This $36 Closet Find Prevents My Clothes from Being Totally Ruined by Moisture
I used to keep a wicker basket under the desk I work at every day. It mostly held magazines I read but wanted to keep, hoping for a day in the future when I’d actually cook the meal or complete the project that caught my eye. Instead, the basket sat there untouched for weeks, until I looked down and noticed that its side had turned from brown to green.
I enjoy living in an area that has a lot of moisture in the air, but until that moment I hadn’t considered what a chore it could be, too. As it turns out, even if I routinely opened windows and vacuumed carpets, mildew would move in unless I did more.
“You didn’t know about this?” my brother (who lives near me) asked when I sent a picture of the basket. I’ll repeat the question I had in my head: “Why is there so much about home maintenance that isn’t discussed until it’s absolutely necessary?” Instead, I just said no, and asked how to fix it.
My brother suggested putting boxes of baking soda around my home to soak up some of the moisture in the air, which I did. But I wanted to find an additional product that gave me peace of mind for my closet — it didn’t seem like those orange-and-red boxes were a match for far too many clothes, and unlike the rest of my home, there wasn’t access to a fan or window in there.
There were already times when I noticed mildew creep up the side of my dresser, or get stuck on the arm of my leather jacket. I typed the familiar brand name into Amazon and found this: Arm & Hammer Hanging Moisture Absorber and Odor Eliminator, and decided to give it a try.
The package looks like two connected plastic containers attached to a small hanger. One container is filled with little moisture-absorbing beads made of calcium chloride and baking soda, and as they dissolve over time, the bottom bag fills with water. A bonus is that the beads are also made with bamboo charcoal to neutralize odors.
I hung it up on my clothes rack closest to the door, and waited. I admit that it was fun watching the lower bag slowly fill with water as if it was a small confirmation of what I knew all along: There’s a lot of moisture to contend with in this space. The bag takes about 60 days to fill completely, and in the last month, it seems to be doing its job.
While I haven’t seen anything in my home turn the same shade of green as that one wicker basket, I wouldn’t say that that’s entirely because of the success of these moisture-absorbing bags. I still keep boxes of baking soda in nearly every room, and put items like wet towels either outside to dry or automatically in the wash.
The Arm & Hammer Hanging Moisture Absorber and Odor Eliminator bags are yet another safeguarding measure in a mildew-prone environment, and they’re responsible for keeping my favorite sweater or go-to dress free of musty scents and mildew spots. So far, it’s doing its job well.
Buy: Arm & Hammer Hanging Moisture Absorber and Odor Eliminator, $36.15