Why You Shouldn't Remove a Dryer Sheet in Your Mailbox if One Mysteriously Appears
When you check the mail, it's normal to see an assortment of envelopes and flyers ready for you to pick up. However, lately, some people have been noticing dryer sheets in mailboxes as well. And, although they're unexpected, it's important to leave them be. After all, they are actually being used for safety.
Confused? We get it. Sometimes, code words like "angel shot" or "angel cut with layers" are used to help keep someone safe. Other times, messages of safety or raising awareness are sent in ways like using certain colored porch lights. That being said, the dryer sheet being left in a mailbox is less of a coded safety message than it is a legitimate tool for your own safety and those around your mailbox. We'll explain.
Dryer Sheet in Mailbox: Why It's There
If you see a dryer sheet in your mailbox, that means that a mail carrier likely left it behind—intentionally. According to Reddit users, the dryer sheet actually helps to keep bees and wasps away!
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One Reddit user who's a mail carrier further explained: "We’ve found that [yellowjackets and wasps] hate scented dryer sheets. If we encounter a box that is a problem for nests, we’ll often put one in there and it does the trick.
So please, if you one day randomly see a dryer sheet at the back of your mailbox, just know that your carrier more than likely put it there to deter these Satanic creatures from building their home in it."
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Other Ideas To Keep Your Mailbox and Surroundings Bee-Free and Wasp-Free
The Reddit user who is also a letter carrier has explained that further action would be needed if there was a large nest inside a mailbox: "This should only be used as a preventative measure. I’ve never tried when there’s a huge nest so I have no idea if it would work. I just immediately leave a note on the customer’s door letting them know they need to take care of the nest before I can resume delivering their mail. It would be best to get rid of the large nest and then put a dryer sheet in to keep them from coming back."
Besides getting rid of nests and replacing dryer sheets regularly, here are some other ideas from Reddit users about how to kill or deter bees and wasps.
Rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle
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Permethrin
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Diatomaceous earth
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Hopefully, by trying different methods of removing nests around your home and yard, you'll be able to protect not only your family but those who come by to deliver packages and mail on a regular basis as well.
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