10 Ways to Reduce Getting Static Electric Shocks

10 Ways to Reduce Getting Static Electric Shocks. Electric shocks are annoying at best and dangerous at worst. During the cold, dry months, everyday actions like handling a doorknob, flipping on a light switch or touching your car’s metal frame are more likely to result in an annoying, yet harmless, jolt of static electricity shock. If you reduce or eliminate the sources of static build-up, you can get relief from shocks.

1. Choose Natural Over Synthetic Fabrics

Some fabrics, like nylon and polyester, conduct electricity really well. You are more likely to get a static shock wearing them because those electrons we mentioned earlier love great conductors. Try wearing more cotton or wool clothing when you experience shocks. Remember to include undergarments, pajamas, and bed sheets.

2. Use Dryer Sheets

The anti-static properties of dryer sheets balance out the electrons in your clothes with positively charged ions as they dry. This helps prevent them from clinging together in the dryer and also reduces your chances of static shock as you wear them.

3. Try Different Types of Shoes

Try different shoes to see which ones create the most (or least) shocks. Synthetic soles on a synthetic carpet are likely to cause shocks, while rubber and leather soles are best to reduce static shock.

4. Treat Your Carpeting

Having carpeting at home instead of wood floors puts you at greater risk for static shock. Certain measures can be taken to make your carpet less conductive to static electricity. Place cotton rugs on areas of the carpet that you walk across frequently as cotton is less likely than certain fabrics to conduct electricity and cause static shock.

5. Humidify Your Space

Static electricity is more active when the air and materials are dry, especially in the winter as heating the house dries the air. You can use a humidifier or boil water on the stove to put moisture in the air. Also, watering live house plants helps to increase the level.

6. Moisturize

Just like adding moisture to the air stops the shock, moisturizing your skin might also help. By hydrating your skin, you prevent the electrons from hanging around and distribute them across the surface and throughout your body. Hand cream is particularly useful because your hands are the most sensitive and likely to touch other objects.

7. Carry a Coin

As we all know, metal is a great conductor. So, in the same way sitting in your car might protect you from lightning, regularly discharging your electrons onto a coin can stop them from building up inside you. Constantly touching a small piece of conducting metal can distribute electrons in smaller, regular amounts. That means any shocks will be tiny if you can feel them at all.

8. Discharge Excess Static Throughout the Day

The best prevention is to drain off any excess static charges frequently throughout the day. Touching a grounded metal object, like a water faucet, is an easy way to do this. If static shock is a big problem for you, you can buy a static shock eliminator that you use to touch against the metal object first and draw the charge to it instead of your finger.

9. Invest in An Anti-Static Mat

The absolute best way to avoid static shocks is to install anti-static matting underneath workstations or desks. Anti-static mats are made of conductive materials, that distribute the static charge evenly across their surface.

10. Always Be Ready

If you have a tendency to build up static electricity, you need to be constantly aware of the possibility of getting a shock. You need to remember to ground yourself before touching anything metal, an animal, or even another person. With a little experimenting and by taking a few precautions, you can reduce static shock in your life.