Winter, known with less daylight and colder hours, is also known by the phenomenon of static electricity. This annoying event causes clothes to stick to each other and to us, as well as shocks that make us jump when touching certain objects.
What is static electricity?
Statics is the build-up of an electrical charge on the surface of an object. As the charge moves from one object to another, it releases electricity, producing a shock. It is directly affected by humidity.
Static increases when the air becomes cold and humidity drops. To stay warm in your home, you turn up the heat, which adds to a decrease in humidity and an increase in static electricity.
Although static electricity can be bothersome and sometimes painful, there are some simple things you can do to reduce it.
ATadd humidification
Probably the most important trick is to add water to the air circulating in your home. This can be done in several ways. First, a humidifier can be used to produce a continuous flow of humidity. This could be a unit placed in the room you are in or a humidification unit added to the heating of your home.
If you don't have a humidifier, you can place a pot of water on the stove and let it evaporate, adding moisture to the air. This can be especially nice if you also add things that smell good - like sprigs of evergreen leaves or a drop or two of essential oils like lavender or peppermint. Just make sure you don't let the pot dry out.
Use fabric softener
Another major source of static electricity is fabric, whether it's your clothing, upholstery, or carpet. Dryer sheets can go a long way in reducing static electricity in these cases. While you can't put your furniture in your dryer, you can rub a dryer sheet over the surface of the upholstery.
For your carpet, you can use liquid fabric softener or static removal sprays. If you are using liquid fabric softener, dilute with water and spray a little on the carpet - you don't need to soak the surface to get a good result.
To reduce static electricity in your clothes, try wearing natural fabrics, such as cotton. Anything synthetic will build up a charge faster and therefore create shock when you touch something.
Wear something metal
To stop the dreaded shock when you touch the door handle - first touch it with something metallic. This could be a key, thimble, or safety pin that you keep with you for this purpose.
Clean floors
And finally, keeping your floors clean by vacuuming, cleaning can also help reduce static electricity by reducing the amount of dust. The chiffon vert is here to help. get an estimate today.