This may be a trivial question..but I'm gona ask it anyway.We have two stoves going now, the cookstove and the living room,I'm keeping water on both but...my hair looks like a science experiment,I'm getting shocked by everything I touch,my house slippers now look angora and my longjohns are clinging to my legs!Anyone else in this state?In light of world hunger it's not something I'm obsessing over,just curious if there is some real simple answer.Blessings,,teri

-- teri m (mrs_smurf2000@yahoo.ca), December 08, 2000

Answers

Teri, years ago when wearing dresses and pantyhose a trick to deal with static was to use hairspray, just lightly mist, it would keep hose off dresses. Don't know if this will help but... Keeping water is a good idea, seems like there is much more static when conditions are dry. Try using a fabric softner in your clothes. Goodluck, I'm sure good answers will follow and am looking forward to them.

-- Tina (clia88@newmexico.com), December 08, 2000.

In the electronics industry we had a big static electricity problem here in the southwest and every one working on the electronics had to wear a ground strap. At a seminar on static electricity (SE), someone asked about clothing and SE. The instructor said our automatic washers are too good at rinsing the soap out as the soap helps the problem. When asked about fabric softener, she said it was nothing but soap. Just add a small amount of regular liquid soap to the rinse water and it does the same thing except smell good.

-- JLS in NW AZ (stalkingbull007@AOL.com), December 08, 2000.

We use a deiononizer unit available at Wal Mart. Its very similar to the units used at my place of employment. They probally have them on sale for Christmas.

-- Jay Blair (jayblair678@yahoo.com), December 08, 2000.

Jay...Is that what a de-ionizer is?for static? fuzzy farmer ...teri

-- teri m (mrs_smurf2000@yahoo.ca), December 08, 2000.

I use white vinegar in my rinse water and it seems to help. You can also use a small bottle that has a sprayer end on it and lightly squrit the fabrics!

-- Debbie T in N.C. (rdtyner@mindspring.com), December 08, 2000.

From what I understand, static is mostly caused by the mixture of different fabrics, one of them man-made, i.e. cotton and nylon. Try to wear all natural fabrics like cotton or wool. When you wash clothes, don't mix fabrics. Mary

-- Mary Fraley (kmfraley@orwell.net), December 08, 2000.

Dry your laundry inside. If you do a little every day, your air will constantly be humidified and you'll save $ on dryer electric or quarters!

-- Soni (thomkilroy@hotmail.com), December 09, 2000.

My opinion too is this is from dry air; I have one of those new-age kinda fountains goin on most of the time in the winter; it helps a lot, although it does use some electricity. Another thing is having a body of water somewhere in the house: you could keep your bathtub filled; or if you dont have one, even a sink I suspect would help some. Course it is best to have water available in direct contact with some heat source (like on top of a woodstove or radiator) so the moisture is distributed constantly), or have one of those humidifiers connected TO your woodstove, if its connected to a forced air system.

I believe makin sure your house is not TOO tight helps; people sometimes tend to go overboard I think with the insulation thing; makes it real dry inside,not to mention enclosing all kinda toxins in the name of energy efficiency.

Anywho, by the way, Teri, you're post was, as my kids say, way funny! You are a very clever weaver of words.....

Blessings,

-- Earthmama (earthmama48@yahoo.com), December 09, 2000.