It’s that time of year when static cling decides to make itself known.  That cute sweater dress that looked so great in the fall is now sticking to you like glue (you don’t want to be seen walking down the street tugging at your dress like Lily Allen) .  While there are many fabric softeners and dryer sheets that advertise themselves as static cling prevention, the majority of these products are filled with chemicals that are not good for you or the planet.  Never fear, though, because there are several ways to get rid of static cling that are easy and chemical free:

1.Air dry your clothes!  Static cling is caused by friction between materials, especially when the materials are dry and there is low humidity, which happens when you machine-dry your clothes in the winter.  Wash  your clothes and then use a drying rack as the easiest way to avoid static cling.

2. If you can’t wait for your clothes to air dry, toss them in the dryer, but take them out before they are 100% dry.  Hang them on a drying rack and that 10% or so of moisture left in the clothes will create some humidity that will prevent static cling.

3. Machine-dry cotton clothes only.  Synthetics like nylon, rayon, and polyester are the culprits of most static cling tragedies.  Learn more tips at the Grinning Planet.

4. This site recommends adding 1/4 cup vinegar and 1/4 cup borax to your wash load.

5. They also recommend the “metal hanger trick” for clean clothes:  “Put on the garment. If it is a skirt or dress, simply reach up underneath it with a metal hanger and brush the inside of the garment with it, top to bottom. If it’s pants, elongate the hanger and reach up inside each pant leg, brushing downward.”

6.  Try using natural fabric softeners by companies like Seventh Generation, which uses vegetable-based ingredients instead of chemicals.

How do you avoid or get rid of static cling in the winter?  Share your thoughts in our comments section!

Project Laundry List, one of our favorite environmental non-profits in New Hampshire, recently held a “A Touch of Color” clothesline competition in Concord.  This was the first year of the annual competition and 14 businesses participated, including our Goodwill store in Concord!

The purpose of the competition is to install creative window displays with clotheslines, educating the local  community of the many “green” benefits of clothesline drying.  We have written about clothesline drying in past blog posts, but here are some more facts we learned:

1. Dryers use 6-10% of total residential energy use.

2. Americans use more energy on drying their laundry than Africans uses on all their consumption needs.

3. Some communities prohibit clotheslines, ostensibly, for aesthetic reasons.

4. Hang drying your laundry is better on your wallet and on the environment

5. For many people, hanging out clothes is a therapeutic activity.

6. There are numerous different sizes and styles of drying rack/lines available for individual needs and accommodations.

7. April 19 is National Hanging Out Day, a day of recognition and celebration for hang drying.

8. Alex Lee, Executive Director of Project Laundry List lives in Concord, NH

We look forward to participating in the competition again next year!  Enjoy the pictures below!