Sometimes you experience, clothes clinging to your body, hair standing on after removing a woolen cap, or putting on a silk shirt or even a shock when you touch someone, this is nothing but static electricity! Before we learn how to eliminate static electricity, let us know what exactly static electricity is. Accumulation of electrical charges on surface of a material, which is probably a non conductor of electricity is called static electricity. As there is no flow of current it is known as 'static'. This usually involves two materials, one having excess of (+) electrons and one having excess of (-) electrons. This happens when these materials are pulled apart or rubbed together. Static electricity effects include attraction, repulsion, sparks, or shocks.

As mentioned above, static electricity is caused due to pressing or rubbing of two objects against each other. This leads to triboelectric effect, where the electrons from surface of one material are transferred on the other. Hence, the one loosing electrons will have excess of (+) charge and the one who gains will have excess of (-) charge. Now that you have a fair idea of what static electricity is and how it is created, let's know how to eliminate static electricity in house, clothes and hair.

Learn How to Eliminate Static Electricity

Eliminate Static Electricity in Hair
Oily and straight hair are prone to this problem. Eliminating static electricity is easy by using a good conditioner for your hair. Make sure you do not apply it to roots or over scalp. Another way is using a hair lotion, hairspray, gel or mousse on your hair. Make sure you take it on your palm and then apply it over hair, not over the roots and scalp. One of the ways to eliminate static electricity from hair brush is to spray some water or hair spray on it. You can also wipe it with a dryer sheet available at general stores. You must keep your hair and the hair brush clean. Usually blow drying will lead to problem of flyaway hairs, so if possible keep hair slightly damp.

Eliminate Static Electricity in Clothes
Using a fabric softer is the trick to keep static electricity away from clothes. Use a fabric softener for the last rinse and wring cycle in your washing machine. Use dryer sheets to eliminate static electricity in clothes, especially woolen, nylon and polyester clothes. You can place these sheets inside sweater or any outfits or garment bag to keep away static electricity. Dry skin can make clothes cling to your body, so apply a moisturizer. You can use the following remedy to eliminate static electricity from clothes. During the last wash cycle, put ½ cup of vinegar or borax in the machine. Using outfits made of natural fabrics is the best idea, these do not have much problem like that in case of synthetics. Synthetic clothing usually clings to body, so wear a cotton layer in between your body and clothing.

Eliminate Static Electricity in House
Eliminating static electricity from house is not much difficult. Here are some easy ways to do so. Remember static electricity is produced due to dry conditions, so just increase humidity in your house. You can simply use a humidifier regularly. Use an anti-static potion spray over your furniture and carpets regularly. Place dryer sheets in each pair of your shoes. Reduce the use of carpets in your house wherever possible. Read more on benefits of a humidifier.

To eliminate static electricity and make your house static-proof, just opt for things that prevent the build-up of static charges. Using natural materials, humidifiers and skipping use of synthetic materials is helpful. Keep dryer sheets handy to avoid that irritating cling!

Static electricity can be a major nuisance, especially in winter when the air is drier. We've got a variety of homemade solutions to help you get rid of static electricity, electric shocks, and hair that stands on end.

 

It's the reason why your hair is a frizzy mess, your clothes look disheveled, and you get a shock each time you reach for a doorknob. Static electricity can be embarrassing and literally a pain that wreaks havoc during the winter months. When the air is dry, static cling is everywhere.

What Is Static Electricity?
Static occurs when electric charges accumulate on an object's surface; this is commonly a result of two materials that are moving apart or rubbing together. For example, rub your feet across a rug, then reach out to touch a doorknob or nearby person. That zap you feel? A charge of static electricity. Very dry air and cold weather increases static electricity, so static shock takes place more often in the winter when the air is especially dry.

How to Get Rid of Static
While there are commercial products available to eliminate static cling, such as Static Guard, there are also many homemade solutions to reduce this winter irritation. Here's how to control static electricity all around you.

IN THE HOME

- Humidifier: Raising the humidity level in your home via a humidifier will reduce random static shocks, static cling and static in your hair. The water particles in the humid air will break up static charge quicker. More humidity in your home will also limit electric shocks around computers and electronics, which can cause serious damage.

- DIY humidifier: For a budget-friendly humidifier, simply simmer water on the stove. Throw in a spice like cinnamon or citrus rinds and you'll also get an inexpensive air freshener.

- Bring in nature: Incorporate indoor plants and bowls of water around the house to add moisture to your home.


ON CLOTHES

 

- Dryer sheets: Stop static electricity where it starts by throwing in fabric softener sheets or dryer balls in the machine along with your clothes. This will minimize the fabrics' contact with one another. Already dressed? For a quick fix, simply rub dryer sheets over the clothes you're wearing to remove static cling. These sheets will also neutralize the electric charge in your hair. (Bonus: You'll end up smelling like fresh laundry.)

- Damp washcloth or towel: Placing a damp cloth in the dryer during the last 10-20 minutes of the cycle will help prevent the air from becoming too dry.

- Wire hanger: Glide the long side of a wire or metal hanger over your clothes to remove static electricity.

- Lotion: After a shower or bath, add moisture to your body. The lotion will act as a barrier and prevent static electricity from building up. Rub lotion on your hands, legs and even a small amount to your hair. Then gently rub your clothes to diffuse shocks directly there as well.

- Hairspray: Spritz hairspray on apparel that tends to be affected by static cling, such as areas on skirts, pants, pantyhose, tights or socks.

- Homemade Static Guard: According to to Joey Green, author of Joey Green's Fix-It Magic, mixing one cap full of Downy fabric softener in a spray bottle filled with water will give you the DIY version of Static Guard. Spray the mixture on affected areas of clothing.

ON CARPETS
 

- Homemade Static Guard: Sometimes there can be an immense about of static electricity charge in carpets, so much that you'll receive an electric shock every time you touch someone or something metal. To reduce the static and prevent shocks, the same mixture used on clothes can be applied to carpets. Shake mixture and lightly spray over the carpet.

IN HAIR

 

- Use conditioner: The combination of dry winter air and indoor heating often equates to a style-resistant, frizzy mess of static hair. Charles Igergan, stylist and salon owner in a Chicago -- an area known for its harsh, cold winters -- highly suggests stepping up your conditioning routine. "Every couple of weeks, use an intensive conditioning mask," says Ifergan. Using a rich conditioner will add moisture and reduce the static in your hair.

- Avoid wool hats: Wool generates friction, and as a result produces static electricity. Opt for cotton or cashmere headgear, or wear a satin bonnet underneath your wool cap to reduce hat hair.

- Brush it away: Spray hairspray or leave-in conditioner in a brush and comb it through your hair. Switching from a nylon or synthetic brush to one with boar bristles will also de-electrify runaway strands.

- Finishing products: Adding a few drops of silicone-based serum or conditioning oil to your styling routine will create a barrier that eases the electrical charge in your hair.

- Fabric softener sheets: These handy static-fighters are prime for taming flyaway strands, especially if you have fine hair and fear excess styling products. Slide a sheet over hair to get static under control.


IN THE CAR

- Clothes: To keep down static electricity, opt to wear natural fibers like cotton in the winter instead of synthetics like nylon or polyester. Synthetic fabric sliding along car seats can generate a substantial charge leading to those annoying static shocks.

- Fabric softener sheets: Once again, these handy sheets come to the rescue. Rub car seats with a dryer sheet every couple of weeks to reduce static cling and shocks.

- Metal: When exiting the the car, touch the handle before you slide across the seat. This will break up the charge instead of letting it build up. Also, before you enter the car, touch the metal door handle first with your keys or some other metal object. This technique will transfer the shock from metal to metal -- and you won't feel a thing. The "metal to metal" strategy can also be applied to household objects, such as doorknobs and kitchen towel racks using keys or silverware.