I’ve spent years battling condensation in my bedroom (Image: Sophie Law)
I’ve spent years battling condensation in my bedroom, and like many people, I assumed the only real solution was a decent dehumidifier. Every winter, I’d wake up to beads of water streaming down the glass, damp window sills and that unmistakable cold, clammy feeling in the room.
I eventually splashed out nearly £200 on model from Meaco, and while it does help overall damp levels in the room, it hasn’t been the miracle fix I hoped for when it comes to actually preventing soaking wet windows every morning. So when I discovered that a 40p household item was stopping droplets form on my windows overnight in the first place, I was genuinely surprised. Despite the dehumidifier running during the day, once night would fall, condensation still formed on the windows, especially during colder snaps.
I poured the salt into a small bowl and placed it on the windowsill overnight (Image: Sophie Law)
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Out of frustration more than anything else, I decided to try something I already had in the cupboard: a cheap tub of table salt. The whole thing cost under £1 (you can buy table salt from M&S for 40p or Asda for 70p), and I wasn’t expecting much. But the difference was noticeable within days.
I poured the salt into a small bowl and placed it on the windowsill overnight, right where the condensation was worst. Salt is naturally hygroscopic, which means it attracts and absorbs moisture from the air. I didn’t need to plug anything in, set timers or remember to empty a tank.
By the next morning, there was visibly less water on the glass. After a few nights, the usual puddling on the sill had stopped altogether. The salt itself had clumped together and become slightly damp, which showed it was doing exactly what it was meant to do.
The salt, sitting directly on the sill, tackles the problem exactly where it starts (Image: Sophie Law)
My dehumidifier is great for reducing overall humidity in the room, especially if I’ve been drying laundry. But because I don’t want it keep it running overnight, it doesn’t do the job of preventing the condensation from forming.
The salt, sitting directly on the sill, tackles the problem exactly where it starts. It’s a targeted fix rather than a whole-room solution, and for window condensation specifically, it’s been far more effective than I expected.
This hasn’t replaced my dehumidifier completely, but it has absolutely reduced how often I need to use it. That means lower electricity costs, which is a bonus during winter.
I now replace the salt every week, or sooner if it becomes very damp. It’s cheap, low-effort and doesn’t involve wiping down windows every single morning.
If you’re dealing with condensation and don’t want to invest in an expensive appliance straight away, this simple 40p fix is well worth trying. It won’t solve serious damp issues, but for everyday window condensation, it’s definitely rivalled my expensive dehumidifier.
