"The 12p Solution That Finally Eliminated Condensation in My Daughter's Box Room After Trying Every Hack!"

WITH the cooler weather comes an increase in condensation – an issue that affects more than one in five UK homes.

And while there are a host ofyou can try and help reduce lingering moisture, many of them – such as window vacs or electrical dehumidifiers – are on the

My daughter has a box bedroom in our house, and it’s packed full of all her bits and piecesCredit: supplied Due to the size, and the amount of bits in the room, we struggle with condensation building up on the windows overnightCredit: supplied So I tried three budget-friendly-hacks to help – the first of which was rice, and the window was clear when we woke upCredit: supplied When I looked in the bowl the next morning, I could see which grains had absorbed the waterCredit: supplied

Not only that, but it becomes increasingly difficult if you’re dealing with a the exact problem I’m struggling with for my daughter.

At just seven years old, the room is a good size for her, and she has multiple other areas in which to play – meaning she uses her bedroom solely for sleeping.

But the drop in temperature outside, and the increase inside, thanks to the heating going on, has led to an increase in condensation on the inside of the windows in the room.

“Overnight, we breathe out warm, moist air, which becomes trapped in the room, especially if the bedroom door is kept closed and ventilation is limited,” Chad Bragg, an insulation expert at SuperFOIL , explained.

“When this moist air comes into contact with the cold glass, it condenses into water droplets, leading to a damp windowsill in the morning.”

And it’s not something that can just be left, as it can result in some pretty serious health consequences if it is.

So, I decided to try three different household hacks to see if they’d help keep the moisture at bay – all of which use items I already have in the cupboard.

Grain explain

First up, rice.

“Rice is naturally absorbent, and it works by drawing in excess moisture from the air,” Chad explained.

“By leaving a bowl of rice on the windowsill, you create a simple, low-cost dehumidifier that reduces the amount of water in the air, helping to prevent condensation buildup.

“While it won’t solve the root cause of poor ventilation, it’s a quick and easy hack to reduce moisture and protect your windows and sills from damp.”

Rice is also one of the most cost-effective condensation busting hacks.

I picked up a 500g bag of rice from Sainsbury’s for just 63p, and tipped around 100g into plastic bowl to leave on Millie’s windowsill before she went to bed – meaning it cost just 12p for the night.

The next morning, I pulled back the curtains – expecting to see the usual moisture droplets on the window.

However, much to my surprise, the pane was completely clear.

And when I looked inside the bowl, the grains that had absorbed the moisture looked opaque, compared to the others.

While this isn’t a particularly aesthetically pleasing solution to condensation, it worked a treat – and is environmentally friendly too.

It can also be used more than one time, as I discovered when I successfully used it a second night too.

Rating: 4/5

Pinch time

Another budget-friendly hack for dealing with moisture-covered windows is salt.

“Salt can draw moisture from the air, preventing it from ever having the chance to settle on your windows, Helen Godsiff, brand manager at home improvement specialists, Eurocell , explained.

Salt was the next hack I tried – and it had similarly successful resultsCredit: supplied The salt had clumped together by the morning, meaning I wouldn’t have been able to use it for a second night without replacing itCredit: supplied

“Simply buy a bag of salt from any supermarket and place it in a bowl on your windowsill.“

I picked up a 750g bottle of table salt from Waitrose for just 75p, and decanted it into the same plastic bowl on Millie’s windowsill.

Once again, the next morning the window pane was completely clear.

But the salt inside the bowl had been stuck together by the moisture, leaving it in clumps, and preventing me from using it for a second night.

So, while it’s a good budget, temporary, option, it doesn’t work for more than one night on the trot.

Rating: 3/5

Pot stop

One of the most commonly used hacks to deal with condensation is the little pots you can get in discount stores like B&M and the Pound shop.

I picked up a bulk pack of 10 for £9.99 from Amazon – making them just 99p each.

I also tried out one of these dehumidifier pots from Amazon – which worked a treatCredit: supplied

And the positive comments on the pots flooded the reviews section on Amazon.

“I have been using these for years,” one wrote.

“An absolute must in my opinion. I recently had a flood, and bought these to put in every room in the house.

“They’re especially good in the winter when you have to dry washing indoors.”

So I had high hopes, and was pleasantly surprised by the results.

Checking the next morning, the window was completely dry and, upon gently shaking the pot, I could hear the liquid inside.

It’s unbelievable how much water was collected in just one night – especially if you think that liquid would otherwise be trapped on the window pane.

The downside of these pots is that, while not overly expensive, they are pricier than the salt or rice hack.

They also aren’t particularly environmentally friendly as they can’t be included with your other household recycling, and would have to be taken to a specialised recycling centre instead.

However, they do also last longer than a couple of nights – so they’re definitely worth investing in.

Rating: 3/5