Despite the sign, dryer sheets do not repel or kill bed bugs.
We were surprised to see an American welfare office select Bounce dryer sheets as a tool to combat an ongoing bed bug problem. The Mercer County Board of Social Services office in Trenton, New Jersey had been plagued over the last fews months with a few outbreaks that involved temporarily closing the entire building. In the employee washroom, a sign alongside the supply of dryer sheets, instructs the reader to wipe their clothing down with a dryer sheet if they find theselves exposed to bed bugs.
“We’ve set up some protocols just to be proactive so we don’t transport anything through the building just in case there is an exposure.”
A proactive approach is the right attitude, however, falling for an urban legend is a misstep. Headlines like, "28 Home Remedies to Get Rid of Bed Bugs" is a good indication the content is a false hope. Another tell-tale sign for skepticism - ensure the source is reputable and an authority on bed bugs. Websites like the New Love News or News Dog are the not an authority on all things bed bugs. Would you follow automotive advice from your doctor's website? Remember, if it sounds too good to be true...it probably is.
Procter & Gamble (P&G), manufacturer of the Bounce brand, have since released a statement:
“P&G has no scientific evidence that Bounce Dryer Sheets kill bed bugs and therefore don’t recommend our product for use in this purpose,”
