FAQs

The earth does more than just provide food, water, and a place to live—it also gives us something pretty amazing: electrons. When your skin touches the ground, these electrons flow into your body. That's what we call being "grounded." Our Earthing® products let you stay connected to the earth's electrons even when you're inside—whether you're sleeping, working, or just relaxing. Using our products indoors to maintain that connection is what we call 'Earthing.'

Not at all! For thousands of years, humans walked barefoot and slept on animal skins that naturally conducted the earth's energy. Our ancestors stayed connected to the ground pretty much all the time.

But as modern life evolved, we've gradually lost that connection. Today, most of us spend our days indoors, disconnected from the earth. Here at Earthing®, our mission is simple: help people reconnect. We always encourage getting outside barefoot whenever you can. And for all those hours spent indoors? That's where our products come in—keeping you grounded while you sleep, work, and relax inside.

Great question! We absolutely encourage spending time barefoot outdoors whenever possible. But let's be honest—most of us spend a lot of time inside. That's exactly why we created our products: so you can stay grounded while sleeping, working, and going about your daily indoor life.

Nope! You can't be grounded too much. (But you can definitely be UN-grounded too much!)

Your body conducts electrons really well! In our research, we've seen that when people use Earthing® Patches on the bottoms of their feet (similar to standing barefoot on the ground), they sometimes notice a tingling sensation moving up their legs. We believe that's the electrons flowing from the earth into your body. Many people describe the same feeling when walking along wet sand at the beach.

We've actually measured how fast this happens—it takes about 20 to 30 minutes for the effect to reach your upper body, like your shoulders. Areas closer to your feet, like your knees, benefit even faster.

As for when you'll notice results, it varies from person to person. Some folks feel something almost immediately, while others may need a few days or weeks of regular use before experiencing noticeable changes. It depends on you as an individual, how you're grounding, and what you're hoping to improve.

Most modern shoes have plastic or rubber soles that don't conduct the earth's energy, so they'll block your connection.

However, shoes with leather or hide soles—or specially designed conductive/electrostatic discharge shoes—will ground you when you're walking on a conductive surface.

Here's an important note: Dry leather doesn't conduct well, but damp leather does. When your feet sweat and moisture from the ground dampens the leather, that's when the earth's energy can travel through the sole and into your body. Just keep in mind that very thick leather soles might not let enough moisture through, so thinner soles work better.

It depends on the type of water and where it is!

Water that's not touching the earth or another grounded surface won't ground you.

The following types of water WILL ground you:

• Ocean Water: Packed with dissolved salts and minerals, ocean water is an excellent conductor for grounding.
• Lakes & Rivers: While they have fewer minerals and salts than the ocean, they're still good conductors.
• Mineral Hot Springs: The high mineral and salt content means you'll be grounded.

The following types of water MAY ground you:

• Swimming pool: You'll be grounded if you have a salt water pool and the water contacts a metal drain pipe that goes into the ground.

Conductive Surfaces Include:

• Soil
• Grass
• Sand
• Gravel that's touching the earth
• Rock that's touching the earth
• Unsealed concrete, or concrete with a water-based sealant, that's touching the earth or a conductive surface
• Unsealed brick, or brick with a water-based sealant, that's touching the earth or a conductive surface
• Unsealed ceramic, or ceramic with a water-based sealant, that's 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 touch the sap or the bark is moist/wet
• Living plants in the earth

Note: Damp surfaces conduct better than dry ones.

Non-Conductive Surfaces Include:

• Asphalt
• Vinyl
• Plastic
• Tar or tarmac
• Cut wood
• Carpet
• Painted or chemically-sealed concrete, brick, or ceramic
• Living plants in a pot inside your home

Yes! Any contact with a grounded surface—including another grounded person (or even your pet!)—will ground you as well.

No difference at all! Earthing® products are specifically designed to deliver the same electron transfer you'd get from being barefoot on the earth.

Yes! All our kits come with everything you need for setup and use.

If ordering from outside Ireland, make sure to let us know what type of outlet you have.

No, Earthing® products only connect to the ground port of your outlet—they don't use any electricity.

No need! Since they don't use electricity or experience any wear while plugged in, you can leave them connected all the time.

Our kits include everything needed for use in Ireland. For international use, you may need a country-specific adapter or an Earthing® Ground Rod. We strongly recommend testing your outlet with an appropriate outlet checker first to ensure you have a proper grounded connection.

Universal Adapter: Make sure your adapter's ground port is fully functional. If it doesn't carry ground, your Earthing® products won't work.

Voltage: Since Earthing® products don't run on electricity, your country's voltage (whether 110V, 240V, etc.) doesn't matter. All Earthing® connection cords include a current-limiting 100k ohm resistor for safety.

Yes! Just make sure it's a three-prong surge protector or extension cord that tests correctly with your Outlet Checker.

Yes!

Using the Coil Cord with the Outlet Adapter ensures you'll have a secure, reliable grounded connection at all times.

The Earthing® Outlet Adapter (U.S. version) included with your order is also a handy space-saver that lets you connect two Earthing® products to a single 3-prong outlet. Just plug both devices into an Outlet Adapter that's connected to a tested grounded outlet.

Important: Always test your outlets first. A properly wired outlet will show 2 amber lights on the Outlet Checker (the red LED should stay off). If you see anything different, STOP! Contact us and we'll help you out.

STEP 1: Test The Earthing Coil Cord

1. Snap one end of the Coil Cord onto the front of the Product Tester.
2. Touch the other end (the end that plugs into the ground port) to the metal disk on the back of the tester.
3. Press the button on the front—a green light means the cord is working perfectly. If the green light doesn't turn on, your Coil Cord may not be functioning properly. Please contact Customer Support for help.

STEP 1: Set Up The Earthing Product Tester

The batteries come pre-installed in your Product Tester. Press the "PRESS" button—you should see the green light flash quickly to confirm the batteries are working.

Check your wall outlet with an Outlet Checker (not included) to make sure it's grounded. Next, plug the Safety Adapter (included with this kit) into your grounded outlet. If you're using a Ground Rod, connect the metal prong of the Safety Adapter to the end of the Ground Rod cord.

Snap Coil Cord #1 (included with this kit) onto the front of the Product Tester. Plug the other end into the Safety Adapter.

Snap Coil Cord #2 (included with your Earthing or Ground Therapy product) onto your grounding product. Plug the other end into the Safety Adapter.

Place the tester on your product, press the PRESS button, and the green light will appear.

STEP 2: Test The Conductivity Of Your Product

DIRECT TESTING: Place the Product Tester firmly onto the conductive surface of your Earthing or Ground Therapy product. Press and hold the "PRESS" button. A solid green light means your product is conductive and ready to ground you.

TESTING THROUGH A SHEET: Add a drop of water to your sheet. Since standard sheets aren't naturally conductive, this mimics the moisture from your body's perspiration that naturally occurs over time and creates conductivity when you make contact with the sheet. Place the Product Tester firmly against the area with the water drop and press and hold the "PRESS" button. A solid green light means your product is conductive and ready to use.

Pro tip: For the most accurate test, place your hand or a flat object (like a book) underneath the mat to ensure full contact across the tester's sensor plate. Use firm pressure to simulate your body weight pressing into the bed.

Before contacting our Customer Support Team, please follow the steps on the Product Tester Instructions page.

If you're still having issues testing your Earthing® product, please contact us.

CONDUCTIVE LAYER: The top layer of our Earthing® Sleep Mat and Mattress Cover features our proprietary carbon-based grounding material—the result of two decades of research and development by Clint Ober. Carbon, which is the second most abundant element in the human body, naturally conducts the earth's electrons.

FABRIC BACKING: The sleep mat has a soft backing made from a latex-free cotton/polyester blend.

MAT STRAPS: The straps do include a latex yarn to ensure your mat stays securely in place on your mattress.

OFF-GASSING: Before packaging, all mats go through a thorough off-gassing procedure so you can enjoy peaceful, grounded rest right out of the box.

CLEANING: Simply wipe down your sleep mat with soap and water on a damp cloth or sponge. Never spray it with household products like furniture polish or Armor All®, as these will damage the conductivity. Always air dry—never put it in the dryer.

While direct skin contact works best, you can absolutely place your Earthing® Sleep Mat or Mattress Cover under your fitted sheet with great results!

Soon after you lie down, perspiration and natural humidity will hydrate your fitted sheet enough for your body to absorb electrons from the mat and equalize with the earth's negative electrical charge.

Helpful Tips:

• SHEETS: We recommend cotton, bamboo, or a poly-cotton blend. Fully synthetic materials typically won't ground you at all, so we don't recommend using them over your Earthing® products.
• PAJAMAS: If you place your product under your fitted sheet, keep pajamas minimal—think boxer shorts and a t-shirt. If you prefer longer pajamas, we recommend placing your mat on top of your fitted sheet for best results.
• SOCKS: Your feet are highly conductive, so sleeping without socks is always best!

Absolutely! While direct skin contact is ideal, you can definitely wear pajamas and still get great grounding results.

After you lie down, perspiration and humidity will naturally hydrate your sleepwear enough for your body to absorb electrons from the Earthing Sleep Mat and equalize with the earth's negative electrical charge.

Please see the previous FAQ for details on using the mat under your fitted sheet.

Yes! Feet naturally sweat, which will hydrate your socks—especially thinner socks made from natural fibers like cotton and bamboo. This makes it easy for the earth's energy to flow into your body.

Thicker socks and synthetic materials work too, but they'll take a bit longer for the sweat to penetrate and create the conductivity needed for electron transfer.

Through years of observation and study, we've identified three optimal locations for patch placement.

1. To target your upper body (from the waist up), place patches on the palms of your hands.
2. To target your lower body (below the waist), place patches on the K1 spot on the soles of your feet. The K1 spot is located in the natural indentation on your foot's arch between the second and third toes, just below the ball of the foot.
3. To target a specific area, place the patch directly on that spot or adjacent to it.

TIPS:

• Use two patches on your palms and two on your soles by purchasing an additional Earthing® Patch Kit or two extra Coil Cords.
• For convenience, many people leave their Earthing® Patches on even when they're not connected to a cord.

We recommend leaving a Patch on your skin for no more than two to three days at a time.

When you remove it, if you'd like to apply a new Patch, place it in a slightly different spot to avoid skin irritation.

You can reuse Patches as long as the gel in the center is still visible and intact. When you can no longer see the gel, it's time to discard that Patch and use a new one.

If your Earthing® Patch adhesive isn't sticky anymore, that doesn't necessarily mean the Patch has lost its conductivity.

What really matters is whether the gel in the center of the patch is still visible and intact. If it is, the Patch is still conductive and you can use skin tape or a similar product to keep it adhered.

If the gel is no longer intact, discard the Patch and start using a new one.

Our conductive black carbon material is naturally antimicrobial and should be regularly wiped down with a damp cloth.

For an occasional deeper clean, follow this simple 3-step process:

1. Wipe down your product's exterior using a damp cloth with a small amount of mild household soap.
2. Use a clean, damp cloth to thoroughly wipe away all the soap. (This prevents buildup that can block conductivity.)
3. Let your product air dry completely.

Important: Never use cleaning products containing bleach, disinfectants, oils, or whitening agents—they'll ruin your product's conductivity. Never machine wash or tumble dry your product.

When a houseboat or RV is running on a generator or its own power, the outlets typically won't be grounded and aren't recommended for use with our products.

If the houseboat or RV is connected to a grounded electrical hookup, your outlets may be grounded. We recommend checking with the manufacturer if you're unsure whether your outlets are properly grounded.

It depends on the cruise line. In-cabin outlets may or may not be grounded, so please check with the cruise company directly.

No, because Earthing® products don't run on electricity. They simply connect through the grounded port of your wall outlet, which has no electrical current.

If your outlet ISN'T grounded, you have two options:

1. Use an Earthing® Ground Rod to connect your products to the ground outside
2. Call an electrician to convert your outlets to a grounded system.

(Generally, older homes built before the 1960s won't have grounded outlets and will require either a ground rod or an electrician to update the electrical system.)

Your order includes a Type B Outlet Checker so you can test if your outlets are grounded. If you live in a country with different outlet types, you'll need to purchase the appropriate Outlet Adapter and Outlet Checker from our Accessories page.

No. Earthing® products only connect to the grounded port of your wall outlet, which has no electricity flow.

Homes are rarely struck by lightning. When it does happen, lightning takes the path of least resistance to the ground—typically through large conductive systems like plumbing pipes, electrical wiring, or telephone and cable TV lines, all of which are directly grounded to the earth. It's always looking for the easiest and fastest route to the ground.

Your Earthing® products connect to the ground via wire or grounding rod, and include a built-in current-limiting 100k ohm resistor to protect against any electricity coming through. This wouldn't be the easiest path for lightning to reach the ground, and the resistor would melt before voltage could ever reach the product.

However, if you live on a mountain top where lightning strikes are more common, or somewhere where thunderstorms are frequent, or if you have any other concerns about lightning, please follow standard lightning safety guidelines from your country's weather authorities.

Lightning is unpredictable, so it never hurts to be extra cautious. If you're worried, simply disconnect your device(s) during lightning and thunderstorms.

No. Earthing® products are designed to conduct only the earth's energy through the ground port of your wall outlet.

Plus, all Earthing® cords have a built-in 100k ohm resistor that provides protection against any potential stray voltage.

No.

Yes, absolutely! They're as safe for your pets as walking on the earth outside.

Yes! You can use multiple grounding products simultaneously. However, it's important to connect them all to the same grounding source—either a grounded outlet or a ground rod. Using only one ground source avoids creating a safety hazard known as a "ground loop," which is a closed circuit with the ground closing the loop.

Yes, you can use your Earthing® product on TOP of a magnetic mattress pad.

Magnets won't interfere with grounding—they may even help electrons distribute faster throughout your body.

Do NOT place your Earthing® Mat under the magnetic mattress pad, or you'll lose the grounding effect.

For simplicity, we recommend using a continuity tester instead, which you can purchase HERE:

If you prefer using a voltmeter to test your Earthing® product, please note that the grounding cords have a built-in safety resistor of 100k ohm. This requires specific settings to get an accurate reading.

Before testing with a voltmeter, please review this instructional paper from the Earthing Institute HERE.

For additional help with voltmeter testing, email the Earthing Institute at: info@earthinginstitute.net

The voltmeter should reduce your body voltage by at least a factor of 20. So if you're at 1.5V when not touching the mat and your body voltage drops to 0.075V or less when using a grounded product or touching the earth, the device is working properly.

There's no constant measurable current flow beyond the instant equalization charge that transfers to your body when you first make contact with an Earthing® product.

Yes. Earthing® products only rely on the grounded connection through the physical ground wire and will work with or without power to your outlets.

No, Earthing® products don't run on electricity and only need a proper ground connection to work.

*Clearance items are not eligible for return or warranty coverage*

We offer a one-year warranty for manufacturer defects on most non-clearance products.

For replacements or refunds for non-clearance products with manufacturing defects, please contact us 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.

Unfortunately, we don't offer free shipping at this time.

If you need to change the shipping address or any items in your order, please contact us right away.

We'll do our best to modify your order before it ships, but we can't guarantee we'll catch it in time. If we receive your shipment back due to an incorrect address, we'll reship your order to the corrected address for an additional shipping fee. We're not responsible for lost shipments due to incorrect address entry.

Orders typically process and ship within 2 business days, and often within just 1 business day.

During sales and promotional periods, processing may take up to 4-6 business days, though it's usually faster.

If you provided your email address when placing your order, you'll receive an email with your tracking number once your package ships from our warehouse.

If you haven't received tracking details within 5 business days of placing your order, contact us and we'll be happy to help.

We're so sorry you're having trouble with your delivery—we know how frustrating that is! To make sure you get your Earthing® products, we'll need to work together to solve this.

Please email us right away with your order details.

We appreciate your patience and look forward to getting you and your loved ones grounded as quickly as possible.