How to Use Bounce Dryer Sheets to Control Gnats

Bounce dryer sheets keep clothes static-free, soft, fragrant and are inexpensive.
Bounce dryer sheets keep clothes static-free, soft, fragrant and are inexpensive. (Image: Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images)

Fungus gnats are not a threat to humans or animals, yet their presence can be annoying. Bounce dryer sheets are actually effective at repelling adult fungus gnats, according to the HortScience website; however, more testing needs to be done to determine how best to use this product to repel insects. Fungus gnats emerge indoors from the humus-rich soils in houseplants, such as African violets, geraniums, cyclamens and foliage plants. Fungus gnats are approximately 1/8- to 1/10-inch in size and look similar to a mosquito with slender legs, a grayish-black body and wings.

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Pull a Bounce dryer sheet from its box.

Rub the dryer sheet briskly over clothing to keep gnats away from you.

Tuck the dryer sheet into your pocket. Your body heat helps circulate the linalool fragrance in the dryer sheet, thus repelling the gnats. Linalool is a monoterpene alcohol with a flower-like odor. This colorless liquid is used for making perfumes and cosmetics.

Cut a dryer sheet into strips and tape them to the sides of plant pots that contain soil rich in organic matter. This may discourage gnats from laying their eggs in the dirt and producing more of the pests.

Pull out a few Bounce dryer sheets and place them in unobtrusive areas around your home and greenhouse to repel gnats.

Tips & Warnings

  • Avoid rubbing the dryer sheet on your exposed skin unless you know it does not cause irritation, particularly if you have allergies or sensitive skin.


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