TIMMINS -- Some black bears are attracted to bird feeders or the smell of household garbage. But a bear in the Timmins area has a nose for laundry detergent.

In the past month, the bear has been making regular visits to a home in South Porcupine, just a few kilometres east of Timmins.

"We've had bears come here for the past 28 years and never once has one taken interest in our laundry, so we're not sure why this one is interested in laundry," said Lynda Huot, homeowner in South Porcupine.

On three occasions, it has shown a keen interest in the clean clothes on the line.

"At first I thought someone was playing a trick on us, but he had left us a few little surprises that we knew it was a bear," said Huot.

She really wanted to catch him in the act and one night, her cat was jumping from window to window in the house, which made her realize something was going on outside.

She said it was exciting to finally see what the animal was doing with her family's clothes.

"He just comes, rips some clothes off the line and starts rolling in it," Huot said. "And it's dirty -- the clothes are filthy by the time he's done, but never has he ruined any clothes."

Huot can't really credit a particular detergent. She said she uses a variety. She also said the bear's actions won't stop her from putting her clothes on the line, but she'll just try to remember to bring them in at night.