How to Stop Static Cling in the Dryer

Prevent static in the dryer for cling-free articles.

Clothes tumbling around in the dryer creates friction that then causes an electron exchange. The result is static cling, causing your clothing to cling together. To combat this problem, the goal is to positively charge the dryer environment and clothing. Preventing static cling is possible by choosing the right settings and filling your dryer appropriately. If you still experience problems with static cling, you can use commercial products to address it.

Things You'll Need

• White distilled vinegar
• Dryer sheet or dryer ball

Instructions

1. Add 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar to your washing machine during the last rinse. Vinegar acts as a fabric softener and reduces static cling.

2. Set your dryer to the lowest temperature and shortest time possible to effectively dry your clothing. Using high heat and over drying can cause static cling to occur inside the dryer.

3. Give your clothes plenty of room to move freely while drying. Placing too many clothes in the dryer can cause static cling to build up.

4. Toss a dryer sheet or a dryer ball into the dryer if the previous steps don't reduce static cling. These products have a positively charged coating that transfers to your clothing to eliminate static cling.

Tips & Warnings

• If your clothes still contain static after coming out of the dryer, hang them to dry. You can also use a static spray on clothing or wipe them from the inside with a damp rag to eliminate static.

• Some dryers use the static charge to determine how wet your clothes are when they dry on sensor mode. Do not use dryer sheets when using this mode; it prevents the dryer from accurately determining how dry your clothes are.

References

• LG Knowledge Base: What are Dryer Sheets?
• Seventh Generation; Tips from Sue: Stop Static Cling; Sue H.
• University of Illinois Department of Physics; Dryer Sheets and Static Cling; May 2009
• 1001 Uses for White Distilled Vinegar: Laundry