Static electricity worsens in winter due to dry air. Touch metal often, add moisture or try natural fibers, Northeastern professor Ivana Dimitrova says.
Have you noticed that static electricity feels worse in winter? You reach for a door handle — zap!
Hang your coat on a metal hook — zap!
These small shocks can be both annoying and slightly painful. Static electricity is also why your hair might stand on end when you take off a hat or why your clothes cling to you and each other.
So, why does this happen, and how can we prevent the annoying zaps and static hair?
Most objects around us are neutral, explains Ivana Dimitrova, assistant professor of physics at Northeastern University. This is because their atoms contain an equal number of negatively charged electrons and positively charged protons.
However, when materials rub together, they exchange charges, Dimitrova says. Some lose electrons easily and become positively charged, while others, with more tightly bound electrons, gain extra electrons and become negatively charged.
“It depends on the material and how much this happens,” she says. “The result is materials with a slight excess of positive or negative charge.”
In the humid summer months, water molecules in the air redistribute these extra charges, helping to neutralize the materials.
“This works because water molecules have a positive and a negative pole, allowing them to carry charges away,” Dimitrova says. “Everything becomes nice and neutral again.”
In winter or dry climates, however, the air contains less moisture.
“There aren’t as many water molecules to redistribute the charges, so they build up,” she explains.
When we wear clothing or sit on a chair, constant friction builds up a charge. If we then get close to a conductor, like a metal object, electrons jump rapidly between us and the conductor, causing the zap.
“These zaps occur because there’s no natural way for the charges to discharge,” Dimitrova says.
We don’t always feel the buildup, but when it becomes noticeable, there are some ways to manage it.
Dimitrova’s general advice: Discharge yourself often by touching metal objects to avoid a big, painful shock.
Here are more of her tips:
You can use a key or a coin to touch a metal object, she says. The key serves as an intermediary conductor, reducing the intensity of the discharge by spreading the charge over a larger area.
You can also touch objects with your knuckles first. Knuckles have fewer nerve endings than fingertips, therefore, a static discharge won’t feel as painful.
In addition, adding humidifiers to your environment will add water molecules to the air, Dimitrova says, and prevent excess charges.
We can also be more mindful about what we are wearing, she says. Natural fibers such as cotton, wool, silk and linen — even their blends — generate less static electricity than most synthetic fibers such as nylon (polyamide) and polyester.
Synthetic fibers are far more prone to generating and accumulating static electricity due to their high insulation and low moisture absorption properties.
Wearing headgear made of natural fibers is more effective at preventing electrical charge buildup compared to synthetic materials.
Tools for combating static also include liquid fabric softener, fabric softener sheets, anti-static sprays, wool dryer balls and even white vinegar, which is a natural fabric softener.
Fabric softeners reduce friction by softening fibers, helping to minimize charge buildup.
Anti-static sprays work by introducing conductive agents, moisture-attracting substances or ion-releasing compounds that neutralize static charges on surfaces.
Similarly, dryer sheets can be used to rub car seats or office chairs, effectively preventing static charge accumulation.
Metal hangers, being a good conductor, can neutralize the charge on your clothes as well. Running a metal hanger against a clingy garment can help quickly eliminate any built-up static electricity.
Similar logic works for hair. Dry hair is more prone to static. Using heat protectants, conditioning treatments, moisturizing hair masks or oils helps seal in moisture. The treatments also reduce friction between hair strands, which helps prevent charge buildup.
Metal combs help absorb and disperse electrical charges, while plastic combs can worsen the problem. When a plastic comb rubs against hair, it attracts electrons, leaving the hair positively charged. This causes individual strands to repel each other and stand on end.
Static electricity is generally harmless, Dimitrova says. However, in certain environments, such as manufacturing facilities or areas with flammable gases like propane, a static spark can pose serious risks, potentially causing fires or explosions.
People working with computers or electronic equipment, like Dimitrova in her lab where she uses lasers to study cold atoms, often wear special grounding bracelets connected to metal workstations to prevent static buildup.
Other solutions include grounding floor mats, heel straps that connect the skin to the floor, and static-safe flooring materials or coatings.
“If you get charged up, it would immediately have a path for the charge to go, and you’re not going to destroy your equipment,” Dimitrova says.