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Explanation of Overcoming Static Cling and Flyaway Hair - Succeed in Understanding Physics. Also refer to physics, static electricity, positive charges, negative, attraction, fabric softener, dryer sheets, anti-static spray, polyester, synthetic material, ceramic ionizer hair dryer, Ron Kurtus, School for Champions. Copyright © Restrictions
Overcoming Static Cling and Flyaway Hair
by Ron Kurtus (revised 7 May 2008)
Two annoying effects from static electricity are static cling and flyaway hair. Static cling is when clothes cling together after being removed from the dryer. It also occurs when some clothes stick to the skin when they are worn. Flyaway hair is when your hair literally stands on end and goes in all different directions after combing it.
These problems can be reduced by treating the materials or eliminating the static electricity that causes them.
Questions you may have include:
- What causes these problems?
- How do you stop static cling?
- How do you overcome flyaway hair?
This lesson will answer those questions. There is a mini-quiz near the end of the lesson.
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Cause of problems
The cause of static cling and flyaway hair is that the materials involved become charged with static electricity.
Static cling
When clothes made of certain fibers—typically, synthetic materials like polyester—rub against each other or against dry skin to create static electricity. Such clothes will cling together when taken out of the dryer. Besides rubbing together, the water is removed from the material, as well as the surrounding air. Static electricity is more active in dry conditions.
With these materials, some take on a positive (+) charge and same have a negative (−) electrical charge, thus causing them to attract or cling. Clothing with similar charges repel each other, but that is not noticeable as is the clinging effect.
Some clothes made of these materials will also start to cling to your legs as you walk, especially on days were the humidity is low or the air is dry. The skin becomes positive (+) in charge and the polyester clothes gain a negative (−) charge, thus causing them to attract.
(See Materials that Cause Static Electricity for more information.)
Flyaway hair
When your hair is dry, especially after washing it and using a hair dryer, the various strands of hair may stick up and spread apart when you try to comb it. The reason is because the dry hair tends to collect positive (+) electrical charges when combed with a plastic comb. The individual hairs have a collection of positive charges on their surfaces, such that the hairs repel each other. The more you comb, the greater the charges and the worse the problem.
Even dogs can get fly-away hair
Flyaway hair occurs most often to people with fine, straight and dry hair. Those with thick stands, curly or oily hair seldom have problems with flyaway hair. Often, washing your hair too often with shampoos that strip the hair of its natural oils can not only be damaging to the hair but can also make it prone to flyaway hair.
One other cause for flyaway hair is wearing a hat or cap made of wool, acrylic or polyester materials. They generate static electricity when rubbed on human hair.
Stopping static cling
One common method to reduce or eliminate static cling on clothes is to use fabric softener in the washer, use dryer sheets in the clothes dryer or to use an anti-static spray on the clothes. Unfortunately, these are chemical solutions that may harm the environment and cause allergic reaction in some people.
Wash and dry
Methods to reduce potential static cling include:
- Put one-half cup of borax or one-half cup of vinegar in the washing machine during the wash and rinse cycle. These substances are said to naturally reduce static electricity on clothes.
- Wash and dry cottons and synthetic fabrics separately.
- Try not using the dryer at all for nylon and other synthetic fabrics.
- Do not dry the clothes completely and let them air dry the last amount.
- Spray the clothes with a light mist of water.
Wearing clothes
Methods to reduce clothes clinging to your skin include:
- Run a metal hanger over the skirt, nylon stockings or slacks before you wear them to remove the static electricity from the material.
- Use a skin moisturizer to reduce charges from building up when your skin rubs against your clothes.
Hanger can reduce static cling
Overcoming flyaway hair
The best way to overcome flyaway hair is to prevent the cause of it, which is overly dry hair that is combed or brushed with a static-creating object. Plastic combs and brushes with bristles made of certain synthetic materials do wonders in creating static electricity in your hair.
If you have problems with flyaway hair:
- Avoid stripping natural oils from you hair with a harsh shampoo or too much washing. Perhaps use a conditioner to moisturize your hair.
- Do not over-dry your hair with a hair dryer. The best type of hair dryer to use is an ionic ceramic hair dryer. That type of dryer takes out the static charges as well as dries without taking out too much moisture.
- Use a comb or brush that does not cause much static electricity. Hard rubber or metal combs work well. Brushes made of natural fibers should work. You need to experiment with what works for you.
- Avoid using gels, because they can actually dry your hair.
- If you wear a cap or hat, look toward cotton products.
Other, less desirable method to overcome flyaway hair include:
- Some hair stylists suggest passing an unscented anti-static dryer sheet over the top of your head to reduce flyaway hair.
- You can use a small amount of hair spray.
- Rubbing a very small amount of hand or facial moisturizers through your hair can help.
Summary
Static cling and flyaway hair are two annoying effects from static electricity. Static cling is when clothes cling together after being removed from the dryer. Flyaway hair is when your hair goes in all different directions after combing it. They are caused by rubbing the various materials together when they are very dry. These problems can be reduced by treating the materials or eliminating the static electricity that causes them.
Understand how to take care of things
Experiment ideas
Ideas of experiments to try concerning static cling and flyaway hair include:
- Compare different brands of dryer sheets to see which is the most effective in reducing static cling.
- Try some natural methods to reduce static cling in the wash and dry process to verify they work.
- Compare the tendency for flyaway hair with people with different types of hair (color of hair, dry or oily hair, etc.)
- Compare different type of combs and their effect on your flyaway hair
Resources
The following resources provide information on this subject:
Websites
Books
Top-rated
books on Physical Science
Mini-quiz to check your understanding
If you got all three correct, you are on your way to becoming a Champion in Physics. If you had problems, you had better look over the material again.
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Overcoming Static Cling and Flyaway Hair