Water on Your Windows Every Morning? Put a Bowl of This on the Windowsill

The bowl on the windowsill, done right

Ordinary coarse salt draws a little water out of very damp air, so a bowl on the windowsill does something, but honestly not much. Calcium chloride works better: it is sold in hardware stores as moisture absorber tubs or crystals. It pulls a lot more water out of the air and slowly turns into a salty liquid at the bottom of the tub. Use it in a small space: a closet, a small bathroom, or next to one window that always drips. It helps a little there, but it is not a fix for a whole room. A household puts more water into the air in one day than a tub takes up in weeks.

Keep the tub upright and out of reach of children and pets. The liquid is very salty, it irritates skin and eyes, and it can stain wood and damage metal if it spills, so put a saucer under it. Wear gloves to empty it and pour it down the sink with plenty of water.

A small dark speck on the sealant can usually be cleaned with water and dish soap, wearing gloves, and then dried well. Call a professional (or your landlord) if the mold keeps coming back, covers more than about 10 square feet, smells musty, sits behind wallpaper, or comes with a leak. And if the fog is between the two panes of double glazing, the seal has failed: no bowl or squeegee helps, but a window company can replace the glass. Dry windows, dry walls, a healthier home!