my battle with moldy closets and frizzy hair

Venting into another room is something I’ve only seen in older homes where they just cut a hole and hoped for the best - sometimes it helps, sometimes you just end up with two musty rooms. Ever tried running a small fan in there on a timer? Curious if that’s less hassle than cutting vents. And yeah, those paint additives... I keep waiting for one that actually does what it promises without smelling like a chemistry set.

Those old “hole in the wall” vents are a gamble, for sure. I’ve had better luck with a small box fan set on a cheap timer - less mess, less commitment, and you can adjust as needed. Cutting vents always seems to spread the musty smell around unless you’re careful about airflow. As for paint additives, I’m convinced half of them are just snake oil. The only thing that’s ever worked for me is keeping things dry and moving air, even if it means running a fan year-round.

Yeah, I hear you on the vents - cutting into walls is a pain and half the time it just makes the closet smell worse. I’ve tried those “mold-resistant” paints too, but honestly, if the air’s not moving, nothing helps. I stick a cheap fan in there and call it good. Sometimes I’ll even leave the closet door cracked just to keep things from getting funky.

I stick a cheap fan in there and call it good.

That’s actually what I was thinking about trying next. Did you notice any difference with the fan, or does it just move the musty air around? I keep wondering if a dehumidifier would be overkill for a closet...

I tried a fan in my closet last summer and honestly, it helped a bit with air flow, but the musty smell never fully went away. It’s like it just kept the air moving but didn’t really tackle the moisture. I did end up getting a small dehumidifier - wasn’t super expensive - and that actually made a noticeable difference. If you’re dealing with real humidity, a fan alone might not cut it. I thought it’d be overkill too, but for me, it was worth it.