The dark nights and cold weather have well and truly arrived in the UK as the autumn season is now in full swing.
Yes, it’s that dreary time of year when we retreat indoors and cosy up in front of the telly for the foreseeable future. The start of November is typically the time households start to switch the heating on to fend off the chilly temperatures and unfortunately this often leads to condensation forming on windows. Waking up to a layer of water droplets on your windows is a familiar sight at this time of the year and is caused when warm air inside your home meets the cold surface of the glass, before cooling quickly to form condensation. If left unchecked it can soon lead to a build up of black mould and mildew around your window seal, which can be damaging to your health.
To combat this problem, households across the UK are being used to put a 68p natural item on their windowsills from November – and that’s salt.
Salt has excellent moisture-absorbing properties so it can effectively soak up water vapour from the air and help to prevent condensation from developing.
You can pick up a 750g bottle of table salt from Asda for as little as 68p, so it’s a really cheap and easy way to tackle condensation in your home over the colder months.
Experts recommend placing a bowl of salt on windowsills to help dry the air near your window, thereby reducing the amount of water droplets that form on the cold glass and helping to reduce dampness in your home.
Experts at The Spruce explain: “Placing a bowl of salt near the window can help to absorb moisture in the air before it can condense on the windows, though the amount of salt needed and the frequency with which you will have to replace the salt depends on the level of moisture inside the home.”
Condensation becomes more common as homes heat up and outdoor temperatures drop, and if moisture is left to build up it can lead to damp patches, mould, and possible health risks.
Not only that, it’s also a costly issue to rectify. According to MyJobQuote, minor condensation repairs for double glazed windows could range between £300 and £500. As such, salt is a small but effective tool that can make a big difference in keeping your home drier throughout autumn and winter.
Experts at Lottomart add: “Regular condensation build-up isn’t just unsightly – it can become a breeding ground for mould, which poses risks to household health.
“The method is really easy to follow. All you need to do is fill a small bowl or jar with table salt and place it on your windowsill. Once the salt clumps together, that’s your sign to replace it with a fresh batch to keep it working effectively.”
