One of the most overlooked household chores is putting away clothes after use. Whether upon returning home in the evening or after finishing washing, putting clothes away where they belong is essential to prevent them from piling up on the floor, desk or on top of the bed.
Accumulating clothes for several days is a common habit, especially for those who have less time to collect them or for those who are more lazy. However, this practice is not recommended for several reasons, since, in addition to facilitating the deterioration of clothing – by attracting dust and insects – it can also have psychological effects, causing visual disturbances or increasing the level of stress every time you enter the room.
Therefore, as long as the clothes are still clean after use, it is advisable to put them away immediately after undressing, in order to avoid possible incidents. Likewise, for clothes to be preserved in the best way and for as long as possible, it is important to keep wardrobes or dressers clean and free of humidity, which could permanently damage the fabrics.
Since they are practically airtight furniture and close to surfaces such as walls or ceilings, closets are one of the areas of the house where the most humidity can accumulate. Therefore, several causes can be at the origin of the problem, such as lack of ventilation, light or even storing clothes that have not yet completely dried.
Keeping these areas clean and free of moisture is a great way to preserve the useful life of the clothing and the place where it is stored. Likewise, there are some tips and tricks to avoid the appearance of humidity or other inconveniences in a simple way and with common products around the house. So this is the method to make a homemade dehumidifier to eliminate bad odors from the closet.
Materials for making a homemade dehumidifier
Although there are commercial dehumidifiers with which to perform this function, it is possible to implement several homemade methods to keep the area free of this problem in a simple way and with only materials used daily in the house. Therefore, to make this tool, the following elements will be necessary:
- Raw rice or coarse salt.
- A sock, stocking or bag made of breathable fabric.
- A plastic bottle.
- The perfume you like the most.
- Baking soda -optional-.
How to make a homemade dehumidifier to eliminate bad smells from the closet
Once the materials are prepared, it is time to put into practice one of the different household methods that allow you to dehumidify the areas of the closet. There are several possibilities, so it is advisable to try between the alternatives until you see which one is the most functional in each case.
One of the most effective tricks is rice, which involves filling a sock, stocking or breathable fabric bag with raw rice so that the food acts as a powerful natural absorbent. In addition, it is possible to mix it with a few drops of perfume if you want to aromatize the environment, or with a few tablespoons of baking soda if you want to completely deodorize the area.
Once all the ingredients are added, tie the fabric container with a soft knot and use a rubber band to lightly seal it, allowing air to circulate easily, but the contents not to spill. Then, place the padded sock in a corner of the cupboard so that the rice gradually absorbs the moisture it contains.
Likewise, check the contents every 2 weeks to ensure that it is not yet damp and can continue to absorb all moisture from the environment. If necessary, it can be replaced with another similarly padded sock. Additionally, this tip works just as well with raw rice as with coarse salt, as both are powerful natural absorbents.
On the other hand, another of the most useful methods to eliminate humidity in closets uses one of the star cleaning products of home maintenance, baking soda. It is a powerful absorbent and deodorizer, so its use will also help reduce bad odors.
To do this, cut a plastic bottle in half – the trick only requires the bottom part of the container. Next, pierce the container at the top, near the opening. After that, add two cups of baking soda and cover the utensil with gauze or a thin cloth to prevent the contents from spilling but without closing it tightly.
Likewise, it is also possible to add a few drops of essential oils or perfume if you want to give a pleasant aroma to the furniture instead of the neutral smell that baking soda provides. Check the compound every 2 or 3 weeks and replace it once it has hardened, showing that it has already absorbed moisture.
