Goodbye desert climate With these 5 tips, you no longer need a humidifier

Samuel Walder

18.10.2024

Damp laundry in the home
Damp laundry in the home
imago images/Cord

In winter, the humidity in many homes drops and often leads to dry skin and mucous membranes. There are simple and inexpensive methods to improve the indoor climate - without any power guzzlers.

No time? blue News summarizes for you

  • Simple tricks help to avoid dry air in heated rooms.
  • Experts recommend keeping the humidity in the room below 50 percent.
  • Humidifiers should be used carefully to minimize health risks.

Temperatures are falling and homes are being heated diligently: this leads to dry rooms. This makes it all the more important for the human body to drink enough. There is a high risk of the skin drying out.

In addition to the classic tips such as heating less or installing a humidifier in your home, there are far simpler and cheaper methods of keeping your home moist.

Water tray on the radiator

Probably the easiest way to humidify a room is the well-known trick that our grandparents used. Fill a bowl with water and place it on the radiator while you are heating. The water will gradually evaporate and automatically humidify the room.

The same trick works with glasses placed on the radiator. It is important to pay attention to the temperature when removing the bowls or glasses. To prevent burns, it is best to use a towel to protect your hands.

Drying laundry in the apartment

Wet laundry is perfect for humidifying the air in the room. Simply dry the laundry directly in the rooms on a clothes horse - and it will release moisture into the rooms.

Terry towels used after showering can also be dried in the home. The damp rags will moisturize the room.

Leave the door open after showering

We're all familiar with the cloud of steam after a bath or shower. From now on, however, use the steam directly to humidify the air in the surrounding rooms.

The steam escapes from the bathroom and, ideally, humidifies the whole apartment.

Buy an indoor fountain

An indoor fountain shows how humidifying and decorating can go hand in hand.

In theory, the indoor fountain works like an ordinary humidifier. But if you value furnishings and aesthetics, you should get yourself an indoor fountain.

Drinking to prevent dryness from the inside

Humidifying dry indoor air is not just about our environment. The mucous membranes can also be moistened from the inside, of course, to counteract dehydration. It is best to drink two to three liters a day, your body will thank you for it.

What is the optimum humidity level?

As Corporate Health Expert in Switzerland writes, the opinions of experts differ. From a scientific point of view, there is no increased likelihood of catching a cold at low humidity levels of up to 30 percent. From a relative humidity of 50 percent, mites multiply and the risk of mold growth on exterior walls or other cool surfaces increases.

It should also be noted that the use of humidifiers is not entirely unproblematic. On the one hand, the water in humidifier containers can be contaminated (bacteria, mold, amoebae). These microbes are released into the air during humidification.

On the other hand, there is a risk of overhumidification of the air, which can lead to increased growth of molds and mites. This can result in health problems such as respiratory diseases and allergies.