As colder weather rolls around, the dryness in the air increases our possibility for that predictable little shock we get as we exit the car, walk across the carpet, or change clothes. A shock from static electricity is not a true electric shock, but a pain of hot sparks jumping to or from our fingers to our other body parts.

There are several ways to reduce or eliminate the risk of static electricity this season, some of which may surprise you. The air is naturally drier this time of year, which increases the frequency and severity of shocks, so increasing moisture is key.

In Your Home

  • Add a humidifier- this adds moisture to the air and decreases static electricity.
  • Walk barefoot or better yet, cover your shoes with aluminum foil. Either of these decrease static build up and our chances for getting shocked.
  • Moisturize your skin anti-static hand lotion can be rubbed all over the skin to reduce that unforeseen shock that starts with the hands.

In Your Clothing

  • Natural fibers again wearing natural fibers such as cotton, greatly decrease your risk of walking across the floor and being shocked.
  • Wear a thimble on your finger or carry a coin to reduce the static build up in your finger tips when you touch something.
  • Use dryer sheets add dryer sheets to your laundry drying cycle or rub on top of your clothes to minimize the static in them. Rubbing the dryer sheet on your hair can also eliminate the static that occurs when you brush it and it begins to stand straight up. Dryer sheets neutralize the charge that can cause static cling or unruliness.
  • Hairspray can also eliminate or reduce static cling in clothes you have already put on for the day.
  • Wire hangers glide the long side of the wire hanger across your clothing before putting them on to neutralize the static effect.

In Your Car

  • Rub the metal handle of the car door before exiting or touch the keys to the to the metal handle to transfer the shock away from you.
  • Dryer sheets also work if rubbed on a car seat to reduce static electricity.

These remedies will greatly help your chances of static build up and shock when heating your  home this fall and winter.