs in your home, try other remedies, such as using strong, natural scents, keeping your home clutter-free, and washing your clothes only in trusted laundromats. And when all else fails, don’t hesitate to call pest control to help get rid of those bugs.