How to Reduce Static Cling in the Wash With Baking Soda

What is Static Cling?

• Static cling is a form of static electricity. In the laundering process, static electricity occurs in the dryer where there is friction between the materials being dried. Some materials are composed of negatively charged electrons and others are positively charged. When these materials are placed in a low-humidity environment like a dryer, as the moisture from the washer evaporates, the electrons respond to each other and are attracted, causing them to cling. While static cling is not necessarily bad, it can be embarrassing and cause sparks when you pull the clothes apart, which is the electrical charge. Sometimes the static cling charge can have an adverse reaction on electronics, so if your clothes are charged, you may have to ground yourself so as to not hinder how electronics work, or cause a power surge.

What is Baking Soda?

• Baking soda is a substance called sodium bicarbonate. This naturally occurring mineral is useful in cooking as a leavening agent, trapping carbon dioxide and causing bread to rise. It is also very handy as a cleansing product. Sodium bicarbonate maintains the pH balance and also acts as a deodorizer for smells and stains. As a naturally occurring substance, baking soda does not negatively impact the environment when it is used in the wash. In addition, baking soda is safe enough to eat, so there is no concern over chemical toxicity that can occur with commercial fabric softeners or anti-cling sprays.

Baking Soda and Static Cling

• When you add baking soda to the washer, you create a barrier that neutralizes the positive and negative electrons in the garments so that they do not stick together when they are dried in the dryer. Baking soda also removes odors and brightens clothing.

Directions

• Add 1/4 cup of baking soda to the final rinse cycle of the wash. This will create the barrier needed to eliminate static cling on fabrics when they are put into the dryer. To increase the anti-cling properties, also add a ball of foil filled with a teaspoon of baking soda to the dryer. Once the clothes are dried, brush off any excess baking soda that may have escaped from the foil.