How Can I Avoid Static Electricity Shocks in Cold, Dry Weather?

Without going too deeply into an electrostatics lesson, it's important to know what causes those static shocks so you can start avoiding them. Static electricity "refers to the build-up of electric charge on the surface of objects"—essentially, when electrons move from one surface to another through contact. If the surfaces are both insulators, they'll build up an electrical charge. One object will have a positive charge (because it lost electrons) and one will have a negative charge (because it gained electrons). If one of the charged objects then touches a conductor, like a piece of metal, the charge will neutralize itself, causing a static shock.

What does this mean for you? Well, you have a lot of insulators in your home, like the rubber soles of your shoes and that wool carpet in the living room. When you walk on that wool carpet, your body then builds up a charge it can't get rid of through the insulating soles of your shoes. Then, when you touch that metal doorknob... you know what happens. Dry air is also an insulator, so static electricity is even more common during the dry winter months.

One of the easiest ways to avoid static shock is to pay attention to what you're wearing and what kind of fabrics make up the furniture in your house. For example, Electrostatics.net notes that rubber-soled shoes are great insulators, and will build up a lot of static in your body when combined with a wool or nylon carpet. Instead, try walking around in leather soled shoes, or cotton socks instead of wool socks. Leather soled shoes are also great for grocery shopping, since shopping carts can often cause lots of static electricity.

Similarly, wool sweaters are common offenders, especially in the dry winter (when you usually wear them). If you sit in a chair made out of the right fabric, you'll build up quite a bit of static. Again, cotton is going to be much more friendly, so try wearing cotton clothes when you want to avoid nasty shocks. Certain furniture covers or antistatic sprays can help alleviate this problem, too.

You may have also noticed that often, when you get out of your car, you get a shock when you touch the door. You might have even heard that touching the door frame as you get out of the car can help, and that's true. Make sure you start holding the metal frame before you get out of the car, and you keep touching it until you're out of the seat completely. If you forget to do this, you can also touch the car door with your keys. Since the electricity will discharge through them, you won't feel a shock.