How to Remove Static Cling from Clothes

Static cling is a huge problem at our house. 2 of my girls wear fleece sleepers/pajamas to bed and they create quite a bit of static.  Work-out wear, socks and polyester are all big static producers at the Hill House also.

Recently when I folded clothes, the static seemed to get worse!  Which got me thinking: I’m not totally sure I understand what static cling is or where it comes from.  So I can’t eliminate it until I understand it.  And of course, the internet came through for me.

There’s even a whole website dedicated to static cling. What Is Static Cling reports:

From the above, it can be summarized that static cling occurs if the following conditions are fulfilled:

• When there is friction between two materials
• The two materials are not the same but are electrically insulating
• Dry conditions exist with humidity at very low levels (this is conducive to the transferring of electrons)

So according to their explanation, the dryer is the perfect place for the creation of static cling.  The materials are not the same and there is an enormous amount of friction.

 

So how do you get rid of The Cling?

There are a few methods to rid your clothes of static, some green and some more traditional. Regardless of your preference, here are some ways to reduce the annoying static in your laundry.

• Traditional Fabric Softeners
  You know the ones: Downy, Bounce, Snuggle and others.   Fabric softeners come in the liquid form you pour into the final rinse of the washing cycle or they come as a sheet you put in the dryer.  They leave your clothes smelling nice and dreamy and are excellent at keeping static at bay.  The problem?  They get a bad rap for being potentially toxic.
• Any type of Dryer Balls
  Dryer Balls come in the form of wool or plastic.  I understand that people rave about the wool ones…but not so much about the plastic ones.  After reading many reviews online, it seems that their best claim to fame is that they keep the clothes separated in the dryer.  This one characteristic goes a long way in reducing static (re-read the how static forms at top of post).  Whether they interfere with the actual electrical charge is not well-proven.
• Aluminum Foil and Tennis Balls
  Again these items separate the clothes in the dryer, thus helping to prevent static cling.  I’ve tried them both and I would say that there is a significant reduction in static cling, but definitely not an elimination of The Cling.  But both items are relatively cheap, so they might be worth a try for you!
• Static Guard
  If you’d prefer to deal with static cling after the laundry is dried, you can try this spray-on product.  It claims to “instantly eliminate and prevent static cling.”  It works remarkably well in my limited experience with the product.  The only problem is that you must use it to address each article of clothing, rather than dealing with the entire load of clingy clothes at once.
• Line-drying
  Drying your clothes on the clothes line (or inside drying rack) practically eliminates the problem altogether.  It is rare that any item I line dry has the The Cling.  Just another reason to line dry your clothing items instead of tumbling them in the dryer!
• White Vinegar
  Lots of Mama’s Laundry Talk readers swear by white vinegar as a fabric softener.  For loads of laundry that are mostly cottons (bed sheets, towels, jeans) I use vinegar faithfully.  But for those loads where fleece or polyester is involved, I need something with a little more punch.  I do love that it is inexpensive and chemical-free.

 

So how do you get rid of static cling?  Any of the above recommendations?  Or do you have your own secret weapon against The Cling? Do tell.

 

 

 

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Tagged as: eliminate static cling, how to remove static cling, how to remove static from clothes, static cling