The shorter and darker days have arrived and now that autumn is in full swing, it means temperatures are gradually turning colder.
The chilly weather not only means having to dig your winter coat out of retirement, it also means waking up to a layer of condensation on your windows will start to become a regular occurrence. Condensation forms when warm air inside your home meets the cold surface of the window, which then forms water droplets on the glass as it cools. The sitting water might seem harmless, but it can lead to a buildup of mould and mildew around your window if left unchecked, and even result in dampness in your home.
Drying your windows each morning is a good way to avoid these problems, but you can save yourself the hassle by using one cheap household item to reduce condensation in your home. According to experts, you don’t need to splash out on a fancy and expensive dehumidifier to absorb moisture from the air in your home as baking soda can do this job for you.
Baking soda is often used as a cleaning product around the home, but it’s more versatile than you might think and can also be used to tackle condensation.
The natural ingredient is very absorbent and can trap excess moisture from the air, so when it’s placed on windowsills it essentially helps to lower humidity levels in the room, which in turn then reduces the amount of condensation that forms on windows.
Experts at House Fresh explain: “Not only can baking soda help remove unwanted odors from your home, but it also has a high water absorption capacity, which can remove moisture in wet air.
“Simply leave a bowl of baking soda in a room with excess humidity. The bigger the room, the more baking soda you’ll need. Try this tip in smaller spaces first, like a cupboard or wardrobe, to gauge how much you’ll need for the moisture in your problem room.”
Experts recommend filling a bowl with baking soda and placing it on your windowsills to help remove some of the humidity from the air. You can pick up a 200g tub of baking soda for just 98p at Asda, so it’s a cheap and natural way to help battle condensation during autumn and winter when temperatures drop.
Condensation becomes more common as homes heat up and outdoor temperatures drop, and if moisture is left to build up it can lead to damp patches, mould, and possible health risks.
As such, baking soda is a small but effective tool that can help to keep your home drier throughout the colder months, but it’s not a permanent solution so you will need to regularly replace it to ensure it is still absorbing moisture from the air.
Experts at Freedom Air and Plumbing add: “For the baking soda method, pour the baking soda into bowls and cover each bowl with a thin cloth. Then, place them in the most humid rooms of your home, replacing them with fresh baking soda when it starts to cake.”
Your heating can also play a big part in how much condensation forms in your home as the warmer the air is, the more moisture it will hold. So if you heat one room to a higher temperature and leave other rooms cold, condensation can be worse in the unheated rooms.
To avoid this, the World Health Organisation guidelines suggest a minimum temperature of 21C in a living room and 18C in bedrooms, and it’s recommended that heating is left on low all day in cold weather to help control condensation.
If you do get a build up of condensation on your windows, make sure to wipe surfaces down to prevent mould forming and spreading and if you notice any black spots, give your window a clean with a mild bleach solution or anti fungal spray.
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