A simple 10 minute daily habit can prevent mould and condensation forming in your home, even when you struggle with ventilation. It’s important to tackle the problem or risk health issues further down the line
If you struggle with poor ventilation in your home, you’ll no doubt have noticed condensation starting to form on your windows in the morning.
This is more common in the autumn and winter, when the cold air from outside clashes with the warm air inside, causing droplets to form on cold surfaces such as windows. While not necessarily a problem in itself, if left untreated it can cause mould to form in your home, which could lead to health issues further down the line.
It can be quite costly to make sure your home has sufficient ventilation, for example by installing extractor fans and structural ventilation. And with sky-high energy costs you probably don’t want to leave the windows open all day to let air in – and warm air out.
But luckily, there is a 10 minute habit you can do each day which will help prevent condensation forming. And it’s as simple as opening your windows for just 10 minutes. Housing association Greatwell Homes recently took to TikTok to share advice for those who are “worried about mould” in their homes.
They explained one way to get rid of damp and condensation in your home is to “open windows for at least 10 minutes in the morning”. “This will help circulate air and help reduce indoor humidity levels,” they added.
They also urge people to avoid drying clothes indoors or on radiators, as this can cause more moisture to form. Instead, you should take advantage of any cold, dry days and dry clothes outdoors.
Using an extractor hood while cooking can also reduce condensation, as well as putting pots on pans to avoid excess moisture escaping. If you have trickle vents in your windows, make sure these are open.
You should also wipe down the walls of your shower and inside the bathroom to avoid mould forming. Any extractor fans in the kitchen and bathroom should be run for 15-30 minutes after cooking or bathing to reduce moisture.
If you’re looking for other, less expensive ways to reduce moisture in your home you could purchase moisture/dehumidifier bags. These cost just over £1 per bag on Amazon, and can help remove the moisture in the room.
Speaking about the product on TikTok, online content creator Gazza Thompson, from Durham, said: “The last two years these have been an absolute life-saver, and it’s as simple as hanging it up behind the curtain,” he said. Gazza continued: “Before I started hanging these up in winter I used to get horrible, horrible mould marks above the window, but now since I [started using them], no more.”
