MANHATTAN, Kan. — A new study suggests a link between tucking Bounce sheets into your pockets and repelling insects.
Gardeners have been using this antidote for years, and experiments by researchers at Kansas State University and the University of Illinois have revealed scientific evidence that Bounce fabric softener dryer sheets either directly or indirectly repel adult fungus gnats under laboratory conditions.
Study details.
The two-year study was conducted and designed to determine the repellent activity of Bounce fabric softener dryer sheets and to isolate and identify the volatile components of the sheets.
Analyses showed a major component of the sheets to be linalool, which is found naturally in some plants. Though it is toxic to several mite and insect pests, little is known of its ability to repel insects.
Raymond Cloyd, professor of Kansas State’s Department of Entomology, decided to pursue the study after hearing claims that Bounce sheets repelled insects.
“Being a scientist, I didn’t just shrug it off,” he said.
More tests.
Cloyd said it is too early to foresee the effects this study may have on gardening or production. They still don’t know the longevity of the repellence effect or how far away insects can be repelled.
“We do plan on conducting another phase of the study,” he said. “We would like to do a greenhouse study with either the Bounce fabric softener or the oils we’ve been working with.”
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Only problem for me is that my kid is allergic to it!
Must they be the scented sheets or will the unscented work?
The study used Bounty’s Original formula. Those are scented.
I am curious of this would ward off ticks and chiggers as well? Hope to prevent the West Nile virus and others?
For over a year I’ve been using bounce in my closets on both floors to prevent insects. We have a very large house and 4 acres. We are aggressive in deterring spiders, etc. Addressing spiders today, they are extremely large and can be difficult to kill. A regular fly swatter doesn’t generally work. You have to keep swatting them, but in the interim, they scurry off. We bought metal ones which are more successful in stopping them. The spiders are quite large and plentiful in and out of our house. To completely prevent them, we try the following:
In addition to bounce, I reorganized all closets and pantries. They’re much less cluttered. All extra bedding in each closet are in plastic zippered bags for same. The same for extra clothes. Once a week, all doors to the linen closet, pantry closet, etc are opened and rooms are lit for a few hours. Spiders like the dark and secluded spots, so I ensure there are not many.
Once every 6 months, I try and set off a bug bomb, for good measure. It’s a bit of work, but I’m very pleased with the results. Honestly, I can’t believe it is working. We also have all the trees trimmed which spread towards are house. We have an abundance of frogs, lizards, snakes including rattlers- though they’re not as frequent. Another huge issue is ‘wood peckers’ which have ruined some trees, and created dry rot on side of house from their numerous holes. They’re protected so it will be difficult and expensive to get rid of them.