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The best humidity-busting products to try this summer

It's plum rain season, folks

By Yu Zhiming Posted: Tuesday July 9 2019

Photograph: Aaron Jean via Unsplash
All of a sudden your walls are musty, your clothes won't dry properly and your house smells like a flooded library. Apart from summertime heat waves, Shanghai is also home to the East Asian rainy season, meiyu, happening roughly between July and August every year (so pretty much right now). Unless you're headed out of town, there's no escaping it, so better start keeping your apartment dry and your mood up. Read on for some of the best dehumidifying products to get rid of plum rain dampness.
Baking soda

Baking soda

Baking soda is more than a kitchen essential for making cookies. As it's very good with soaking up moisture, it is perfect for dehumidifying your house. Pour a bit into bowls, cover them with a thin cloth and put them around the house. Easy. Find it here via Tmall. 

Moisture absorbers

Moisture absorbers

These HAKUGEN absorbers (49.9RMB for six) are made up of a container holding calcium chloride and sodium chloride and a plastic bowl below to catch water. Some brands offer refillable absorbers while others are for one-time use. How long they last depends on how damp your space is. They also fit easily in cabinets, wardrobes and drawers. Find them here via Tmall. 

Air-conditioning

Air-conditioning

Dry mode (除湿) on your AC unit can work quite well as a dehumidifier as it pulls excess water out of the air and sends it out the condensation line. And as the electric fan isn’t running all the time in dry mode, it actually saves energy (and therefore a bit of money, too).   

Dehumidifiers

Dehumidifiers

One of the most fail-proof options, dehumidifiers come in many sizes and price points. Two things to take into consideration: size and noise level. Generally speaking, larger spaces require bigger machines but some larger dehumidifiers are loud while they're running. You may want a quiet one especially if you plan on using it in your bedroom. This dehumidifier from Deye (588RMB) can pull out up to 12 litres of water per day with 38db noise level (that's about equal to the sound of your computer). Find it here on JD.

Plants

Plants

Believe it or not, some plants are good at reducing humidity indoors (and they make no sound at all). Think xerophytes such as cacti, succulents and aloes that can all survive in extremely dry places by catching water from the air and keeping it in their waxy leaves and thick stems. Epiphytes like ferns are also natural moistures absorbers. They might not be as immediately effective as a dehumidifier, but they do look nicer.

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