If you find a dryer sheet in your mailbox, you had better know what it means
When checking the mailbox, the first thing you expect to find is either a letter or a package, but these boxes can sometimes yield unexpected surprises. How would you react if you stumbled upon a seemingly out-of-place item such as a dryer sheet inside a mailbox? You would probably be as confused as the people reacting in the thread on Reddit.
The thing is, however, that there’s more to this humble household item than meets the eye. It turns out that dryer sheets play a surprising role in pest control.
A Reddit thread brought attention to the problems mail carriers experience while delivering mail because of the nests wasps make inside mailboxes.
The practice of placing dryer sheets has gained traction in certain communities, particularly in regions where the presence of wasps and other insects is common. It turns out that the scent and chemicals present in dryer sheets serve as a natural deterrent for these pests, and that is the reason why mail carriers have adopted this unconventional method as a proactive measure to minimize the likelihood of stings.
The reason why wasps would build their nests inside mailboxes is because they are protected, concealed, and warm during the night.
Some of the chemicals and fragrances in dryer sheets are linalool, alpha-terpineol, and benzyl acetate, all known to repel insects.