6 DIYs to Dehumidify Your Home (2024)

If you are experiencing some extra moisture in any part of your home, check out these DIY dehumidifier options to help you trap wetness and dry out the air. While not as effective as a store-bought dehumidifier, these low-cost options are great to use as a temporary solution.

• 01 of 06

  Rock Salt

  

  The most popular DIY dehumidifier is the one that works the best—rock salt. Rock salt naturally absorbs moisture out of the air, making it a great choice to use as a dehumidifier.

  To make a rock salt humidifier, you'll need a large bag of rock salt (also sometimes referred to as sodium chloride) and two 5-gallon buckets. You should be able to find both at a hardware store.

  Here's how to make it:

  1. Drill several small holes in one of the buckets along the sides and the bottom.
  2. Put the bucket with the holes inside the other bucket.
  3. Fill the bucket all the way up to the top with rock salt.
  4. Place the bucket in the area of your home you'd like to dehumidify.
  5. The bucket will begin to collect water, and that water will drip through the holes of the inside bucket.
  6. The water will then collect inside the outer bucket, trapping excess moisture.

  Tip

  You'll need to empty your bucket as it fills up with water, and you may also need to refill your rock salt if you notice that it is running low.

• 02 of 06

  See Also

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  Baking Soda

  

  Baking soda has all kinds of uses, and dehumidifying is one of them. Since it is so inexpensive and easy to find at the store, it makes for a great choice.

  Though baking soda is a great option for a dehumidifier, it only works in a small area. You may find some success with using it in a larger room, but this method is ideal for a smaller space, like a cabinet.

  Here's how you can make yours:

  1. Get a small bowl that will fit in the area you'd like to place it in.
  2. Fill the bowl full of baking soda.
  3. Place the bowl in the area you'd like to dehumidify.
  4. The baking soda will harden as it absorbs moisture, and at that time, you'll want to replace it with fresh baking soda.

• 03 of 06

  Charcoal

  

  Charcoal also absorbs moisture from the air, making it a great choice for a DIY dehumidifier. Charcoal dehumidifiers work when placed in a smaller area, making it a great choice for a bathroom, basem*nt, attic, or closet.

  Here's how you can make your own charcoal dehumidifier:

  1. Get a large, clean can, such as a large coffee can. Make sure that the can has a lid.
  2. Use a screwdriver to punch holes in the side and lid of the can.
  3. Put the charcoal inside the can and put the lid on.
  4. Place your DIY charcoal dehumidifier in the area you'd like to remove moisture from.
  5. You'll want to replace your charcoal in a few months with new charcoal, starting the dehumidifying process again.

• 04 of 06

  See Also

  mold

  Non-Dairy Coffee Creamer

  

  Non-dairy coffee creamer, also called coffee whitener, surprisingly makes a great dehumidifier as well. You may think it's only for coffee, but the creamer has natural drying properties that can be used to dehumidify your home. Non-dairy coffee creamer works best in a small area, like a bedroom or closet.

  Here's how you can make it.

  1. Get a medium-sized bowl and fill it with the non-dairy coffee creamer.
  2. Place the bowl with the creamer in a room you'd like to dehumidify.
  3. Just like with the baking soda, the coffee creamer will absorb the moisture and harden. When this happens, simply replace it with new coffee whitener.

  Continue to 5 of 6 below.

• 05 of 06

  Calcium Chloride

  

  Calcium chloride is another type of salt that makes an excellent dehumidifier. It can absorb moisture from a fairly large room, making it a great choice for a basem*nt or bathroom.

  Here's how you can make your DIY calcium chloride dehumidifier.

  1. Collect an old sock, string, a large bowl, and your calcium chloride.
  2. Place the calcium chloride inside the sock.
  3. Tie the sock closed with a piece of string.
  4. Hang the sock in the area where you'd like to remove moisture.
  5. Place the bowl under the sock to catch any water that will flow off the calcium chloride once it starts working.

  Tip

  The level of calcium chloride will reduces in the sock as it absorbs moisture, so be sure replace as needed to continue dehumidifying.

• 06 of 06

  Silica Gel

  

  You probably can recall the small packages of silica gel that are in shoe boxes, containers, or any other item that might collect moisture. The silica gel works great as a dehumidifier, and you can easily make one yourself.

  Here's how to make a DIY silica gel dehumidifier.

  1. Collect a jar with a lid, a screwdriver, and silica gel.
  2. Use the screwdriver to make holes in the lid of the jar.
  3. Fill the jar with silica gel and screw back on the lid.
  4. Replace the silica gel every few weeks for the best results.