This $1.25 Dollar Store Find Is a Game-Changer for Preventing Bathroom Mold

I’m obsessed with the opposite of a cold plunge: a screaming-hot shower. But this habit is terrible for both my skin and the environment, and it’s also not good for my home. My bathroom becomes a sauna, my little exhaust fan can’t keep up, and the walls look like I’m washing them. Damp environments promote mold, mildew, and fungi growth, among other nightmares, so something has to change. I’m aware of the obvious solution, but as I haven’t yet been able to shake this particular habit, I was thrilled to scroll through a video with an affordable dollar-store find that solves the problem for me. 

Mary Futher, founder of Kaia Naturals and the personality behind the popular Instagram account @madamesweat, explains in this Instagram Reel that all you need to solve “a problem with moisture in a small space” is a moisture eliminator, which can be purchased affordably at your local dollar store (like Dollar Tree!). The plastic container includes moisture-absorbing beads in the upper compartment and an empty reservoir below to collect the water. The beads absorb water from the air and release it into the tank below, so you can see that it’s working. “Keep that moist, damp area dry as can be,” says Futher. 

Futher takes it one step further with a hack for reusing the plastic container, which assuages some (but not all) of my hot water usage angst. Moisture absorbers generally last 60 days (I’d give them a month in my bathroom), but Futher says you can purchase replacement beads instead of buying another plastic container. Remove the lid and tear away the filter, dispose of the used beads, and replace them with new ones. According to Futher, the filter is unnecessary, and the new beads will function just fine without it. 

It sounds too good to be true, but commenters confirm that moisture absorbers actually work, in all sorts of places. “My grandma has one in her spice cabinet to keep spices dry and not clunky,” says Preston (@mightyleo88). Rosie Gibbons comments, “I have these in a net bag in my daughter’s car.” They also work well in laundry rooms, small bathrooms, closets, or RVs.

If you don’t live near a dollar store or prefer shopping online, DampRid is a similar product, made of calcium chloride. These Dry & Dry Moisture Absorber refill beads are also made of calcium chloride, and they are fragrance-free. 

Of course, this solution isn’t for everyone. If you’re not interested in replacing the beads, consider a small dehumidifier instead. I own and love this one from Amazon. But if you’re looking for a budget win, the moisture-absorbing beads are incredible. “For only $1.25 you’re definitely going to get your money’s worth,” says Futher.