Damp closet and musty smell every winter: is a moisture absorber like DampRid enough, or do I need a real dehumidifier?
Every winter my bedroom closet starts smelling musty and my coats feel damp. The room is small, maybe 10x12, and I rent so I cannot install anything permanent. DampRid tubs are like $5-10 and seem too cheap to actually work, while a small dehumidifier is $100+ and I would have to empty it constantly. Has anyone actually fixed a damp closet with just the absorber tubs? How long does one tub last before it needs replacing?
1 answer
- DampRid hanging bags
For a closet, the DampRid hanging bags actually work - they are calcium chloride, which pulls moisture out of the air until the crystals dissolve into brine, so you can see the water level drop in the bag. One bag lasts about 2-3 months in a closed closet, and a 3-pack is under $15. A dehumidifier is overkill for a space that small and you would be emptying a tank every other day. Put one bag per closet, keep the door mostly closed, and replace it when the top chamber is empty. If the smell stays after two weeks, the damp is coming from the wall, not the air, and no absorber will fix that.