Clothes can say a lot about who you are. Your outfit is an opportunity to make a statement about your personality to others, whether you are picking up groceries, going out to eat, or attending a formal event like a wedding. We like to look our best so that we can feel inner confidence, and that often starts with the clothes we choose to wear every day.
One thing that can quickly ruin an outfit and make us feel self-conscious about our looks is static electricity. It is a stationary electric charge that is created by friction between two surfaces. That charge can then attract substances like hair or dust. It can also make the clothing cling to our bodies when we wear statically-charged items.
Removing static from clothes can be a simple process, but you have to know the right tips to do so. Let’s talk about a few strategies to reduce or remove the amount of static electricity in our clothes so our outfits can help us look our best.
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Use Wire Hangers
Plastic hangers are frequently used because they are very cheap and easy to buy. However, did you know that this material is far more likely to produce static electricity when clothes are hung up on it? Wire hangers, on the other hand, are made from metal, which is a conductor. That makes them able to take away some of that electric charge from the clothes once they are hung up. This can help ensure that summer dress is always ready for a beautiful day when the sun comes out so you don’t have to worry about it clinging to your skin.
Wipe With a Damp Cloth
You are getting ready to walk out the door but suddenly realize your clothes are clinging to your skin in an uncomfortable and unappealing way. But you were really excited to wear this outfit and you are already late. Fortunately, one of the simplest and quickest fixes is to wipe the static areas with a damp cloth. Obviously, you don’t want it to be too wet as it will leave behind some darkened stains. But even a little bit of moisture can make a huge difference and reduce the electric charge in the fabric. A few swipes up and down should do the trick and return your outfit to normal.
Purchase Static Spray
Another quick fix if you are in a hurry is to use static-reducing spray. You can find this in many stores like Walmart, Target, or even grocery stores in the laundry section. The spray will neutralize that electric charge to reduce the clinging. Make sure you do not spray too much in one section and follow the directions on the bottle for effective use.
Use Professional Laundry Services
If you go through a lot of laundry, perhaps as a business, and items end up having a lot of static, then you may want to consider outsourcing your laundry tasks to a professional service. Or, if you want the convenience of keeping your laundry work in-house, you could always invest in a commercial laundry system. More advanced laundry machines and methods can reduce the amount of static electricity build-up when running those loads, making for less work in the aftermath of doing laundry to get rid of static.
Moisturize Your Skin
As mentioned previously, moisture is great for eliminating static charges. Since static involves friction between two surfaces, you can make one of those surfaces have a lower coefficient of friction to reduce that static. Skin that is properly moisturized is far less likely to create friction with your clothes throughout the day. For example, if you are wearing a fall wedding dress as a guest all day for the festivities, which could include dancing, static electricity can easily build up and make that dress cling to your skin as the day goes on. With skin that is moisturized well, the chances of this happening are reduced. Keep your skin clean and moisturized and you will notice that clothes do not become as statically charged as the day goes on.
Maintain Comfort and Great Looks By Ridding Your Clothes of Static
Static electricity in clothing does not just look strange, but it can also be extremely uncomfortable. Clothes that are not skin-tight can feel strange when they won’t stop clinging to the skin. To avoid this issue, you may need to take a little time to invest in these anti-static electricity practices. Keep your skin moisturized, use wire hangers, and consider better laundry machines to do your loads. In a pinch, you can always wipe the clothing with a damp cloth or use a static-reducing spray to neutralize that charge.
