End Static Cling Six Ways

The heat is on at my house and the air is dry—and the other day my favorite skirt was bunching up around my knees in a most unattractive way. I won’t use commercial fabric softeners because the chemicals and fragrances literally make me sick. What to do? I turned to the wisdom of Annie Bond to find out how to eliminate static cling easily, inexpensively, and naturally. Now my skirt hangs smoothly once again!

Here are Annie’s six simple tips for getting rid of that nasty static cling:

1. Add either 1/4 cup of vinegar or 1/4 cup of borax to your wash cycle.

2. Add 1/4 cup vinegar to your rinse cycle.

3. Use an eco-friendly fabric softener (seventh Generation and Ecover make good ones). These are made with vegetable-based surfactants, salt, and natural scents rather than chemicals that cause headaches and other health woes, and environmental damage.

4. Natural-fiber clothing is less susceptible to static cling, so purchase natural materials as much as possible.

5. As soon as you take your clothes out of the drier, shake them out.

6. If your clothes are already clean and dry and they’re clinging, use the metal hanger trick:

For skirts or dresses, put the garment on, then reach up inside it with a metal hanger and brush the inside of the garment, top to bottom.

For pants, elongate the hanger and reach up inside each pant leg, brushing downward.

Read more: Home, Household Hints, static cling

By Annie B. Bond

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Teresa W.

4:14AM PST on Jan 14, 2013

thanks

January 14
send a green star

Terry V.

1:44PM PDT on Oct 22, 2012

to each their own.

October 22
send a green star

Nils Anders L.

2:29AM PDT on Aug 31, 2012

Thanks

August 31
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Dolly Navina L.

5:57AM PDT on Aug 30, 2012

Thank you! :)

August 30
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aj E.

1:32PM PDT on Jul 10, 2012

interesting.

July 10
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KS G.

6:55AM PDT on Aug 12, 2011

Thanks for the article.

August 12
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NO EMAILS P.

12:18AM PDT on Mar 18, 2010

March 18
send a green star

12:17AM PDT on Mar 18, 2010

thankyou

Leanne B.

11:51PM PST on Mar 10, 2010

Great stuff thanks

March 10
send a green star

Dr Kathi A.

10:38AM PST on Mar 4, 2010

Can add conditioner & water [approximately half conditioner & half water] in a spray bottle [w/fine mist sprayer best] & sprtiz clothing that may cause static build-up in long hair, where the hair may come in contact W/clothing or coats. * Can also be used on shoulders & back of coats & jackets. It cuts down on static build up in hair in dry winter months. After spritzing, I normally blow-dry the area before putting it on.