Did you know that the optimal humidity level indoors is from 30 to 50%? Unfortunately, it’s hard to keep the air moist at those levels, particularly during winter.
What we can do to maintain indoor relative humidity is to help bring back moisture to the air. Having a humidifier is the best way to do that, but if you don’t have one, you’ll have to get creative.
The concept of adding moisture to the air is pretty simple; it’s as simple as evaporation.
With that in mind, check out our creative ways of making a homemade humidifier:
1. Bring Some Plants Indoors
When we sweat, it evaporates into the air, adding moisture to the air. That’s why, on humid days, we keep sweating. The sweat doesn’t evaporate – the air is already too moist.
We’re not telling you to sweat out for the sake of humidity. We’re telling you this because plants sweat, too, although they call transpiration.
Not all the water that the plants drink become useful for growth and metabolism. The excess, they release back into the air through their leaves. That’s why plants are useful in increasing humidity.
Plants don’t drink all the water you put in their soil, too. Some of it evaporates, further increasing the humidity level in the room they’re in.
The more plants a room has, the more humid that room becomes. But, did you know that it would have cleaner air, too? Get one or more of these NASA-recommended houseplants for purifying the air.
Note, however, that plants have humidity requirements, too. While they can help bring up the humidity level in your home, the dryness of the environment can be hard on them.
As they’re living beings, you must know how to take care of them the right way. Research about plants that thrive indoors and give them their light and water needs.
Remember that different plants have different demands. Tailor your research to the specific plant you have or want.
2. Get Some Flowers in a Vase
Don’t have a green thumb? No problem, buy some cut flowers instead and put them in a vase.
Unlike with plants, you already expect that the flowers will wilt at some point. There’s no heartbreak that comes with plants dying under your care.
You don’t have to fuss with their care, either. Put them in a clean vase with clean water, and that’s it. You can put some plant food to extend their lifespan, but you don’t have to memorize any care tips.
Like plants, however, they’re great as decorative pieces. Flowers can brighten up any room they’re in and lift our moods.
They do great as humidifiers, too, because we tend to put the flowers in the sunniest spots in the house. The gentle heat from the sun triggers the evaporation process, increasing the humidity.
You can even do it with branch clippings and propagations. Who knows, they might grow roots and become a whole plant. You’re humidifying the room and multiplying your plants at the same time.
3. Bring Out Glasses of Water
Using the method above, you don’t even need fresh flowers or cuttings. A vase or any container with water will do well if you’re not that finicky about the aesthetics of your home. It’s also the better option when you’re allergic to flowers.
Bring out glasses of water and put them on the windowsill. You can also find other sources of heat, like registers and radiators. Water evaporates even without sunlight and heat, though, as long as it’s not chilly enough in the room.
However, be careful about using glass. The heat might cause it to shatter; use ceramic or metal bowls instead if you intend to put them near non-sunlight heat sources.
But, who says a bowl of water can’t be decorative? You can get creative and put some pebbles or crystals in the container before filling it with water. When the sun hits right, you’ll get a reward in the form of a light show.
4. Use a Wire Hanger
You can also fashion a homemade humidifier out of a bowl of water, a wire hanger, and a washcloth. This is more effective than setting a glass of water somewhere and then leaving it be.
Aside from relying on the water evaporating from a container, you’ll also get the benefit of the larger surface area that the towel offers.
So, where does a wire hanger come into play? Well, let’s get down right on it.
First, place a bowl that’s about ¾ full of water on the surface you want to put a humidifier in. Then, get your hanger and bend it in half at a 90-degree angle. Place one side over the bowl so that the bowl fits inside the hanger.
The hanger should be able to stand on its own and handle the weight of a damp towel at the same time.
Take your washcloth and wet so it becomes damp, then drape it over the wire hanger. Make sure the ends are in the water, but the towel shouldn’t soaking in it.
The water from the washcloth evaporates over time, but then it wicks water again from the bowl. This will last for hours and even days, so it’s a good makeshift humidifier to put near your headboard at night. It will help you avoid nasal congestion; learn more about that here: https://www.everlastingcomfort.net/blogs/comfy-reads/do-humidifiers-help-with-congestion.
5. Create a Makeshift Fan Humidifier
This DIY humidifier is close to what you can get at the store, and it only needs a few basic things. Follow our instructions above with the wire hanger, a damp towel, and a bowl of water, and then place it in front of a fan.
All this does is add blowing air into the mix, which distributes the humid air into the other parts of the room. Set the fan to low and point it toward you or another area. Make sure it points toward the home, though, as you don’t want the air this generates to go outside.
Be strategic when placing this set-up. Some good locations are the coffee table, a dresser in the corner, or your nightstand.
If the water is cool, this will also help you cool down. It’s a nice method of escaping the heat when it’s hot and dry.
6. Boil Water on the Stove
Do you want to increase the humidity in the room ASAP? Hasten the evaporation process by boiling some water. The steam released will add moisture in the air right away.
Remember not to put the lid on — the water won’t be able to evaporate as quickly. Some of the vapor will even turn back into liquid form.
Keep it boiling for around 10 minutes or so, then use it for washing the dishes or so. You can also put essential oils into the boiling water to make the room fragrant for a while.
However, you don’t need to get out of your way to boil water. When you cook a stew, for example, you’re already doing this process.
So, when you cook dinner, you’re increasing the humidity level in the room. Cook some pasta or potatoes, or boil some water for coffee or tea. Whatever you do, don’t put the lid on for 10 minutes or so.
7. Don’t Use Your Appliances
The lesson above is to use the stove when heating water instead of a microwave. You can take this lesson and apply it to your other appliances, too.
For instance, open your dishwasher after the last rinse cycle to let the dishes airdry instead. This allows the water to evaporate into the air in the room. This has the added benefit of saving you some energy costs.
Consider drying your clothes inside for the same reason. You’ll save a little doing this, too. It also protects the fabric of your clothes from the heat and stress of tumbling around in your dryer.
8. Get a Pet Fish
If you happen to have an empty aquarium lying around, why not take this chance to fill it once again with life?
Having an aquarium provides plenty of water evaporation, passively increasing the humidity in a room. The larger the fish tank, the more humid the air will be.
Of course, its benefits go beyond adding moisture to the air. Aside from having nice fishes as pets, you can use it as the focal point of any room. It’s also great for Feng Shui if you’re interested in that.
It’s also enjoyable to decorate the fish tank with things like colored pebbles, rocks, treasure chests, sunken pirate ships, and even water plants.
At the end of the day, though, fish are still living beings. Don’t get one if you’re not willing to care for it. Getting a humidifier is much cheaper with less maintenance, anyway.
9. Use a Sponge Homemade Humidifier
Making a humidifier out of a sponge may not be what you expected to see here, but it’s worth a try. A sponge (and some water) is the only thing you’ll ever need for this method.
A new sponge works the best here since it’s still at its most absorbent stage. Plus, you can make sure it’s clean. You’ll be inhaling the vapor form of the water coming from it, after all.
Take the sponge and soak it in water. Let it soak up as much water as it can; leave it for a few minutes to let it do its job.
Once it’s full of water, put it in a plate, a bowl, or anything that can catch the water dripping from it. Place it in strategic locations – the areas that need a boost in humidity the most. Don’t worry, you can put as many sponges in the room as you want.
Sponges are good at holding a large amount of water, but since the water doesn’t have direct exposure to air, it doesn’t evaporate as quickly. This way, it offers a consistent release of moisture into the air throughout the day.
10. Keep the Bathroom Door Open
The next time you have a hot shower, consider keeping the bathroom door open. The steam generated by the hot water is a good way to boost the humidity in the bathroom.
By having the door open, that steam can escape to the adjacent room. As a result, the room it escapes to also gets a boost in humidity.
This might not work if an entire household uses one bathroom. In that case, leave the door open after you’re done showering. The leftover steam will still be able to escape through the door.
This also works with a warm bath. Don’t drain the water as soon as you’re done; let the water cool first. The residual heat adds a little moisture to the air.
A word of warning, though: don’t do this trick if you have small children wandering about the house.
11. Turn a Candle Warmer Into a DIY Humidifier
If you have one of those candle warmers, consider warming up some water instead of candles. It’s a creative way of repurposing it when it’s gathering dust on your shelf.
Get a bottle or any container that’s safe to heat and fits on top of the warmer, then fill it with water. Place it on the warmer, and voila – you now have a homemade humidifier.
The warmer heats the water gently, releasing moisture into the surrounding air. You’ll have to be a bit careful that it doesn’t dry up. The continuous heat without water might cause either the container or warmer (or both) to crack.
Which of These DIY Humidifiers is Your Favorite?
A humidifier turns water into a mist that increases the humidity levels in the room. It’s easier, yes, but the tricks above prove you don’t need technology. You only need to rely on the natural process of evaporation using a homemade humidifier.
And although all the above ways use the same principle, they show you can get creative to achieve the same results. And if you’d rather just install a humidifier, but can’t afford the nice ine you need, look into title loans for a Chevy or whatever you own to see if you can finance the purchase.
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