Get Rid of Static Cling

Static cling is the result of electrical charges that build up in your clothes due to dryness, friction, and other similar causes. There are a few tricks to use that will get rid of static cling quickly, but you may also want to consider more long-term solutions if static cling is a big problem in your wardrobe. Here's what you should know about getting rid of static.

Steps

Instant static fixes

Metal

1. Slide the affected clothes through a metal hanger. Immediately before putting your clothes on, glide a wire clothes hanger through the interior of the item.
   • The metal discharges the electricity, thereby removing static. You could accomplish the same task by running another metal item over your clothes.
   • You can also pass a metal hanger in between your skin and your clothes after putting the clothes on. In fact, it is best to use this trick either immediately before putting the clothes on or while the clothes are on.
   • This trick works especially well with delicate fabrics, like silk.
2. Hide a safety pin inside your clothes. Tuck a metal safety pin into the inside seam of your garment.
   • The metal discharges the electrical build-up in your clothes, preventing that build-up from shocking you or causing your garment to stick to your skin.
   • Place the pin on the inside seam of your clothes or any other covered area. Avoid placing it on the front or near an exposed hem, since others will be able to see it if you do.
3. Wear a metal thimble. Touch everything with the thimble before touching it with your bare skin.
   • As with other tricks involving metal, the idea is to discharge the electrical charge to prevent static. Touching any metal object will accomplish the same goal if you do not have a metal thimble.
   • If you don't want to walk around with a thimble on your thumb, you can tuck it away in your pocket and pull it out only as necessary. This may also help to reduce the amount of static building up in your clothes as you walk around.
   • Note that this trick is more effective at preventing static shock than static cling, but it can help prevent your clothes from sticking to your skin.

Changing your shoes

1. Change your shoes. Swap out your rubber-soled shoes for a pair made with leather.
   • Rubber accumulates electrical charges, and those charges are responsible for static cling.
   • Wearing leather shoes will help you stay grounded since leather does not build up electrical charge as easily as rubber.

Sprays

1. Spray hairspray on your clothes. Stand 1 foot (30.5 cm) or more back from your clothing and spritz the inside with a fine coating of standard hairspray.
   • The hairspray should be sprayed from a distance to prevent it from leaving visible traces on your clothing. For best results, focus your efforts on the areas of clothing that usually stick to you the most.
   • This trick should be done immediately before you wear your clothes so that it does not have time to wear off. You could also spray down your clothes after you have already put them on.
   • Hairspray is formulated to combat static in your hair, but it can work against static in clothing, as well.
2. Spray fabric conditioner on your clothes. Spray clingy clothes with a solution made from 1 part liquid fabric softener and 30 parts water.
   • This formula is only a rough estimate, but the amount of water you use should be much greater than the amount of fabric softener.
   • Spray the areas of your clothing that are clinging to your skin. Focus on spraying the inside of the clothing, where the clothes are most likely to rub against your skin.

Personal care

Moisturizer

1. Moisturize your skin. Apply the lotion to any area where your clothes stick to your skin.
   • By moisturizing your skin, you remove dryness that would otherwise attract the highly-charged item of clothing.
   • You can apply the lotion to your skin directly. Alternatively, you could rub a small amount on your hands and lightly run your hands over your skin to add a small amount of moisture.
   • Also rub lotion over your hands before removing laundry from the dryer or folding your clothes. Doing so prevents excess electrical charge from transferring to your dry hands and to the fabric.

Silicone styling

1. Use silicone-based styling products on your hair. Use silicone-based conditioner and styling products after you wash your hair.
   • The silicone in these products coats each strand of hair, creating a barrier that neutralizes electrical charges. With the electrical charge neutralized, static is kept in check.

Preventing static from occurring

Washing fixes

1. Add baking soda to the wash. Sprinkle 1/4 cup (60 ml) of baking soda over your clothes before starting the wash cycle of your washing machine.
   • For larger loads, you may need to increase this amount to 1/2 cup (125 ml) of baking soda. When used in conjunction with other static-neutralizing techniques, you can decrease the amount to roughly 1 or 2 Tbsp (15 to 30 ml).
   • Baking soda effectively creates a barrier around each garment, preventing negative and positive charges from building up and causing the garments to stick together or to themselves.
   • Using baking soda also has the added benefit of neutralizing odors.
2. Add vinegar to your washer's rinse cycle. After the washing machine completes its initial wash cycle, pause the machine and pour 1/4 cup (60 ml) of white distilled vinegar over your clothes. Restart the machine and allow it to continue its rinse cycle.
   • Vinegar softens fabrics, preventing them from becoming too stiff and dry. This also helps to reduce the amount of static build-up.
   • If you have a softener dispenser in your machine, you can pour the vinegar inside at the start of the entire cycle.
   • Do not use vinegar with bleach, as the two products combined can create a noxious gas.
   • White vinegar works best, but in a pinch, apple cider vinegar can also be used. You may not want to use apple cider vinegar on white or light colored clothing, though.
3. Toss tinfoil into the washing machine. Throw a small ball of tinfoil into the washing machine and run a normal wash cycle.
   • The tinfoil serves as a method of discharging positive and negative charges that the washing cycle may produce.
   • Only add tinfoil to the washing machine. Do not add it to the dryer, since this could pose as a hazard.
4. Use fabric softener. Both liquid softener and softener sheets can help prevent static.
   • As wet clothes are tossed around in the dryer, they build up an electrical charge that causes them to stick together or to themselves. Fabric softeners contain chemicals designed to stop that electricity from building.
   • Preventing electricity from building during the washing and drying cycles can make treated clothes less dry and less likely to build up static after hanging in your closet.

Drying fixes

1. Try dryer balls. Place one or two dryer balls in your dryer before you start the cycle.
   • Dryer balls are designed to soften clothes without the use of chemical softeners. They help prevent clothes from becoming too stiff, and stiff clothes are more likely to develop static cling than softened clothes.
   • Dryer balls also minimize the amount of contact fabrics have with one another in the machine. Electrical charges build up in fabric as one piece rubs up against another, so minimizing this contact also minimizes static.
2. Place a damp washcloth in the dryer. Switch the dryer to the lowest heat setting for the last 10 minutes and throw a clean, mildly damp washcloth or towel into the machine for the remainder of the cycle.
   • Electrical charges are more likely to build up when the air becomes excessively dry. Adding a damp washcloth to the end of the drying cycle prevents the air inside the machine from becoming too dry.
3. Shake your clothes after pulling them out of the dryer. Rapidly shake out each item of clothing as you pull it out of the dryer.
   • The idea is to prevent static from setting in. This only works if you pull the clothes out of the dryer as soon as the cycle stops, though.
4. Air dry your clothes. Hang your clothes out to dry completely or pull them out of the dryer before they completely finish drying and hang dry the rest of the way.
   • A good portion of the electrical build-up responsible for static clean occurs when wet clothes are completely dried out using warm heat. Air drying prevents clothing from becoming extremely dry, which also prevents it from developing too much of an electrical charge.

Adding moisture to living spaces

1. Run a humidifier. Place a humidifier on the floor of your closet, bedroom, or laundry room.
   • Using a humidifier makes the immediate space less dry. Placing it in an area where you store clothes can keep the air around those clothes semi-moist, which prevents many electrical charges from developing into static inside a garment.

Things You'll Need

• Metal hanger
• Leather shoes
• Fabric conditioner
• Spray bottle
• Safety pin
• Metal thimble
• Hairspray
• Baking soda
• Vinegar
• Tinfoil
• Fabric softener
• Dryer balls
• Humidifier
• Lotion
• Silicone-based hair products

Sources and Citations

See also

• Dry Your Clothes Quickly
• Dry Clothes Outside
• Keep Lint off Clothes in the Dryer
• Dry Laundry Without a Machine
• Use a Clothesline
• Prevent Cotton Shirts from Shrinking

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