How to increase humidity in your house

Key steps

• Air-dry clothes on drying frames.

• Wash dishes by hand and leave them to air-dry.

• Leave the door open when having a shower to let the steam out.

• Allow baths to cool with the door open before draining the tub.

• Create a homemade humidifier with bowls of water and sunlight.

When there isn't enough moisture in the air, it can make people feel stuffy, headachy and even exacerbate dry skin issues. Both air conditioning and central heating can reduce humidity in the home, meaning that all year round it's good to know some handy tricks for diffusing some moisture back into the air. Here we’ll show you how to increase humidity at home as well as how to monitor the humidity in your house. If your house is too humid, we also have advice on reducing humidity at home.

Be safe when adding humidity at home. Make sure bowls of water on windowsills are not near electrical points in case of spills and never leave a full bath unattended.

How to check the levels of humidity in a house

If you’re wondering how to monitor your home for the ideal room humidity, you will need a hygrometer. In a similar way to how thermometers track temperature, a hygrometer will help you monitor humidity levels.

How to increase humidity in a room: 3 easy methods for how to add moisture to the air

If you’re wondering how to humidify a room, we have three easy ways you can add moisture back to the air around your home.

1. Air-dry your clothes and dishes. Instead of using a tumble dryer, save energy and humidify you home by hanging your clothes out to dry inside. If you have the space, and an a-frame or other drying rack, this is a great way to add moisture to the air at home. The same effect can be achieved by skipping the dishwasher and washing dirty dishes by hand. Simply leave your clean plates, bowls and cups on a draining rack to dry.

2. Let trapped steam free! Instead of shutting the bathroom door when you head in for your daily shower, leave it open. This will allow the steam to escape and humidify the air in the rest of your home. Alternatively, if you prefer a bath, instead of draining the bathtub immediately after you get out, allow the water to cool with the bathroom door open. Warm water will evaporate and add moisture to the air. If you have children, never leave a bathtub of water unattended, as it is a safety hazard.

3. Create a homemade humidifier. You don’t need anything expensive to be able to add a bit of moisture to the air in your home. A homemade humidifier is a simple thing to make... all you need is a bowl of water and a sunny windowsill! The sun will heat the water and cause it to evaporate, thus adding moisture to the air of your home.

Now you have three super easy methods for how to increase humidity at home, you will be able to relieve the stuffy air and live headache-free!