Can a Dryer Sheet Be Used to Remove Ticks After a Hike?

Unfortunately, the warmer weather also means it is tick season in the Hudson Valley. I can remember being a kid and rolling around in the grass all day but these days that is not a good plan especially if you live near the woods. Ticks carry a variety of diseases nowadays and they can be so small you won't see them until they have decided to set up shop on some part of your body.

Earlier this week I was skimming social media and I saw a post claiming you could remove ticks from your clothes with a dryer sheet. I thought what a great idea. The post said that you should wipe yourself down when you come in from outside with a dryer sheet. Apparently, it will pick the ticks right off your clothes.

As with all things we see on the internet I thought it would be a good idea to do a little research before I shared the concept that dryer sheets remove ticks. So what did I find? Not much, but I might have found the reasoning behind using a dryer sheet on your clothes.

According to a post from Forest Garden back in June of 2013 using dryer sheets in your pockets when you are outside gardening or walking around can be effective in repelling ticks, chiggers and other bugs due to their strong scent. The article however doesn't mention rubbing the sheets on your clothes to remove ticks.

So what is the best idea I know of to be sure your favorite jacket or sweatshirt doesn't have a tick hiding in it from your last adventure in New Paltz at Mohonk or on Mount Beacon? The answer is to actually put your clothes in a hot dryer. According to many sources that include AARP you dry your clothes in a hot dryer then wash them.

So feel free to walk around smelling like a fresh load of laundry but then be sure to put your clothes in the laundry dryer first as soon as you get home.

Check out some places you could go to try out this theory.

Pack dryer sheets for your next camping trip