Indoor Grounding 101: Recommendations, To-Do’s, Dirty Electricity
A question has come up many, many times. I realized that I went over it in Earth & Water but never in an article or social post. The Earthing Institute hasn’t done much justice to the topic.. So here we are.
If you search dirty electricity and grounding this is one of the first things that pops up:
https://www.emfwise.com/earthing-mat-dangers.php
The webpage warns of grounding mat dangers yet conflicts with published data and basic electrical principles. One claim states that earthing mats “pull” harmful currents through the body, but properly designed mats just connect users to Earth potential. Unless there is a wiring fault, current flow remains negligible. Another contention is that grounding mats increase EMF exposure. Studies show that grounding can actually lower the electric field potential on the body and enhance overall electrical stability. The site also brands grounding as inherently risky, while peer-reviewed research has reported benefits such as lower blood viscosity and reduced inflammation when grounding is used properly. The claims on this page stand at odds with documented findings in reputable journals. By blending cautionary language with unclear explanations, the site creates confusion about grounding’s safety profile.
Indoor grounding (using a grounding mat connected to a wall outlet’s ground or a dedicated ground rod) works by safely coupling your body to the Earth’s electrical potential. The grounding mat is conductive and only connects to the ground port of an outlet (or a ground rod) – it does not connect to the live/hot electrical supply. This means no mains current is fed to the mat; it simply provides a path to Earth for any static or induced charges on your body. For safety, reputable grounding products include built-in resistors (often ~100 kΩ) in the connection cord to limit any current in the very unlikely event of a fault. Essentially, when you touch the mat, your body becomes an extension of the Earth’s equipotential surface which equalizes your body’s voltage with the Earth and dissipates any excess charge built up on your body. This is electrically equivalent to standing barefoot on the ground, and as long as your home’s outlet is properly grounded, it is just as safe.
A common concern is that “dirty electricity” (high-frequency voltage noise or spikes on building wiring) might travel through the ground connection and into your body. In reality, this is not a problem with a properly designed grounding setup. First, any such noise on the ground line is typically extremely small, and your body is not completing any circuit that would drive this noise through you. There is no path for current to flow through your body via the grounding mat unless you were simultaneously touching a live source, which you are not. Claims that dirty electricity will “penetrate” a grounded body and cause harm have no scientific basis – in fact, there’s published evidence indicating that it does not penetrate a grounded body (Understanding grounding). When you are grounded, your body is at the same electric potential as Earth, so any ambient electrical noise tends to flow around you or is neutralized, rather than zapping you. This phenomenon is related to the Faraday cage effect: a grounded conductive object (like your body when on a grounding mat) actually shields its interior from external electric fields. Far from attracting “dirty” power, a grounded body releases unwanted charge and stabilizes electrically. In short, a grounding mat does not pull in dirty electricity – it keeps you at zero volts relative to ground, so those interference voltages have no driving force through your body. Many people who worry about dirty electricity are mixing up the behavior of AC circuits with what happens in this scenario; here, you are not part of any closed loop for current, just an object held at ground potential.
Another misconception is that using a grounding mat indoors could turn you into an “antenna” for electromagnetic fields (EMFs) from Wi-Fi, cell towers, or household wiring. Electrically speaking, the opposite is true. An antenna only works if it can develop a voltage difference relative to ground – but when you are grounded, you are at ground potential, so you can’t pick up and retain that charge in the same way. In fact, any electrical engineer will tell you that a grounded antenna is ineffective at receiving a signal. By sitting or lying on a grounded mat, your body is effectively short-circuiting the antenna effect – you are bleeding off the induced voltages rather than accumulating them. This is why, for example, if you measure AC voltage on your body with a multimeter, you might see a few volts when ungrounded (due to your body acting as an antenna for the 50/60 Hz electric fields in your room) but near zero volts when you’re touching a grounded mat. Real-world tests confirm this dramatic difference: one demonstration showed about 8.35 V AC measured on a person indoors before grounding, which dropped to just 0.09 V (90 mV) once the person made contact with a grounded mat – a reduction by a factor of over 90× (Understanding grounding). In other words, the grounded mat eliminated almost all of the induced body voltage. This occurs because your body and the mat form an equipotential region with the Earth, so external AC fields no longer create a significant voltage between you and ground. Grounding essentially makes your body like a Faraday cage, reflecting away ambient EMFs and bringing your body’s AC voltage to nearly zero (Understanding grounding). Thus, rather than working as an antenna for EMF, the mat removes the “antenna effect” that your ungrounded body would otherwise have.
For indoor grounding to be effective and safe, it’s important to verify that your environment’s electrical grounding is sound. Always plug your mat into a properly grounded outlet (or use a dedicated grounding rod if needed). You can use a simple outlet tester to check that the outlet’s ground is correctly wired and functioning – this device will alert you to any wiring issues (like a missing ground or reversed wires) before you use the outlet. It’s also informative to measure your own AC body voltage with a multimeter: set the meter to AC volts, hold one probe in hand (or against your skin) and connect the other probe to a true ground (the outlet ground). You’ll likely see a measurable voltage when you’re ungrounded (due to capacitive coupling with electrical wiring in walls, etc.), which should drop very close to 0 V when you touch the grounded mat. This simple test verifies that the mat (or blanket) is doing its job of nullifying induced voltages on your body. If you do have a lot of “electrical noise” in your home (perhaps indicated by a dirty electricity meter or by known issues like many dimmer switches, old fluorescent lights, or numerous electronics), grounding yourself is still not going to inject that noise into your body – but you may consider improving your overall power quality. Solutions include using dirty electricity filters (plug-in devices that absorb high-frequency line noise) or filtering/suppressing at the main panel, though these are generally optional. In most cases, the benefits of grounding are easily realized without needing to overhaul your electrical system, but it’s good practice to eliminate obvious sources of EMF noise if you can (for instance, keeping appliances a few feet away from your bed or work area). The key point is that any AC electric fields or noise present are ambient and not caused by the grounding mat – and being grounded actually reduces the influence of those fields on your body, as discussed. If you ever feel uncertain, consult a licensed electrician or use measuring tools to put numbers to the situation, rather than relying on speculation.
Bottom line: Grounding indoors with a quality mat and a proper ground connection is a safe, scientifically sound practice that offers the same fundamental benefit as standing barefoot on the Earth. Electrically, your body is brought to earth potential, which prevents static charge build-up and keeps induced voltages near zero. You are not drawing in harmful electricity or radio waves; on the contrary, you’re shielding yourself from many of the AC electric field exposures that pervade modern environments. Decades of research and empirical measurements show that grounding can improve physiological function. All this is achieved without any mysterious “energy” or risk: it’s simply good old-fashioned electrodynamics at work. When you connect to Earth, your body’s charge is stabilized and excess electrical noise is bled off, all while you’re comfortably indoors. In summary, a properly set up indoor grounding system will not expose you to EMF pollution or dirty power; instead, it allows you to enjoy the well-documented benefits of Earth contact in a convenient way. With the groundwork laid out by physics and confirmed by real-world testing, you can use your grounding mat confidently, knowing it’s both safe and beneficial.
Testing Outlets and Grounding Products
To ensure your indoor grounding setup continues to work well, here are some practical tips for testing and maintenance:
Verify Outlet Grounding: Before plugging in your mat, test the wall outlet using a ground outlet tester (a small device with indicator lights). This will confirm the outlet is wired correctly with a proper ground. If the tester shows any faults (like “open ground” or other wiring errors), have an electrician fix the outlet before you ground through it. Proper grounding of the outlet is crucial for both safety and effectiveness of your mat.
Test the Grounding Cord and Mat: Most grounding mat kits come with a cord that has a built-in safety resistor. You can use a multimeter on the resistance (ohms) setting to check the cord: it should read around 100k ohms end-to-end (this confirms the resistor is intact). Also, test continuity between the mat’s surface and the ground pin of the plug (you may need a helper or alligator clip on the mat): you should get a reading indicating a connection (it might be the same ~100k if measuring through the cord). Some brands include an alligator-clip or snap-on tester for this purpose. Verifying continuity ensures that the mat’s conductive surface and the grounding cord are functioning properly to actually connect you to Earth. Additionally, you can perform the body voltage test mentioned earlier: measure your AC body voltage ungrounded, then while on the mat – the voltage should drop significantly, demonstrating the mat is working.
Inspect and Maintain the Mat: Over time, the conductivity of grounding products can degrade (for instance, mats are often coated with conductive carbon or silver that can wear off with heavy use or cleaning). Every few months, inspect your mat for signs of wear or damage. You can lightly clean it as directed by the manufacturer (usually with a damp cloth; avoid harsh chemicals that could reduce conductivity). Periodically redo the continuity test with your multimeter or the manufacturer’s tester to ensure the mat still conducts. Well-made mats tend to last for years, but if your tests ever show no connectivity (or much higher resistance than expected), it might be time to replace the mat or cord. Keeping the connection in good shape will maintain the benefits of grounding.
Choose Quality Products: It’s wise to use a reputable brand of grounding products to ensure durability and proper design. I use Ultimate Longevity.
By following these steps – checking your outlet ground, testing your mat/cord, and using quality equipment – you can ensure your indoor grounding setup remains both safe and effective for the long run. With everything properly tested and in order, you can literally rest grounded, knowing that you’re safely connected to the Earth and reaping the benefits.
The counterarguments against indoor grounding, largely coming from EMF mitigation people, highlight worst-case scenarios (like improper wiring or extremely high ambient fields). These scenarios are relatively uncommon and can be rectified. Under normal conditions, the theoretical concerns do not manifest in dangerous ways. Grounding mats used as directed have been validated by both physics and practical use: they equalize your body to earth, drastically reduce induced voltages, and only allow imperceptible currents to flow. If someone is in an unusually high-EMF environment, the proper solution is to improve that environment.. not to avoid grounding per se. Ultimately, the claims that grounding mats attract or expose you to significant dirty electricity are scientifically invalid. Any credible concerns can be mitigated, and they do not negate the fundamental fact that a single-point ground connection with a large resistor is a high-impedance, safe connection – one that follows well-established electrical principles. All available real-world data supports the safety of indoor grounding when done properly, and the physics community would classify the “dirty electricity from grounding” fears as unfounded or highly exaggerated.
Even if dirty electricity were present, it would take the direct path to ground through the mat instead of detouring through you. That’s just how electric potential and resistance work. The idea that a grounding mat "funnels" dirty electricity into your body contradicts basic physics.
I hope this post has helped the many individuals out there who have come across and maybe asked this question themselves.
All of this being said, even if the voltage readings are similar indoors on a grounding product as they are outside, the better choice is always outside! Get some sunlight, some fresh air.. couple those with grounding and you’ve got a fantastic, healing nature cocktail.
If you’re interested in learning more about grounding, check out Earth & Water.
