While I love living in an older home, it’s not very well-ventilated, allowing mold to build up in unwanted areas, including my closet.
I spent over two years battling mold on my clothes until I found out about hanging moisture absorbers, available in bulk from Amazon. After I used these, the problem went away, my clothes always smell great and now remain free from damage.
Finding household mold is always unpleasant, but it’s even worse finding it in the room that’s supposed to be your sanctuary. Thankfully, these absorbers are the trick to getting rid of it in the closet.
Why I love hanging moisture absorbers
Keep your closet free from moisture and beautifully scented with the help of these handy moisture absorbers. They come in four different fragrance options and can hold up to 16 oz of water at a time.
I have asthma, so having mold in any part of the house is always a worry for me, as I want to ensure I can breathe as well as possible. After hanging these moisture absorbers in my small closet for a month, I stopped feeling tight-chested when I opened it. I have now been using them for over a year and haven’t had any further mold issues with my clothes.
While my partner and I have a dehumidifier in the bedroom (the Pro Breeze dehumidifier from Walmart is efficient and high-capacity), our one isn’t very powerful, so we have to combine it with other methods to combat condensation and humidity. You can just use hanging moisture absorbers by themselves – unlike large appliances like this, they are super budget-friendly.
Since using these in my closet, the mold issue has stopped.
Unlike using moisture absorber boxes, they take up much less width, so you don’t have to compromise on closet space to use them. This makes them ideal for smaller homes like apartments, where you might not have space for a big dehumidifier. You also can't open the windows with dehumidifiers on, but you can keep the windows open with moisture absorbers.
Less moisture also means that my clothes stay fresh and damage-free, which makes me feel much more confident when picking out outfits and stepping out the house. This is especially important for delicate fabrics like silk or leather.
Pros of hanging moisture absorbers
They don't take up much space and provide localized humidity reduction.
Want to wave goodbye to mold in your closet? There are multiple reasons hanging moisture absorbers are worth using:
- Easy: ‘They could not be any easier to install – just hang one in your closet and let it do its thing,’ says Bryan Griffin, founder of Patriot Maids Cleaning Services.
- Affordability: Bryan also loves the fact they’re cost effective and great value for money – I’ve found each one lasts for up to 60 days, meaning they don’t constantly need to be re-purchased.
- Freshness: No more musty-smelling clothes and dousing yourself in perfume. ‘They’re brilliant for subtly freshening up the smell of your clothes,’ Bryan adds.
Cons of hanging moisture absorbers
As they cannot be reused, there is an ongoing cost to replacing them once they reach capacity.
While I highly recommend hanging moisture absorbers, there are some cons worth watching out for:
- Water: ‘They fill up with water over time and need to be replaced before they start leaking, which could potentially ruin your clothes,’ says Mike German, owner of Handyman Connection. Thankfully, this is pretty easy to keep on top of – simply check your hanging moisture absorber every time you open your closet.
- Limited coverage: ‘Hanging moisture absorbers are typically small and only effective in confined spaces like closets and bathrooms,’ Mike adds. They won’t make a noticeable difference in larger areas.
Top tips for using hanging moisture absorbers
Placement matters, as well as keeping a regular eye so they don't cause a leak of water once full.
Much like choosing the best place for your dehumidifier, picking the right spots for your hanging moisture absorbers will be key to making the most out of them.
‘Pop them in spots that feel damp or smell a bit musty – usually in the back corners of your closet,’ Bryan suggests. If you can’t visually see anything, touch the surfaces lightly to check for any lingering moisture.
These absorbers do fill up with water, so it’s important to check on your hanging moisture absorber every time you use your closet. ‘Keep an eye on the absorber and swap it out once it’s full to avoid any mishaps,’ says Bryan.
Bryan also suggests regularly opening your closet doors to let some fresh air circulate through. I do this and put my air purifier (the Levoit air purifier on Amazon is a top best-seller on the site) next to my closet, which allows the freshest air possible to circulate around the area.
What to shop
As well as having hanging moisture absorbers in my wardrobe, I use velvet hangers. They are space-saving and, therefore allow for better air flow. I can also store more clothes, they look super stylish, and grip onto garments easily.
For those looking for small, space-friendly dehumidifiers, this portable one is a brilliant option. It operates at a whisper-quiet 39 dB and features an auto-shutoff function to prevent overflow.
This is the exact air purifier I have, and it has been serving me well for over two years. It removes airborne particles and comes with an app that tells you all about the air quality in your room.
Meet the experts
Bryan is the founder of Patriot Maids Cleaning Services, which he launched in 2017 to connect skilled cleaning professionals with customers seeking high-quality service. He loves finding new ways to make household upkeep easier for busy clients.
Mike German is the owner of Handyman Connection, which offers home maintenance services across North America. He is a pro at finding clever ways to keep homes damage-free.
If you’re looking for dehumidifier recommendations, Homes & Gardens’ news writer for Solved, Ottilie Blackhall, also found mold in her closet and used a cheap Amazon dehumidifier to solve the problem.
I also had to deal with excess moisture on the windows in my bedroom, which I fixed with a simple dish soap condensation hack.
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