As soon as we experience a cold spell, our instinct is to winterize our homes to seal out the drafts and keep the heat in. However, when we close our windows tight and prevent heat loss under doors, we are trapping moisture inside. With nowhere to escape, excess water turns into condensation, with the knock-on effect of causing damp and mold.
While the easy solution is to invest in one of the best dehumidifiers, you might not have the space to fit one in or feel that the problem is serious enough to buy something new. Even the best budget dehumidifier that Tom’s Guide recommends, the Midea Cube 20 Pint Dehumidifier, will set you back $189 at Home Depot.
Luckily, there are other ways to dry out a room without a dehumidifier, including this clever kitty litter hack. What’s more, if you own a cat, you'll already own everything you need. So, instead of splashing out on a dehumidifier, try this budget-friendly tip to see if it clears up the condensation in your home.
Cat litter — the purrfect way to banish condensation
Eric Bramleet, owner of Bramlett Real Estate, knows the issues that condensation and dampness can cause. “Damp can be a serious health concern, especially amongst vulnerable individuals such as young children, the elderly, and those with respiratory illnesses," she says. "This is because it can lead to the growth of mold, which can cause symptoms like shortness of breath, wheezing and coughing, as well as increase the risk of fungal infections.”
Having raised two sons with asthma, I’m well aware of the problems that condensation and mold can cause and I have always sought ways to reduce the issue in my home. But whether you’ve got health conditions or not, it’s still advisable to control the amount of excess moisture in your home.
Bramlett recommends keeping a bag of cat litter on hand to combat damp and condensation, saying it’s a “smart, cost-effective way to tackle damp conditions this winter — no feline required!”
How does cat litter reduce condensation?
Cat litter may seem an odd product to combat condensation, but Bramlett explains why it can do the trick. “It can absorb moisture from direct contact, but also directly from the air, which means it’s great at lowering humidity levels in smaller, enclosed spaces,” he says.
What type of cat litter is best?
Although I’d love to own a cat, my son’s allergies and asthma prevent us from having a fluffy bundle of fur to care for. So, I’m unfamiliar with the pet aisle in the grocery store and wouldn’t know which cat litter to choose.
However, Bramlett knows his stuff, and explains, “Silica gel cat litter is probably the best type to use when tackling condensation in the home, as it has a high absorption rate and doesn’t leave dust behind like clay cat litter tends to.”
How to use cat litter to reduce condensation
Despite having to banish all furry creatures from my home, I pictured placing a tray of cat litter on a window sill to return to find that my imaginary cat had discovered its litter tray had been relocated! Luckily, Bramlett’s hack avoids this mishap.
What makes this handy tip even better is that it only involves three simple steps a sock and some cat litter.
1. Fill a cotton sock with cat litter and tie it into place.
2. Place the DIY pouches on the windowsills around your home, or you can even place them on your car's dashboard, to save time clearing the inside of your windscreen during your early morning rush.
3. Once the litter has become saturated, simply empty the sock and replace it with a fresh batch.
“This is a versatile and cost-effective hack that anyone can use,” says Bramlett, although he does warn, “It might not be a strong enough dehumidifier for larger areas with damp issues.”
If you have a more serious damp issue in your home, we suggest investing in a dehumidifier, as the cat litter hack probably won't be sufficient to remove substantial amounts of moisture.
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