15 Old British Tricks That Kept Damp Out Before Dehumidifiers (I Still Use Them), by Frank Hartley on YouTube. 15 min 59 s.
- Video length
- 15 min 59 s
- Time to do it
- 20 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Put a shallow saucer of dry salt on the windowsill before bed. The salt pulls moisture out of the air, and you tip it away and refill it each morning.
Wipe the inside glass each morning with a wash leather. Wring it out into the sink or outside so the water leaves the room.
Drop a few grains of rice into your salt cellar and hang a piece of chalk in the wardrobe. Both soak up damp air and stop salt and clothes going sticky.
Pull wardrobes, beds and sofas a few inches away from outside walls. Trapped air behind furniture is where black mould starts.
Check the airbricks on outside walls and clear any blockages. Old terraces rely on them to let damp air move through the house.
Dry washing outdoors on a line or pulley whenever you can. Drying it on radiators indoors puts that water straight back into the air.
Strip the bed back each morning and leave the duvet folded at the foot for an hour. Open the window a few inches while you do it.
Keep a little background warmth in the room instead of letting it go cold, and never seal up vents or chimneys.
Tips and common mistakes
Refill the salt saucer before it turns wet, because damp salt stops working.
Never block an airbrick or chimney, since a fire or gas appliance needs that airflow to stay safe.
If the glass is still soaked every morning, the room needs more ventilation rather than more salt.
Wipe the glass before it runs, so water does not drip onto the frame and sill.
Questions
Does a saucer of salt really stop condensation?
It will not stop it completely, but dry salt absorbs some moisture from the air near the glass. Change it daily and treat it as a small help, not a cure.
How often should I wipe the windows?
Once every morning during cold months. Wring the cloth out properly each time so you are removing water, not spreading it around.
Why do older houses get so damp?
Many were built with airbricks, open chimneys and thin windows that let air move freely. Sealing those up traps moisture indoors.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
