The rice bag trick is clever, but for me, it never seemed to keep up with humidity in older houses.
Yeah, I’ve tried the rice thing too—felt like it was just a drop in the bucket, honestly. In my last place, I ended up drilling a couple of small vents near the closet ceiling. Made a bigger difference than I expected. Sometimes you gotta go beyond the DIY hacks if the house is stubbornly damp.
Venting the closet is a solid move—sometimes you just need to let the air out, literally. I get what you mean about rice being underwhelming. I tried it for a while, but it felt like I was just making extra work for myself with zero payoff. In my case, I ended up using those cheap moisture absorber tubs you find at the hardware store. They’re not perfect, but they did seem to keep the musty smell at bay better than anything else I tried.
I’ve thought about installing vents, but honestly, I’m always weighing the cost versus benefit. Drilling holes feels like a commitment, especially if you’re renting or not sure how much it’ll help. Still, if it worked for you, maybe it’s worth reconsidering. Older houses really do have a mind of their own when it comes to humidity... sometimes no hack is enough and you just have to get creative. At least it’s good to know there are a few options that don’t break the bank.
Title: My Battle With Moldy Closets And Frizzy Hair
Drilling holes feels like a commitment, especially if you’re renting or not sure how much it’ll help.
Totally get that. I rent too, and the idea of putting holes in the wall makes me nervous—like, is it worth risking the security deposit for slightly less mustiness? I’ve been looking at those stick-on vent covers you can just slap over the door or wall, but honestly, they look a little janky and I’m not convinced they actually do much. I did try cracking the closet door open with a doorstop, just enough to let air flow, and it seemed to help a bit with the smell, but then my clothes started collecting dust faster. Can’t win.
The moisture absorber tubs you mentioned are basically my go-to now. I grab the big ones from the dollar store and just swap them out every couple of months. Not perfect, but better than nothing. Rice was such a letdown—I had high hopes, but it just made a mess and didn’t do a thing for the humidity.
Older houses really are wild when it comes to this stuff. Mine’s got these weird cold spots where you’d swear it’s raining inside. I’ve found that running a small fan in the hallway for a few hours helps keep the air moving, which seems to cut down on both the musty smell *and* my hair getting all poofy. Maybe that’s just in my head, but hey, I’ll take it.
If it gets really bad, I’ll hang up a couple of those charcoal bags (the kind you use for shoes and gym bags) and they seem to help with odor control at least. Kind of wish I could just rip out the closet and start over, but that’s not happening in a rental.
Anyway, glad I’m not the only one who’s tried all the weird hacks. Sometimes it feels like living in an old house is just a constant experiment in what might work.
I hear you on the charcoal bags—they’re cheap and actually do something, at least for the smell. I ended up putting a small dehumidifier in my closet, which helped a lot, but it’s not the most budget-friendly fix. Has anyone tried those closet liners that claim to block moisture? I’m skeptical, but curious if they’re worth it.
I actually tried those liners once—honestly, they’re better at keeping shelves clean than blocking any real moisture. If your closet’s super damp, they won’t fix the problem. I’d stick with the dehumidifier or maybe try DampRid buckets if you want something in between. The liners are more for peace of mind than actual results, at least in my experience.