OUCH! Get rid of static electricity

QUESTION: Got any ideas? I’ve done a bit of Googling, but can’t find an easy answer – STATIC! I live in California and this extra dry winter static is killing us. We’re zapping each other, the cats, even the baby! Any ideas on reducing static electricity in our home? Static is worse downstairs for sure. We have 2 humidifiers running, but that doesn’t seem to help a whole lot. (2 story detached, 20 years old, only change from previous years – laminate flooring downstairs and a new couch when we remodeled last summer).

ANSWER: Oh no! Humidifiers are good go-to. So is moisturizer. Few questions… What’s the couch material? And did you do anything beyond just the new flooring? New baby…did you remodel a room for the baby? BTW: cats are great static electricity conductors. Plants can help. Spraying a mixture of cap-full of fabric softener with bottle of water can help reduce charge on clothes and carpets. If all else fails… touch metal before touching each other. It will at least transfer your zap before you can zap someone you love.

QUESTION: Thanks for the info. I did build out our loft into a baby room… so a new wall, insulation in the floor and interior walls (for sound) and windows. That room has carpet along with the rest of upstairs. Could that impact it? I was wondering about the couch too… it’s a microfiber with almost a suede like texture. I thought the laminate flooring might be the culprit too. We don’t use any fab softener due to skin sensitivity in everyone but me. I think it’s time to test a dilution on the family and maybe a larger humidifier. BTW – we can hear the cats walk downstairs as their fur moving against itself causes the little zaps – they are walking conductors! It’s both sad and funny.

ANSWER: Poor cats! Yes, the room and the couch sound like they’ve added to the problem. Petting the cats with dryer sheets might help them out, and it may sound silly, but rubbing the couch with dryer sheets might help, too. I would definitely consider adding a few plants to the house, too. Filling and refilling humidifiers can get annoying after awhile, especially when you have a little one to care for and enjoy. Let us know if this helps take the zap out of your life.