The cold, dry months of winter tend to bring with them an increased amount of static electricity. Clothes start sticking more firmly to you, you shock the doorknobs, and everything you touch around the house and your hair stops obeying gravity.

You may also notice jolts of lightning on your clothes and bedsheets more often than usual. To rid your home of static during the winter months, you have first to understand how it forms.

Static occurs when two insulators rub together creating an unbalanced exchange of negative and positive charge on the surface. The friction in the washing machine results to static and clothes cling to each other. You may also find that walking on a woollen or nylon carpet with rubber shoes creates static.

The static is much worse during winter because of the dry cold air which acts as an insulator. You cannot avoid friction of objects in your home, but you can take the following measures to make your winter months static-free.

5 Ways to Keep Your Home Static-Free in Winter

  1.    Humidify Your Home

A drop in temperature reduces air moisture, making it a conducive environment for static. Using heaters also further dries the air. Add moisture to counter the static in the air using a humidifier that can run throughout the day and night. Honeywell is the best humidifier for large rooms.

Alternatively, boil water for a few hours on the stove with a lemon rind to give a pleasant smell. You can also keep indoor plants to help increase the air’s humidity.

  1.    Treat Your Carpets with an Anti-Static Chemical

A carpet is the central area of the house that creates a lot of static because of the friction that occurs when you walk on it. Treating the mat with a commercial anti-static spray can eliminate a significant cause of static in your home. You can make your antistatic with equal parts of water and fabric conditioner then wait for it to dry before stepping on it.

  1.    Use Dryer Sheets for Upholstery

Rubbing items with dry sheets rid them of accumulated static electricity. You can also toss a dry cloth in the dryer to keep your clothes from collecting static.

  1.    Moisturise

Dry skin is the perfect path for static electricity that gets to your bedsheets and your clothes. Immediately after showering, apply a generous amount of moisturiser to lock in moisture in the skin and keep static away.

  1.    Use Fabric Conditioner

Fabric conditioner is the most common static guard in homes during winter. Use it when laundering, and you’ll not experience clinging clothes with lighting again. You can also mix it with part water and spray on stubborn surfaces that tend to accumulate static.

Conclusion

It’s hard to completely escape static electricity during winter unless a sudden move to warmer, more humid climates is an option. However, there are ways to keep it manageable and under control without making drastic life changes.

When winter draws near, keep a supply of fabric conditioner, a humidifier, and several potted plants and static will no longer be a bother on winter months.

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