My laundry buy doubles as a mosquito repellent – I got the trick from my cousin who uses it in Hawaii, it totally works
A PRODUCT that’s typically used for laundry can also keep pesky mosquitoes away.
One clever woman has cracked the code to keep the itchy bites off, using a trick from her cousin in Hawaii.
Redditor Tiffylani shared the advice in a comment posted on the social media platform.
She responded to a pregnant woman on the hunt for a non-toxic alternative to traditional mosquito repellant.
The Redditor swore by her technique, saying it saved her husband from the critters.
It also potentially saves money by using a product many already have for their laundry.
WHAT TO USE
The Redditor uses a particular brand of laundry dryer sheets.
“A Bounce dryer sheet in your pocket for mosquitoes,” she advised.
Bounce Dryer Sheets are sold for $14.87 for a 200-count pack at Walmart.
“I don’t know why, but it totally works,” she added.
“My cousin uses this trick when she visits family in Hawaii and my husband was getting bitten by mosquitoes and she told him to stick one in his pocket and it worked.”
Another Redditor chimed in to attest to the effectiveness of the hack.
“We used to tie these in our hair at soccer camp,” she wrote.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
The laundry hack to repel mosquitos is nothing new and there is some science to back it up.
Many dryer sheets contain linalool — a plant extract that can keep insects away.
According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, it’s an effective outdoor mosquito repellant.
The experts also add that Linalool does not pose a risk to human health when used as directed on the product label.
Beta-citronellol, another compound found in dryer sheets, also can keep mosquitos away.
Derived from citronella oils, the product is an effective way to repel pests.
Many candles and other products use citronella in order to make outdoor settings free of unwanted critters.
The DIY mosquito repellent is easy to try — just keep a dryer sheet in your pockets.
You can also rub the sheet on your exposed skin when in a pinch, but always spot-test first.