Some people swear by dryer sheets as bug repellant, even going so far as using them to repel ticks. Apparently, most dryer sheets contain the ingredient linalool, which can be found in plants like lavender, basil, and coriander, all of which naturally repel pests.
Ticks hate the smell of lemon, orange, cinnamon, lavender, peppermint, and rose geranium so they'll avoid latching on to anything that smells of those items. Any of these or a combination can be used in DIY sprays or added to almond oil and rubbed on exposed skin.
To Repel Ticks, Try Spraying Your Clothes With A Pesticide That Mimics Mums. When ticks come into contact with clothing sprayed with permethrin, research shows, they quickly become incapacitated and are unable to bite.
It's a modern old-wives tale: put a Bounce dryer sheet in your pocket while gardening and it'll keep away the mosquitoes or gnats. This may seem a bit far-fetched to those of us who have never tried it, but researchers have now found that there could be some truth in it, when it comes to gnats, anyway.
There is some anecdotal evidence to suggest that dryer sheets may repel mosquitoes, but there is little scientific evidence to support this claim.
That is, some dryer sheets do have characteristics that repel some insects. The bugs that are theoretically most likely to shy away from the dryer sheets are certain mites, food-infesting beetles, and weevils, German cockroaches, and, according to one study, fungus gnats.
Deter Insects
We may be fans of Vicks, but insects decidedly are not. Dab a bit on your arms, legs, neck, or other areas of exposed skin to keep bugs (including mosquitoes) at bay, however, it is not as effective at preventing bites as a commercial insect repellant.
Spiders and flies: Many of our readers have confirmed that dryer sheets will repel both spiders and flies. Keep a few extra sheets in clothes hampers and around the laundry area and you can kiss all those spiders goodbye.
Get Rid of Dust and Hair
Use dry or dampened dryer sheets to wipe dust and hair off of blinds, shelves, ceiling fans, window screens, and even plants. For television and computer screens, a dry sheet will remove surface dust and decrease static electricity.
We may earn a commission from links on this page. Some people have sworn by the power of Bounce dryer sheets—and specifically Bounce, too—to keep mosquitoes away from them, and gnats out of their garden.
Cedar Oil. Cedar oil kills and repels ticks by causing dehydration, inhibiting breathing, disrupting pheromones, and emulsifying body fats. You can find cedar oil spray at most garden stores, or you can also make it yourself. In a spray bottle, mix 1–2 teaspoons of cedarwood essential oil with 1 cup of water.
Wear long sleeves and pants when possible. Treat clothes and shoes with permethrin that kills ticks. This remains protective through several washings.
One study found that light colored clothing attracted more ticks than dark colored clothing. The same study found that clothing color did not affect participant ability to find ticks crawling on clothing.
Nothing does the job quite like rubbing alcohol. Not only is it famous for killing any bad bacteria in wounds, but it can also wipe out a tick for good. After you remove the tick, drop it in a cup of alcohol and place a lid over it so it can't escape. It shouldn't take time for the alcohol to do its job.
Scientists have determined that type A blood is the most appealing to ticks, followed by type O and type AB, and type B blood is the least attractive to ticks. In a recent study, 36 percent of the ticks gravitated to type A blood, with only 15 percent being drawn to the type B sample.
Repel Ticks, Bugs and Mosquitos
Many attribute the oils in Vicks in helping to prevent bug bites and ticks from latching themselves onto the skin. Vicks VapoRub contains cedarleaf oil, a mild pesticide which may actually repel insects.
Avoid using dryer sheets when washing bath, kitchen, microfiber or cleaning towels or rags. If you have children, avoid washing their pajamas with dryer sheets. The coating can make pajamas less fire resistant. Stearic acid coatings can disable the wicking capabilities of active wear and socks.
Other university studies demonstrate the effectiveness of dryer sheets to repel certain insects, including mites, food-infesting beetles, German cockroaches and weevils. These studies, however, do not show any significant impact as a mosquito repellent.
What Smell Attracts Spiders? The stinky smell of sweaty socks might repulse humans, but scientists now find it enthralls mosquitoes and spiders. The odor apparently helps the creatures hunt down their victims — the mosquitoes want to feed on people, while the spiders prefer to devour the mosquitoes.
Spiders really don't like strong scents such as citrus, peppermint, tea-tree, lavender, rose or cinnamon. Add 15 to 20 drops of your chosen essential oil or a couple of capfuls of Zoflora fragrance to a spray bottle filled with water, and spritz around the house.
The camphor oil found in products like Vicks VapoRub can repel blood-sucking mosquitoes.
There's no evidence that putting Vicks VapoRub on your feet will relieve a cold, congestion, or cough. But it might help moisturize your heels and relieve toenail fungus.
Citronella oil is a natural mosquito repellent that will kill mosquitoes and drive them out of your house. Look for citronella candles or use citronella essential oil in your vaporizer or oil diffuser.