Here’s Why There is A Dryer Sheet in Your Michigan Mailbox

Sure, most times when you open your mailbox there are bound to be more things in there that you don't want. But you expect those things to be spam mail or bills, not something from the laundry room.

But people all across the country, including here in Michigan, will often retrieve their mail, junk'd or otherwise, and notice something else among the clutter completely unexpected: a dryer sheet.

"Well, I didn't put that there," you mutter to yourself, confused. And you are right, it was indeed your mailperson.

So Why Did My Mailperson Put a Dryer Sheet in My Mailbox?

Truth be told, you're more likely to notice this sort of thing when the weather turns warmer. It's then when bugs, especially hornets and wasps, are setting up their hives and nests. It's no surprise that they often call a mailbox home.

As the weather turns colder, those bugs are looking for somewhere to chill out where food can be readily available on a short trip, so the mailbox can still be a safe haven for them all year long.

Considering a mailperson is interacting with hundreds of mailboxes a day, the odds of encountering a nest of angry stingers are bit too high for comfort.

However, the solution is here and it's dryer sheets, apparently. According to a Reddit post via Reader's Digest, it's well known among mail carriers to carry a box of dryer sheets on their routes and place them in mailboxes to prevent those angry bugs from calling it home.

But Why a Dryer Sheet?

Simply put, it's the scent. These kinds of bugs hate those fresh scents that dryer sheets give off. It's quite similar to the reason orange peels work so well to divert critters from hanging around your front porch.

It's worth noting that this is a preventative measure, not always a solution to an existing problem. If you notice a wasp or hornet nest forming near your mailbox, be sure to get rid of it with more effective means than dropping a dryer sheet in the mailbox.

The dryer sheet is more effective at deterring the bugs from forming a nest in the first place rather than abandoning the home they've already built.

It's also good to keep in mind that once the scent fades from the dryer sheet, it opens the door for the bugs to invade the mailbox. Replace the dryer sheets every so often to help keep your mail carrier safe.