How to Get Static Out of Your Laundry

If you find that your clothes snap, crackle and pop alarmingly, or that you generate a spark with every step, try these simple remedies to minimize static cling.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Fabric-softener Sheet

1. If you're already wearing the clothes that suffer from static cling, wet your hands slightly and brush them over the surface of your clothing.

2. While doing laundry, separate the synthetic fabrics, especially nylon, from the natural fabrics when putting clothes into the dryer. A load of all-natural fabrics, like cotton, will rarely develop static.

3. Remove your clothes from the dryer when they are just barely dry; overdrying is the No. 1 cause of static.

4. If you still notice static when you remove the clothes from the dryer, dampen your hands slightly before folding the laundry.

5. If all else fails, toss a fabric-softener sheet into the dryer before drying the next time you do laundry.

6. For really stubborn clothing--like nylon slips that bunch up underneath your skirt--rub a fabric-softener sheet on the surface of the fabric. This coats it with a waxy antistatic film.

Tips & Warnings

• Some people are sensitive to the perfumes and dyes in fabric-softener sheets, and others are concerned about the potential environmental impact of the sheets, so try out the low-impact (and free) steps first.