Eliminating Static Electricity from Silk Clothes

Static electricity and silk clothing are not a fun combination. Dresses clinging to your body, your hair standing on end after putting a silk shirt on, or shocking people when you touch to them are all symptoms of static electricity that everyone would rather just avoid completely. Cold and dry climates have the worst problems with static electricity, which means that you probably have the most trouble with static electricity during the winter—a season full of dressing up and silk clothing.

• Layer: Wearing a cotton layer underneath your silk article of clothing can help eliminate much of your static electricity. Try a slip under a silk skirt, or a camisole under a silk shirt. This layer can keep your silk clothing from clinging to your body.
• Fabric softeners: One way to eliminate static electricity from silk clothing from the very beginning is by caring for your silk clothing. Wash your silk clothing with fabric softener. You do not need to use the fabric softener with every wash of clothing. Using it every third or fourth wash should be enough. It's best to handwash your silk clothing. The first reason is that silk clothing may shrink in the washing machine. A second reason is that using the washing machine can make clothing have more problems with static electricity. Also, make sure that you hang-dry your silk clothing.
• Fabric softener sheets: Besides caring for you silk clothes (which is a never-ending process), there are also some quick fixes to help get rid of static electricity. Use a dryer fabric softener sheet, and rub it on the inside of your silk clothing (and perhaps the opposite layer as well, whether it's your skin or another layer of clothing).
• Rub: Try rubbing your silk clothing together. This should help to eliminate some of the positive and negative charges that cause static electricity.

Static electricity is annoying, but following some of these suggestions can help it not be as big of a problem. Try to care for your silk clothing in the ways that you wash and dry your laundry. Layer your clothes so that your silk articles of clothing do not stick to you. Rub a fabric softener sheet or the clothing together to get rid of some of the electricity. Following some of these suggestions will make wearing silk clothing more enjoyable.