Static electricity in your clothes? Eliminate it using easy and cheap DIY methods
How often have you been electrically shocked when picking up your laundry? Well, this is due to a build-up of static electricity in the fibers. This is a phenomenon that occurs especially in colder periods and can be prevented by using a fabric softener during washes. The softener ensures that the clothes do not rub against each other too much (friction causes static electricity to build up). Static electricity also builds up much more easily in synthetic fibers rather than natural ones (like cotton, for example).
Given this "natural" phenomenon, are there any DIY ways to deal with static electricity build-up in garments? The answer is "yes" - keep reading to find out more:
What causes static electricity to form in clothing?
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There are two main causes of static electricity: friction and dryness.
Friction causes the electrons of one material to be transferred to the other, creating a localized charge build-up. Meanwhile, dry air is a poor conductor of electricity, preventing the build-up from being discharged. As a result, there is a build-up of static electricity charges on the garments - to a certain point. Eventually, the localized build-ups becomes strong enough to "jump", producing the effects of static electricity that we experience.
So, how can we counteract static electricity from building up in our clothes?
DIY methods to eliminate static electricity from your clothes
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Preventing the build-up fof static electricity is possible, but there are no guarantees. That said, listed below are some preventative actions you can take:
- Iron hangers. Did you get an electric shock when putting on a pullover? Then this needs to be discharged: take an iron hanger and simply rub it on your head. In a few moments the "hair-standing-on-end" feeling will go away. The metal of the iron will discharge the pullover.
- Water. We metioned that static is caused by a lack of humidity. Well, overcome this by "wetting" your clothes. Just spray a little water on the affected garment to eliminate static.
- Hairspray. Using hairspray is also an excellent remedy for keeping the fibers of your garments static-free. Be careful, however: turn the garment inside out and spraying from a distance of at least 30/35 centimeters away.
- Dryer sheets. If you have no way to dry your clothes in the open air because of the weather, you can obviously use your dryer - but note that using the dryer can be a significant cause of static electricity. For this reason, you should use dryer sheets, as these help to discharge static build-ups.
- Moisturizing cream. In cold periods, your skin may get drier and, when in contact with clothes, this can also lead to static electricity build-up. So, what can be done for this? Well, keeping your skin hydrated with a moisturizing cream will certainly help.
Summary
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Static electricity is an "unfortunate" fact of life, but the foregoing (cheap and easy) precautions should help to reduce your exposure to it.
Did you already know about any of these tips?
