my battle with moldy closets and frizzy hair

Title: My Battle With Moldy Closets And Frizzy Hair

I totally get what you mean about the closet door—mine’s like a magnet for being closed at the worst possible time. I’ve even tried sticking a little “leave open” note on it, but then I just tune it out after a week. The musty smell is relentless.

Hydrogen peroxide is underrated, honestly. I used to be on team baking soda, but it never quite cut through the funk. Peroxide’s less offensive than vinegar, and my partner doesn’t complain about the “pickle closet” anymore.

About the dehumidifier—no, you’re not imagining it. I swear my sweaters feel less clammy when I run mine. It’s like they’re actually wearable straight from the closet instead of needing a tumble in the dryer first. Plus, my hair doesn’t balloon out quite as much in the mornings. Not perfect, but better than nothing.

Funny thing—I once tried those little cedar blocks for the closet, thinking they’d help with both smell and moisture. All they did was make my clothes smell like a hamster cage... so that experiment was short-lived.

Hydrogen peroxide’s a solid call—way less lingering funk than vinegar, and I’ve never had luck with baking soda either. Dehumidifiers are game changers for sure, though I’m always torn about leaving one running all the time. Have you ever checked the humidity levels in your closet with a hygrometer? I started doing that after one too many moldy shoes, and it was eye-opening how fast things get damp.

The cedar block thing made me laugh—I had the same “pet store” issue. Ever tried those silica gel packs instead? I just started tossing the big ones from Amazon in my closet corners, and they seem to help a bit, but I wonder if it’s just placebo. Curious if anyone’s actually measured a difference with those or if I’m just collecting weird little packets for nothing.

Curious if anyone’s actually measured a difference with those or if I’m just collecting weird little packets for nothing.

I’ve wondered the same thing about those silica packs. I’ve tossed a handful in toolboxes and under sinks, but never really tracked if they made a measurable dent in humidity. If you’re using a hygrometer already, have you checked before-and-after readings with the packs in place? I’d be interested to know if it moves the needle at all, especially compared to a dehumidifier.

On the dehumidifier front, I hear you about running it non-stop. From what I’ve seen in some older houses, closets with poor airflow are basically mold magnets unless you do something drastic. Sometimes I’ll recommend clients install small vent grilles high and low on closet doors—doesn’t solve everything, but it helps air circulation without chewing up energy.

Cedar blocks... yeah, I get the pet store vibe too. At least they don’t leave that chemical smell behind. But honestly, between all these tricks, nothing beats just keeping the humidity down in the first place.

Anybody else actually seen those silica packs make a quantifiable difference? Or are they just good for peace of mind?

I’ve actually run into this exact debate with a client who was convinced silica packs would save her from the “closet swamp” situation. She had them tucked in every drawer, shoe, and even behind picture frames—no joke. We did a little experiment with a digital hygrometer: closet with just silica packs vs. closet with a small plug-in dehumidifier. The silica packs barely nudged the numbers, maybe 2-3% lower at best, and that was right after swapping in fresh ones. After a week, they were pretty much saturated and useless unless you dried them out in the oven (which she never remembered to do).

Sometimes I’ll recommend clients install small vent grilles high and low on closet doors—doesn’t solve everything, but it helps air circulation without chewing up energy.

I’m with you on this. I’ve seen more improvement from adding airflow than any of those “magic” packets. One time, I had a walk-in closet that was basically a petri dish for mold—clothes, shoes, even the walls were getting fuzzy. We put in two small vents and swapped out the solid door for one with louvers. Not glamorous, but it made a bigger difference than all the cedar blocks and silica in the world.

Cedar’s fine if you like that woodsy smell (and don’t mind your sweaters smelling like hamster bedding), but it’s not going to fix humidity issues by itself. If you’re in a really damp area, honestly, nothing beats a dehumidifier—even if it means dealing with the noise and emptying the tank every few days.

I get why people want to believe in those little packets—they’re cheap and easy to toss around—but unless you’re storing camera gear or something super sensitive in a sealed box, I’d say they’re mostly placebo for closets. Peace of mind, sure, but not much else.

And as for frizzy hair... well, I’ve given up fighting that battle every summer. At least my shoes aren’t growing science experiments anymore.

That line about cedar making sweaters smell like hamster bedding made me laugh—so true. I’ve had clients swear by those blocks, but in my experience, they’re more about nostalgia than results.

“We put in two small vents and swapped out the solid door for one with louvers. Not glamorous, but it made a bigger difference than all the cedar blocks and silica in the world.”