FAQs
Earthing| Ground Therapy Basics
1. The concrete sidewalk will ground you. Take a barefoot walk or go sit on the curb.
2. The copper cold water pipe in your home is grounded, so washing your hands and taking a shower will ground you. If you have access to the pipe, you can sit with your hands on it.
3. Other surfaces that will ground you include:
- Soil (Must be touching the earth. Cannot be in an enclosed box or plant pot.)
- Sand
- Gravel
- Rock
- Unsealed brick
- Bodies of water (like the ocean, lakes, and streams)
- Living trees
How quickly will grounding work?
Your body is a good conductor of free electrons. We have seen that when people are grounded in experiments with Earthing® Patches placed on the bottom of their feet (simulating standing barefoot on the Earth), they sometimes feel a tingling sensation moving up the legs. We associate this with the movement of electrons from the Earth up into the body. People say they often feel the same sensation when walking barefoot along the wet sand at the beach.
In our research, we have “clocked” the speed of this activity. It takes about 20 to 30 minutes to reach the upper body, such as your shoulder. A knee would be reached faster as it is closer to the grounded feet.
If I'm grounded and touch someone's skin, will they be grounded too?
Yes, as long as you're touching the person he or she will be grounded.
Is There Anything I Can Do To Enhance Conductivity?
Yes! There are a few things to be aware of:
- Internal hydration: When you are dehydrated, your body isn't as conductive. Drink plenty of water and consider adding trace minerals or a pinch of high quality sea salt to each glass. These additions help to support healthy body mineralization and the absorption of water into your cells.
- Skin moisture: Dry skin has more resistance and so less electrons will be able to enter the body compared to moist skin. Moisturize with high quality oils or lotion after showering while your skin is still slightly damp. (Always wait at least one hour to use Earthing or Ground Therapy products after applying oils, creams, or lotions.)
- Skin surface: A build-up of dead skin cells on the bottom of your feet or anywhere else on your body will reduce or block conductivity. Dry brushing, using a loofa in the shower, and/or pumice stones on your feet can be very helpful in maintaining healthy skin.
No, it's not. Throughout practically all of history, humans have walked barefoot on the Earth. They have sat and slept on conductive animal skins, and fashioned those skins into footwear. Living like this enabled our predecessors to absorb the Earth’s natural energy into their bodies at all times.
Over time, as we've "advanced" as a society, we've disconnected ourselves more and more from touching the Earth. Today, everyone is chronically disconnected from ground and as a society, we largely live our lives indoors.
During the late 1880s, a back-to-nature movement in Germany featured walking barefoot and sleeping directly on the Earth. For more on this movement, refer to the Earthing book.
At Earthing®, we're committed to spreading the message that we all need to reconnect. We encourage everyone to get outside and put their bare feet on the ground whenever possible. We've created products that allow you to be connected to the ground while you're sleeping, working, and living your life indoors.
PLEASE NOTE: THESE INSTRUCTIONS ARE NOT FOR THE NEW BLACK CARBON SLEEP MAT OR MATTRESS COVER. They are only for the silver-threaded Earthing sheets that are no longer in production or sold on our website.
It is necessary to wash your silver-threaded Earthing® sheet regularly following the directions below. Regular washing strips body sweat and natural skin oils from the silver threads, which helps to keep the silver threads conductive for a longer period of time.
DO:
- Wash weekly or a minimum of 2x per month
- Wash in a washing machine
- Wash with warm water, approximately 105 degrees Fahrenheit (40 celsius)
- Dry in a dryer on low heat or line dry
- Iron, only when necessary, on low heat
- Wait one hour after applying lotions or body oils before touching the sheets
DON'T: Everything listed below will ruin the silver threads making your sheets nonconductive.
- Don’t wash with bleach
- Don't use fabric softener
- Don’t use whitening detergents or oxi-detergents
- Don't use detergents with oils in them like lavender or coconut oil
- Don’t use dryer sheets
- Don't apply lotions or body oils on your skin right before bed
It depends on the water!
Pure water like distilled water or snow has no minerals or salts dissolved in it and so is a poor conductor of grounded energy. When certain minerals, such as salt, are added to pure water, then the water becomes conductive (as a result of dissolution that breaks the salt into its components, electrically-positive sodium and negative chlorine).
The following types of water WILL ground you:
- Ocean Water: It's full of dissolved salts and minerals and represents a superb conductive medium for grounding.
- Lakes & Rivers: They generally contain less minerals and salts than the ocean but they are still good conductors.
- Mineral Hot Springs: The high mineral and salt content will ground you.
The following types of water MAY ground you:
- Swimming pool: Yes if you have a salt water pool and the water is in contact with a metal drain pipe going into the ground. Normal tap water in a pool can also be conductive, but again, it needs to be in contact with a metal fixture going into the ground.
- Bathtubs, Showers, and Facets: Tap water contains minerals and salts and is conductive, but as with the pools, it must be running through metal pipes that go into the ground in order to ground you.
No. Ideally, you would be grounded 24/7 so sleeping grounded gives you a large block of grounded time, so it's a great idea in that regard. Additionally, because your body is undergoing its normal repair cycles while you sleep, this is a great time to be grounded.
The earth beneath your feet provides you with food and water. It gives you a surface to sit, stand, walk, run, swim, climb, play, and build on. It also provides you with something very surprising - electrons. When you touch the ground, the electrons flow into you. This is called being “grounded.” Earthing® products connect you to the earth's electrons while you're inside sleeping, working, and relaxing. Connecting to the ground by using our products indoors is called ‘Earthing.’
Trees are made of wood, which is an insulating substance that does not ground you. However, the sap of the tree is grounded and so trees do have the ability to ground you, especially when the tree is wet from rain or moist from humidity. The grounding effect from a tree isn't as strong as when you're in direct contact with the Earth because wood is insulating, but it is still generally present.
If you'd like to know for sure if a certain tree will ground you, test it with a voltmeter.
No, it's impossible to be grounded too much. (You can definitely be UN-grounded too much though!)
Most footwear today is made with plastic/rubber composite soles and do not conduct the Earth’s electric energy.
Shoes with leather/hide soles, which were the primary footwear material in the past, or specially designed conductive/electrostatic discharge shoes will ground you if you are walking on a conductive surface.
Please note: Dry leather isn't conductive, but damp leather is. When your foot perspires and moisture from the ground dampens the leather, the energy from the Earth is able to travel through the leather and into your body. Also, very thick leather soles may not allow moisture through, so a thinner sole is better for conduction.
New Earthing® flip flops are in production! Sign up for our email list to be notified when they are available.
NOT GROUNDED:
- Wood floors
- Vinyl floors
- Glazed tiles
- Unfinished tiles applied over wood, plywood, plastic, or vinyl understructure and/or tiles adhered with a petrochemical bonding material
GROUNDED:
- Unsealed concrete floors built directly on the Earth (polished is fine)
- Unsealed stone built directly on the Earth (polished is fine)
- Unsealed/unpainted tile attached without a petrochemical bonding material to a concrete slab that is built right on the Earth
Conductive Surfaces Include:
- Soil
- Grass
- Sand
- Gravel that is touching the earth
- Rock that is touching the earth
- Unsealed concrete or concrete with a water-based sealant that is touching the earth or a conductive surface
- Unsealed brick or brick with a water-based sealant that is touching the earth or a conductive surface
- Unsealed ceramic or ceramic with a water-based sealant that is touching the earth or a conductive surface like an unsealed cement slab
- Bodies of water (like the ocean, lakes, and streams)
- Living trees in the earth when you can make contact with the sap or the bark is moist/wet
- Living plants in the earth
Note: Moist surfaces will be more conductive than dry surfaces.
Non-Conductive Surfaces Include:
- Asphalt
- Vinyl
- Plastic
- Tar or tarmac
- Cut wood
- Painted or chemically-sealed concrete
- Living plants in a pot inside your home
Earthing® | Ground Therapy® Product Questions
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Our non-toxic Earthing® mats are made from our patented conductive carbon leatherette. The leatherette is a composite of Polyurethane (PU) resin infused with conductive carbon pigment. It has a buttery soft feel akin to a vegan leather. It has been 3rd party tested to be free of lead, Azo dyes, and phthalates.
Polyurethane (PU): This material is what makes the Earthing® sleeping mats so durable while being environmentally-friendly, breathable, soft, and flexible. This leather look-alike is consumer-friendly and safe, unlike older PVC leathers which were full of plasticizers and heavy metal elements like lead. It is vinyl-free and phthalate-free.
Conductive Carbon Pigment: Carbon is the 2nd most abundant element in the human body (after oxygen) and is what conducts the earth's energy. It also makes the mat naturally flame-resistant without needing to add harsh chemicals.
FABRIC BACKING: The sleep mat has a soft fabric backing made from a cotton/polyester blend that is latex free.
MAT STRAPS: The mat straps do include a latex yarn to ensure a secure fit to your mattress.
OFF-GASSING: Prior to packaging, the mats undergo a thorough off-gassing procedure to ensure a peaceful, grounded rest right out of the box.
CLEANING: The sleep mat may be wiped down using soap and water on a damp cloth or sponge. Don't ever spray with household products like furniture polish or Armor All® which will make the mat lose its conductivity. Air dry the mat. Never put it in the dryer.
Depending on the size of your mattress, you have a variety of options for what to buy and how to place it on your bed.
We offer a Earthing Elite Sleep Mat Kit (27" x 84") which can be used horizontally or vertically to cover a portion of your mattress.
To cover your entire mattress, we have our Mattress Covers that are specific to your bed size.
Yes, as long as you have grounded outlets and you may need an outlet adapter. Please see below for details about each type of wall outlet.
Please note: If you are outside of the U.S. your country may have more than one type of outlet so read this page in its entirety.
Ground Rod: The most simple way to use Earthing® anywhere in the world is with an Earthing® Ground Rod placed in the soil outside a window or door. This is especially helpful if you don't have grounded outlets.
Universal Adapter: Do not buy a universal adapter. Some universal adapters look like they have the Earth/ground connection but when tested they do not work. Others have loose intermittent connections that will minimize the benefits you expect from Earthing® products. If you do not have a grounded outlet, you will have to use a Ground Rod or have an electrician connect your electrical outlets to the Earth.
Voltage: Earthing® products do not operate on electricity, so it does not matter what the electrical current is in your country (whether 110 volts or 240 volts, etc). All Earthing® product connection cords do contain a current limiting 100k ohm resistor.
TYPE "B" WALL OUTLETS
Used in: The United States, Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, and parts of the Carribean
- Ensure your outlet is grounded. Check it with the Outlet Checker provided in your Earthing.com order or with a simple outlet checker you can purchase at your local electrical supply or hardware store.
- The cords that come with Earthing® products are designed to fit directly into the ground port (bottom hole) of your three prong wall outlet or they may be used with an Earthing® Ground Rod placed in the soil outside your window or door.
Please Note: Outlets with only two holes have no Earth/ground present. This is quite common in older homes. In this situation, you must use a Ground Rod or have an electrician come in and ground your outlets.
TYPE "I" WALL OUTLETS
Used in: American Samoa, Argentina, Australia, China, El Salvador, Fiji, Guatemala, Kiribati, Nauru, New Zealand, Okinawa, Panama, Papua New Guinea, St. Vincent, Tajikistan, Tonga, and Uruguay
- Ensure your outlet is grounded. Check it using a simple outlet checker that you can purchase at your local electrical supply or hardware store or buy the Earthing® Type I Outlet Checker. If you do not have grounded outlets, you must use the Earthing® Ground Rod or have an electrician come in and ground your outlets.
- To successfully use Earthing® products in your grounded Type I wall outlets, please use the Earthing® Type I Outlet Adapter.
TYPE "F" WALL OUTLETS
Used in: Algeria, American Samoa, Aruba, Austria, Azores, Balearic Islands, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Cape Verde, Chad, Croatia, El Salvador, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guinea, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Italy, Jordan, Korea, Laos, Luxembourg, Madeira, Monaco, Montenegro, Mozambique, Myanmar, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, Niger, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Turkey, and Uruguay
- Ensure your outlet is grounded. Check it using a simple outlet checker that you can purchase at your local electrical supply or hardware store. If you do not have grounded outlets, you must use the Earthing® Ground Rod or have an electrician come in and ground your outlets.
- To successfully use Earthing® products in your grounded Type F wall outlets, please use the Earthing® Type F Outlet Adapter.
TYPE "G" WALL OUTLETS
Used in: Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belize, Botswana, Brunei, Cameroon, Channel Islands, China, Cyprus, Dominica, El Salvador, Gambia, Ghana, Gibraltar, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Hong Kong, Iraq, Ireland, Isle of Man, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Macau, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Myanmar, Nigeria, Oman, Qatar, St. Kitts-Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Tanzania, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
- Ensure your outlet is grounded. Check it using a simple outlet checker that you can purchase at your local electrical supply or hardware store or buy the Earthing® Type G Outlet Checker. If you do not have grounded outlets, you must use the Earthing® Ground Rod or have an electrician come in and ground your outlets.
- To successfully use Earthing® products in your grounded Type G wall outlets, please use the Earthing® Type G Outlet Adapter.
TYPE "K" WALL OUTLETS
Used in: Bangladesh, Denmark, Faeroe Islands, Greenland, Guinea, Madagascar, Maldives, St. Vincent, Senegal, and Tunisia
- To ensure your outlet is grounded. Check it using a simple outlet checker that you can purchase at your local electrical supply or hardware store or buy the Earthing® Type K Outlet Checker. If you do not have grounded outlets, you must use the Earthing® Ground Rod or have an electrician come in and ground your outlets.
- To successfully use Earthing® products in your grounded Type K wall outlets, please use the Earthing® Type K Outlet Checker.
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Before you contact our Customer Support Team, please follow these instructions:
Previous Tester Version:
- When you turned the green switch on the Product Tester to the ON position, did you see the green light flash across the indicator screen? If not, replace the batteries and try again.
- Turn the green switch OFF and then ON again, ensuring the green switch is fully pushed into the ON position.
- Check that the metal disc on the bottom of the Product Tester is in full contact with the product.
- Make sure the Coil Cord is tightly snapped to the product and pushed all the way into the Safety Adapter.
- Move the Product Tester to a new spot on your product. If it lights up in one area and fails to light up in another, there could be wear on your product. Please contact Customer Support to discuss your options.
- Connect your product to the Safety Adapter with a different Coil Cord (if you have one available) and then test the product again.
Current Tester:
Connect your tester to a grounded outlet with a coil cord. Make sure your Earthing product is also connected to a grounded outlet.
Place the tester firmly against your product making a good connection between the conductive side of your product and the metal disk on the back of the tester.
Press the button on the front of the tester, a solid green light confirms your product is grounded. Test in multiple areas to confirm the entire product is grounded.
- If none of the above works, please contact Customer Support HERE.
Yes, as long as it's a three-prong surge protector/extension cord and you can connect the surge protector/extension cord into a grounded outlet in your home or office.
Direct skin contact is always best. However, the Earthing® Sleep Mat or Mattress Cover may be placed under your fitted sheet with complete grounding success!
Shortly after lying down, perspiration and environmental humidity will hydrate your fitted sheet more than enough for your body to absorb electrons from the Earthing Sleep Mat and equalize your body with the negative electrical charge of the earth.
Helpful Tips:
- SHEETS: We recommend using cotton, bamboo, or a poly-cotton blend. Fully synthetic materials will most likely not ground you at all and we do not recommend using them over your Earthing products.
- PAJAMAS: If you choose to place your Earthing product under your fitted sheet, we don't recommend wearing pajamas. If you do wear pajamas, then please make sure your feet and hands are bare. (If you place your Earthing® Mat on top of your fitted sheet, then wearing pajamas and socks is fine as long as they are made of cotton, bamboo, or a poly-cotton blend.)
- SOCKS: Your feet are one of the most readily conductive areas of your body, so sleeping without socks is always best!
STEP 1: Test The Earthing Coil Cord
- Snap one end of the Coil Cord onto the front of the Product Tester.
- Touch the other end (the end that would go into the ground of the outlet) to the metal disk on the back of the tester.
- Press the button on the front of the tester, a green light indicates the cord is working correctly. If the green light does not turn on, then your Coil Cord may not be functioning properly. Please contact Customer Support for assistance.
Our conductive black carbon material is inherently antimicrobial and can be wiped down with a damp cloth.
For an occasional deeper clean, we recommend a simple 3-step cleaning process:
- Wipe down the outside of your product using a damp cloth mixed with a small amount of mild household soap.
- Use a clean, damp cloth to thoroughly wipe away the soap. (This prevents buildup which blocks conductivity.)
- Let your product air dry.
Important: Never use a cleaning agent containing bleach, disinfectants, oils, or whitening agents as they can ruin the conductivity of your Earthing® product. Never put your product in the washing machine or dryer.
STEP 1: Test The Conductivity Of Your Earthing Product
- Check your wall outlet with an Outlet Checker (not included) to ensure you have a grounded outlet. Next, plug the Safety Adapter (included with this kit) into your grounded wall outlet.
- Snap Coil Cord #1 (included with this kit) onto the front of the Product Tester. Plug the other end of Coil Cord #1 into the Safety Adapter.
- Snap Coil Cord #2 (included with your Earthing or Ground Therapy product) onto your grounding product. Plug the other end of Coil Cord #2 into the Safety Adapter.
DIRECT TESTING: Place the Product Tester firmly onto the conductive surface of your Earthing or Ground Therapy product. A solid green light in the indicator window shows that your product is conductive and ready to ground you.
TESTING THROUGH A SHEET: Add a drop of water onto your sheet. This mimics the body moisture created over time when contact is made with the sheet. Next, firmly place the Product Tester against the wet area. A solid green light in the indicator window shows that your product is conductive and ready to ground you.
If the green light does not turn on, then your product or cord may not be conductive. Please contact our Customer Service
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To Test An Earthing Coil Cord
- Snap one end of the Coil Cord onto the front of the Product Tester.
- Plug the other end of the Coil Cord into the side of the Product Tester.
- Turn on the Product Tester. A solid green light in the indicator window shows that your Coil Cord is working properly.If the green light does not turn on, then your Coil Cord may not be functioning properly. Please contact Customer Support for assistance.
- Turn off the Product Tester and detach the Coil Cord to extend the life of your batteries.
Yes, you can. Feet naturally sweat and will hydrate socks, particularly thinner socks and socks made from natural fibers like cotton and bamboo, which facilitate the ability of the Earth’s energy to rise up into the body.
You can wear thicker socks and socks made from synthetic materials, but it will take longer for the sweat to penetrate through them and create the conduction needed to transfer the Earth's energy.
Yes, you can! Even if the silver in your Earthing® fitted sheet is no longer conducting on its own, the semiconductive properties of cotton combined with your body’s heat and perspiration will allow the mat to work perfectly through the fitted sheet.
As long as the boat is connected to a shore power, an electrical outlet ground will ground you.
When a boat is not connected to shore power and is running on a generator, the outlets may not be ground. You will need to check with the manufacturer.
If your boat is in salt water, you can connect your Earthing® product to an Earthing® Ground Rod and dangle it over the side of the boat and into the water to ground you.
No, Earthing® products are designed to give you the same amount of electron transfer as you would receive if you were barefoot on the earth. They are the same.
The difference is when you go outside you're also receiving fresh air and sunshine.
Please check with the cruise company as in-cabin outlets may or may not be grounded.
Some pets prefer a softer, less filled Earthing® Pet Bed. It's very easy to adjust the thickness fill level of the Pet Bed's interior foam. Here's how to do it:
- Unzip the exterior, grounded Earthing Elite™ shell.
- Unzip the white bag protecting the shredded memory foam interior.
- Pull out memory foam until you reach the desired thickness level for your pet. (Save the foam for future use.)
- Zip the white bag closed. Zip the Earthing Elite™ shell closed.
- Your pet is ready to ground in unique comfort!
The Sleep Mat is 100% conductive and creates a perfect ground plane on your bed. Direct skin contact is always best. However, you can wear pajamas with complete grounding success.
Shortly after lying down, perspiration and environmental humidity will hydrate your nightwear more than enough for your body to absorb electrons from the Earthing Sleep Mat and equalize your body with the negative electrical charge of the earth.
Helpful Tips:
- SHEETS: If you wear pajamas, place the Sleep Mat on top of the fitted sheet so there is only the layer of the pajamas in between you and the Mat.
- PAJAMAS: Thin natural materials like cotton or bamboo allow the fastest and strongest grounding connection.
- SOCKS: Your feet are one of the most readily conductive areas of your body, so sleeping without socks is best.
Over many years of observation and study, we have found that there are three prime locations for placing the patches.
1. To target your upper body (from the waist up), place the patches on the palms of your hands.
2. To target your lower body (below the waist), place the patches on the K1 spot on the soles of your feet.
3. To target a specific area, place the patch directly on that area of the body, or adjacent to it.
TIPS:
- Use two patches on your palms and two patches on your soles, by purchasing either an additional Earthing® Patch Kit or two additional Coil Cords.
Yes, you do. Plugging the Coil Cord into the Outlet Adapter ensures you will have a tight grounded connection.
The Earthing® Outlet Adapter (U.S. version) included in your order is also a space-saving device that gives you the ability to use two Earthing® Products in a single 3-prong outlet within the U.S. Simply plug both Earthing devices into the Outlet Adapter and then plug it into one of your 3-prong outlets.
Please Note: Use the Earthing® Outlet Checker first to make sure your outlet is properly grounded before plugging in the Outlet Adapter.
Our conductive black carbon material is inherently antimicrobial and can be wiped down with a damp cloth.
For an occasional deeper clean, we recommend a simple 3-step cleaning process:
- Wipe down the outside of your product using a damp cloth mixed with a small amount of mild household soap.
- Use a clean, damp cloth to thoroughly wipe away the soap. (This prevents buildup which blocks conductivity.)
- Let your product air dry.
Important: Never use a cleaning agent containing bleach, disinfectants, oils, or whitening agents as they can ruin the conductivity of your Earthing® product. Never put your product in the washing machine or dryer.
For convenience sake, many people like to leave their Earthing® Patches on their body even when they're not connected to a cord.
Two to three days is the maximum amount of time we recommend leaving a Patch on your skin at one time.
When you remove the Patch, if you would like to put on a new Patch, place it in a slightly different spot so you don't irritate your skin.
You can reuse Patches as long as the gel in the center of the Patch is still making contact with your skin. When it's no longer making contact, throw the Patch away and use a new one.
Yes, you absolutely can take the Patch off when you are done using it each time. You don't need to leave it on for 2-3 days. It's a matter of preference.
If the adhesive on your individual Earthing® Patch isn't sticky anymore, this doesn't necessarily mean the Patch is no longer conductive.
What matters is that the gel in the center of the patch is still in contact with your skin. If it is, then the Patch is still conductive and you can use tape or Band-Aids or whatever works to keep the Patch on your body.
If the gel is no longer in contact with your skin, then discard the Patch and open a new one.
Earthing® | Ground Therapy® & Safety
No. The Earthing® products aren't connected to any voltage, current, or electricity flow so there absolutely no way they would raise your electricity bill. They plug into the grounded port of your wall outlet which has no electricity flow.
Yes, there is no conflict using Earthing® products at the same time as these electric devices.
Earthing® products are a convenient and safe way to get grounded for more hours each day.
Our ancestors walked barefoot on the earth, wrapped their feet in conductive leather, and slept on animal hides on the ground. Such practices were part of the ordinary way of life throughout history. Our ancestors were always grounded. This is the ideal but no longer how we all live.
We rarely go outside barefoot, except as kids romping in the summer, or when we're at the beach. We wear insulated shoes and we sleep on elevated beds inside our insulated houses.
Earthing products were created to address the issue of comfort, convenience, reality, and practicality. The products are basically “extension cords” that bring the Earth’s energy from outside into the office and home, simulating being barefoot outside. They were developed to satisfy the growing requests from people wanting to sleep, work, or relax while grounded indoors.
Homes are rarely hit by lightning. When this does happen, the lightning likes to take the path of least resistance to the ground, which means traveling through large conductive systems like the plumbing pipes, electrical wiring network, or telephone and cable TV lines, all of which are directly grounded to the Earth. It's always looking for the easiest and fastest way to the ground.
Your Earthing® products are connected to the ground via wire or grounding rod, and have a built-in current limiting 100k ohm resistor to guard against any sort of electricity coming through to you. This would not be the easiest path for lightning to get the ground and the resistor would melt before the lightning could ever get to you.
However, if you live on a mountain top where the odds are higher of your house being struck by lightning, or in Florida where there are the most lightning strikes in a year, or if you have any other concerns about lightning, please follow the standard lightning safety guidelines as directed by the U.S. National Weather Service or the weather authorities in your country.
Lightning is unpredictable and it never hurts to be overly cautious. If you are worried at all, simply disconnect your Earthing device(s) and don’t use during lightning and thunderstorms.
Most sleeping bags are made of insulating and synthetic materials and you will not be grounded in them unless you stick an arm or foot out of the bag and make direct contact with the Earth.
Many people like to take our Earthing® Universal Mat or an Earthing® Pillow Cover along with an Earthing® Ground Rod camping with them. By attaching the Earthing® product to the Ground Rod, which then goes directly into the earth, you can be connected to the ground and still be warm and protected in your sleeping bag.
We do not recommend this.
Official Earthing® products are specifically designed for safe, biological grounding of people. They have a built-in resistor that limits the flow of current in order to prevent the possibility that electricity could flow through the connecting wire and possibly hurt someone. The resistor allows the Earth’s natural energy to come through but not any potentially harmful electricity. In this respect, the resistor acts like a “kink” in a hose, curbing the flow. This is similar to the system utilized throughout the world to prevent electricity and static from damaging sensitive electronic parts.
No. Earthing products and the cords that connect them are designed to conduct only the Earth’s energy to you through the grounded port of your wall outlet.
Earthing® products connect to your outlet, but it's only to the ground hole, or they can be connected to an Earthing® Ground Rod pushed into the soil outside. They do not conduct any electrical power like what operates your lights and appliances.
In addition, all Earthing® cords have a built-in 100k ohm resistor providing protection in the unlikely case of an electric current flowing into the grounding wire.
Yes, as long as the outlet is grounded, it's completely safe.
Yes! There is nothing that would cause conflict with the function of either.
Yes, absolutely. They are as safe for your pet as walking on the earth outside.
No, because Earthing® products do not run on electricity. They are used in your home through the grounded port of your wall outlet. No electricity runs through the grounded port.
If your outlet ISN'T grounded, you two options:
- Use an Earthing® Ground Rod to connect the Earthing® products to the ground outside
- Call an electrician to come convert your outlets to a grounded system.
(Generally older homes, built before the 1960s, will not have grounded outlets and will require the use of a ground rod or the services of an electrician to do some updating on the electrical system.)
Your Earthing® order comes with an Type F Outlet Checker to see if your outlets are grounded. If you live in a country that has a different type of outlet, you will need to purchase an Outlet Checker for that outlet type as well as an Outlet Adaptor.
Earthing® products are designed with built-in user safety.
First, an electrical Outlet Checker is supplied with each order so you can verify that your outlet is properly wired and that the outlet has a working ground.
Second, the product Coil Cords are designed to provide a safe soft ground utilizing a built-in (molded in) in-line current limiting 100k ohm resistor. In the event that a short develops in an electrical device that a person is in contact with while grounded, the built-in resistor limits the current flow to a safe level.
The accepted safe current limit of 5-8mA is defined as “sensation of shock not painful; individuals can let go at will.” The human body threshold of sensation is 1mA. The electrical calculation is current=volts/resistance (I=V/R). R = Rresistor + Rbody. Typical body resistance is 10k when wet and much higher when dry. However, to be conservative, using Rbody=0, Rres=100kohm, V=130volts; then maximum current I=130volts/100,000ohm=1.3mA; well below the accepted safety limit of 5mA and most likely barely perceptible.
Earthing® | Ground Therapy® Connecting/Conductivity
No, it's not a good idea.
If you were to do it, you would be creating what’s called a “ground loop,” meaning a closed circuit − a closed loop with the ground closing the loop. When you place an Earthing® ground rod into the soil, usually it is not close to the house ground rod. There are differences in size, depth, and soil conditions between the two rods that create an electrical resistance between the two rod locations. This means a different “electric potential,” that is, level of electrical energy, and the difference would generate a current flow in the closed circuit of which you are a part. So the current flows through you.
In general, you wouldn’t feel anything unusual and you wouldn’t be harming yourself. But, there would be risk from a shock, for instance, when a power surge or a thunderstorm occur. In that case, the difference in electric potential can get very high, reaching even several hundred or even thousands of volts, and create a very strong current enough for you to feel as a mild shock.
All Earthing® product cords have built-in resistors that protect you. If it were not for the presence of the resistor, the shock you feel would be much larger.
The bottom line: If you use more than one Earthing® product at one time, connect them to the same grounding source, either to grounded outlets or to the Ground Rod. Not one to the outlet and the other to the Ground Rod.
Yes, it's fine as long as the outlet is grounded and you have enough room to fully fit the Earthing® cord into the grounded hole of the outlet.
If you don’t mind a wire running through your apartment or house, you can connect (clamp or tape) the prong end of the Earthing® cord to the cold water pipe under your bathroom sink.
This pipe is part of the building’s water supply system, which originates underground, and is thus grounded as long as the pipe is totally made of metal all the way down to the ground. If there is any plastic section of the pipe, it will cause an insulating effect, and you will not be grounded. You may want to consult with an electrician to explore this and other possibilities to create a good electrical ground connection.
Meanwhile, try to spend some regular barefoot time out-of-doors if possible. You could also consider using an Earthing® Universal Mat Kit or Patch Kit in your office or place of work, if practical.
We don't recommend doing this as it has the potential to be unsafe.
All authentic Earthing® products are specifically designed for safe grounding. They have a built-in resistor that limits the flow of current in order to prevent the unlikely possibility that electricity would flow through the connecting wire and possibly hurt someone. The resistor allows the Earth’s natural energy to come through but not any potentially harmful electricity. In this respect, the resistor acts like a “kink” in a hose, curbing the flow. When you create your own grounding device at home, you don't have any type of resistor to protect you.
No, all that matters is that you have properly grounded outlets. Earthing® products do not operate on electricity and therefore the voltage is irrelevant.
Earthing® products fit into the grounded port of a Type "B" wall outlet found in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, and parts of the Carribean.
If you live outside of these areas, you will need an adapter to convert the three-prong grounded port shape to fit the cord.
First, determine first whether your outlet is indeed grounded. An electrician can determine this for you, or you can purchase a simple outlet ground checker at an electrical supply or hardware store locally.
Second, once you have determined your outlet is grounded, depending on what country you are in, you will need to purchase an outlet adapter. We sell Earthing® adapters HERE.
Please Note: Outlets with only two holes and no earth/ground strip or earth/ground pin or hole mean there is no earth/ground present. In this case, you must use a Ground Rod. Or, if you don’t mind a cord running through your apartment or house, you can connect (clamp or tape) the prong end of the Earthing® cord to the cold water pipe under your bathroom sink as long as the cold water pipe is entirely made of metal all the way into the ground.
Type B Outlets: Earthing® products are designed to be used with an Earthing® Ground Rod placed in the soil outside through a window or door, or via a grounded three-prong wall outlet inside the home or office. (We do make Extension Cords to extend the length of the Ground Rod cord if you need an additional 40 ft of length.)
In the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, and parts of the Caribbean, the electrical systems in homes and offices that have been grounded utilize what is known as “Type B” electrical wall outlets. The third hole is the grounded port. This is the type of outlet the Earthing® products will fit into without needing an adapter.
Other Types Of Outlets: There are many different three prong outlet configurations around the world though and some are grounded and others are not. For this reason, if you want to plug into a wall outlet you will need to determine first whether your outlet is indeed grounded. An electrician can determine this for you, or you can purchase a simple outlet ground checker at an electrical supply or hardware store locally.
Once you have determined your outlet is grounded, depending on what country you are in, you will need to purchase an outlet adapter. We sell Earthing® adapters HERE.
Ungrounded Outlets: Outlets with only two holes and no earth/ground strip or earth/ground pin or hole mean there is no earth/ground present. In this case, you must use a Ground Rod. Or, if you don’t mind a cord running through your apartment or house, you can connect (clamp or tape) the prong end of the Earthing® cord to the cold water pipe under your bathroom sink as long as the cold water pipe is entirely made of metal all the way into the ground.
Please Note: Earthing products do not operate on electricity, so the electrical current in your country doesn’t matter (whether 110 volts or 240 volts, etc)
ESD shoes are primarily designed for discharging static electricity, but to a degree they ground the body beneficially. They are better than regular shoes but not as good as going barefoot.
The difference between grounding and static discharge is that grounding instantly equalizes your body at Earth’s potential.
Static discharge (generally called a soft ground or a dissipative ground) is designed to slowly bleed off static electrical charges (contact and separation charges). These charges are created on the body by clothing and shoes whenever you move your clothing with arm movement or when you walk or sit on any synthetic material.
Yes, as long as the surge protector or extension cord has an existing ground hole for the Earthing® product to plug into and you have grounded outlets that you can connect the surge protector/extension cord into.
You can use your Outlet Checker that comes in your order to ensure that your surge protector or extension cord is grounded.
You can’t ground yourself to the Earth while driving a vehicle. However, you can put an Auto Seat Mat on the car seat and connect the cord with an alligator clip to the metal chassis under the seat. The sweat from your body will create a channel of moisture and conductivity through your clothes to the mat.
The chassis represents a relative ground plane, enough to act as a “sink” into which you discharge the static electricity that builds up on the body as a result of the clothes you wear rubbing against the seat. This rubbing action, brought about by the vibration of the moving car, creates the static electricity on your body.
Earthing® | Ground Therapy® Technical Questions
Ungrounded laptops (without a three prong power cord) can generate significant electric fields. Some people will feel sensations while they are grounded and working on the computer. If the feeling is uncomfortable, we recommend several options:
- Don’t ground yourself while using the computer plugged in.
- Ground yourself only when the computer is operating on battery mode.
- Place the laptop directly on an Earthing® Universal Mat to ground the computer.
Am I grounded outside if I wear electrostatic discharge footwear (ESD)?
ESD shoes are primarily designed for discharging static electricity but to a degree they ground the body beneficially. They are better than regular shoes but not as good as going barefoot. The difference between grounding and static discharge is that grounding instantly equalizes your body at Earth’s potential. Static discharge, generally called a soft ground or a dissipative ground, has an inline 1 meg ohm resistor in the ground cord which is design to slowly bleed off static electrical charges (contact and separation charges). These charges are created on the body by clothing and shoes whenever you move your clothing with arm movement or walk or sit on any synthetic material. The ESD industry uses dissipative grounding to prevent a rapid discharge of static electricity that might otherwise blow an electronic circuit or sensitive chip.
For simplicity's sake, we recommend using a continuity tester instead of a voltmeter, which can be purchased HERE:
If you prefer to use a voltmeter to test your Earthing® product though, please note that the product's grounding cords are equipped with a built-in safety resistor of 100k ohm strength. This requires specific settings to your meter in order to achieve an accurate reading.
Before testing your Earthing product with a voltmeter, please review the following instructional paper from the Earthing Institute HERE.
For additional assistance with voltmeter testing, please email the Earthing Institute at: info@earthinginstitute.net
Such devices utilize pulsed electromagnet fields (PEMF).
These fields, however, do not contain any electrons, and thus cannot deliver electrons to the body as grounding does.
Earthing® products conduct the electrons of the Earth (and their vibratory frequencies) into your body and serve as extension cords from the Earth to you. The electrons and their frequencies naturally include all of the subtleties inherent in Nature that our bodies have attuned to throughout history.
Yes, you can Earthing product on TOP of a magnetic mattress pad.
Magnets will not interfere with grounding and may even help the electrons involved in grounding get distributed faster in the body.
Do NOT place the Earthing® Mat under the magnetic mattress pad. You will lose the grounding effect.
There is no constant measurable current flow beyond the instant equalization charge transferred to the body when a person makes contact with an Earthing® product.
Once your body is grounded, the rate of influx changes, and you continue to absorb enough electrons to maintain the same electrical potential as the Earth and to restore what is being lost as a result of ongoing metabolic processes within you.
This amount of electrons varies significantly between people depending upon their lifestyle and activity and is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to measure.
The voltmeter should reduce your body voltage by at least a factor of 20. So if you are at 1.5V when not touching the mat and your body voltage goes down to 0.075V or smaller when you are using a grounded product or touching the earth, then the device is working properly.
Yes, you can use multiple grounding products at the same time, but for safety sake you should only plug them into one grounding source: either a grounded outlet or a ground rod. Not one to the outlet and the other to a ground rod. The reason is to avoid the risk of a shock in case of a surge due to a power outage or a thunderstorm.
Here’s why: Your house/building electrical system is connected to, and stabilized by, a ground rod in the Earth, usually located under the electrical panel. A loop wire (also known as the ground wire), runs through your system, and you connect to it whenever you insert your Earthing® cord into the third hole (the ground port) of the outlet. If you plug your Earthing® sheet, for instance, into the outlet, you are grounded via the house ground rod.
Let’s say you also want to sleep with an Earthing® Patch and you connect it to your Earthing® Ground Rod.
If you were to do this, you would be creating what’s called a “ground loop,” meaning a closed circuit − a closed loop with the ground closing the loop. When you place an Earthing® Ground Rod into the soil, usually it is not close to the house ground rod. There are differences in size, depth, and soil conditions between the two rods that create an electrical resistance between the two rod locations. This means a different “electric potential,” that is, level of electrical energy, and the difference would generate a current flow in the closed circuit of which you are a part. So the current flows through you.
In general, you wouldn’t feel anything unusual and you wouldn’t be harming yourself. But there would be risk from a shock, for instance, when a power surge or a thunderstorm occur. In this case, the difference in electric potential can get very high, reaching even several hundred or even thousands of volts, and create a very strong current - enough for you to feel as a mild shock.
All Earthing® product cords have built-in resistors that protect you. If it were not for the presence of the resistor, the shock you feel would be much larger.
The bottom line: If you use more than one Earthing® product at one time, connect them to the same grounding source, either to a grounded outlet or to the Ground Rod. You can certainly plug two single Earthing® cords into the two receptacles of a standard grounded outlet or even into two different outlets. Or you can put both into an Earthing® U.S. Safety Adapter.
It should be noted that newer houses have ground rods under the house at several points below the pathway of the ground wire, resulting in an improved grounding system. Older grounding systems may have wires with a volt or two, because of the length of the wire and a slight build-up of resistance. Electro-hypersensitive people may feel even that low voltage, and are advised in that case to connect their Earthing® product to a dedicated Earthing® ground rod planted in the soil outside an adjacent window, if that is feasible.
Earthing® products don’t “run” on electricity. They are connected to the energy of the Earth through the ground port of your outlet, not to the electric ports that operate your lights and appliances. So, whether your power is on or off, it doesn’t affect the function of your Earthing® products.
To further explain, when you plug your Earthing® product into the ground port of your wall outlet, you are making contact with the ground wire in that hole which connects to other outlets in your house and is attached to a large ground rod outside.
The ground rod outside receives the natural energy that flows through the Earth’s surface. As long your Earthing® product is connected to the Earth, either via a grounded wall outlet or a separate ground rod outside, you are grounded.
Earthing® | Ground Therapy® Shipping And Returns
We are so sorry that you had a problem with your order delivery. We know how frustrating that is! To make sure you get your Earthing® products, we'll need to work together to solve this problem.
Please e-mail us immediately at: help@earthing.com
We appreciate your patience and look forward to getting you and your loved ones grounded as quickly as possible.
We offer free shipping on all domestic orders over $89.
We are unable to offer free shipping on international orders at this time, but we do ship everywhere in the world with the exception of Canada and Mexico.
If you need to change the shipping address, please call Customer Service immediately at 1-888-223-8454 for assistance.
We will do our best to modify your order before it ships, but we cannot guarantee order modification. If we receive your shipment back due to an incorrect address, we will reship your order to a corrected address at an additional shipping cost to you. We are not responsible for lost shipments due to incorrect address entry.
If you'd like to add to, or remove items from your order before it ships, please call Customer Service at 1-888-223-8454 for assistance.
We will do our best to modify your order before it ships, but we cannot guarantee order modification.
We want you to have the opportunity to fully experience Earthing® products.
After receiving your Earthing product, please use and care for it as directed. If within ninety days of your order date you are not satisfied, you may return it and receive a full product refund. Shipping costs are non-refundable unless due to manufacturer defects.
To return your product, please call Customer Support at 1-888-223-8454 to receive your RMA # (Return Merchandise Authorization Number). All returns must have an RMA number and be returned within 30 days of the RMA issue date.
We offer a one year warranty for manufacturer defects and 90 day warranty on Grounders Flip Flops.
For replacement or refunds caused by a manufacturing defect, please call Customer Support at 1-888-223-8454 to receive your RMA # (Return Merchandise Authorization Number). All returns must have an RMA number and be returned within 30 days of the RMA issue date.
Our warehouse and customer service departments are closed Saturdays, Sundays, and on the following days in 2024:
- January 1st
- January 15th
- February 19th
- May 27th
- July 4th
- September 2nd
- November 11th
- November 28th - 30th
- December 24th-25th
Orders are typically processed and shipped within 2 business days, and often are processed within 1 business day.
During sales and promotional periods, it's possible your order may take up to 4 business days to process and ship, but again, it's usually faster than this.
You will receive an automated email with your tracking number when your package ships from our warehouse.
If you have not received an automated email 5 business days after placing your order, please email us at help@earthing.com or call us at 1-888-223-8454 and we can look it up for you.