The Laundry Trick That Can Help Prevent Condensation On Windows

Condensation might be one of the biggest concerns for homeowners and renters alike. Trapped moisture in a dwelling can lead to mold growth and ruined walls, not to mention other material damage if too much builds up. If you often wake up to condensation on your windows, it might be because of a seemingly harmless practice. Hanging your laundry up to dry indoors is a fairly standard routine, especially during the colder months or in areas with high humidity and inclement weather. However, this practice might be adding to the condensation that accumulates overnight within your home. One effective way to fix this problem is by primarily drying clothes in the morning so that you can also air out your home during the day to remove excess moisture.

At night, you likely close up your doors and windows to keep out pests and secure your home. However, if this is also when you tend to hang up your clothes to air dry, you're trapping all the moisture from the washing machine inside you home without giving it a place to escape. This is bound to cause condensation problems. Ideally, you should set up clothes hang drying stations first thing in the morning, then crack a window or set it on ventilation lock to help bring in fresh air and circulate the moisture from the fabric. You can also prop open doors to help. If you're worried about the cold air preventing your clothing from drying properly, you can set up your station next to a vent or heater so warm air is blowing on your items, also helping to remove moisture.

It might also be worth adding a few appliances to your home to help dry out your space after a big load that needs to be hung. Dehumidifiers and PIV units can help to pull that excess moisture out of the air, stopping condensation from collecting and creating mold. Dehumidifiers work only in the area or room they are placed in, while PIV units can work throughout your house as a whole. Also keep your heater on to counteract the humidity caused by the fabric. It doesn't have to be on a very high setting, but the dry, warm air will balance out the moisture and keep condensation from forming on your windows, walls, and everywhere else. You can even invest in an extractor fan or moisture eliminators (try the option the internet loves from Dollar Tree), which can help with all the water that is escaping your clothing with nowhere to go. First, ventilate your home, then consider additional tactics to help dry everything out!

On top of these tips, you can also invest in a system to hang clothing outside, giving them more airflow to dry quickly and leave less condensation indoors. A pro tip for air drying laundry outdoors is to flip clothing inside out to preserve the color of the items. To help your hang-dry items dry faster, shake each one out when removing it from the washing machine to get rid of extra water from the cycle.