Bathrooms are an essential room in your home, but they are often among the most humid places in most houses. We all need to keep ourselves clean by washing our hands, showering, and bathing – but a lot of moisture is released into the air when we do these tasks. As the moisture combines with the air as vapour, it makes contact with cold surfaces in the bathroom. You might notice the droplets that it forms on windows or mirrors, for example. This is known as condensation.
The hotter you have your bath or shower, the warmer the vapour will be, and the more droplets will form on cold bathroom surfaces. This can cause windows, mirrors, and other surfaces in your bathroom to become misted up. When left unchecked, this kind of moisture can also lead to serious issues with mould and mildew, which can damage the bathroom.
While it may not be possible to completely eliminate condensation in the bathroom due to the nature of this room, you can reduce the issues that it might lead to. Keep reading to find out more about how to reduce and control bathroom condensation.
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Ventilate the Bathroom
Making sure that your bathroom is well-ventilated is key to getting control of condensation. The easiest way to do this is to make sure that you open a window when you are taking a shower or running a bath. Without any ventilation in the bathroom, you will quickly notice that there is a huge amount of condensation on every surface in the room right after you take a shower.
While opening a window might mean that the bathroom is colder, it’s worth it. Plus, while the condensation escapes via the open window, the hot water and steam from the shower will soon warm you back up.
A more comfortable option to consider is an extractor fan for your bathroom. When you switch this on when you’re running a bath or having a shower, it will extract the moisture from the air and keep the bathroom dry without the need to open the window, which can be handy during the winter.
Wipe Surfaces Dry
Another step you can take to reduce condensation in your bathroom is to take some time to wipe the surfaces, especially glass surfaces like mirrors or windows, with a dry cloth or towel when you have used the bathroom. While going around your bathroom to wipe surfaces dry each time you’ve had a bath or shower might seem like a pain, the truth is that it’s worth it as it can help you avoid many of the common problems caused by condensation.
You don’t have to make sure that your bathroom is super-dry – just wipe enough to make sure that it’s not completely soaked through, especially if you have forgotten to open the window or turn the extractor fan on before showering.
Warm Up the Room First
Cold surfaces are more likely to attract condensation – especially in the bathroom, where walls are often made from naturally cold materials like ceramic tiles. While there’s not a lot you can do about the walls being cold if you have tiles or painted surfaces in your bathroom, it can help to try and keep the room warm before you take a bath or shower.
Turning on your heating system or using under-floor heating in your bathroom can make a big difference to how much condensation is produced when you’re having a shower or bath. Heated bathrooms are less likely to suffer from condensation issues as condensation requires cold surfaces to from.
Use a Dehumidifier
A dehumidifier is a great investment for your bathroom or anywhere else in your home where you want to deal with condensation. A dehumidifier works by soaking in the moisture from the air and collecting it as water. If you have safe plug sockets to use in your bathroom, then you can use a dehumidifier that is designed for bathroom use or get an adaptor.
Running a dehumidifier while using the bathroom to take a shower or bath can help you reduce condensation significantly as the moisture will have somewhere else to go. However, it’s worth noting that dehumidifiers do not come cheap, so it’s a good idea to try out other options before you decide if it’s worth getting one.
Don’t Leave Damp Items in the Bathroom
Wet towels or clothes that are left in the bathroom might not be something you thought was an issue, but they can be some of the biggest contributors to condensation. After taking a bath or shower, it’s best to hang up your wet towels in the open air if possible, to allow them to dry naturally.
If you can’t hang your towels outdoors, make sure to leave the window open or the extractor fan of if you hang them in the bathroom.
Get De-mistable Mirrors
After having a hot bath or taking a shower, you have probably quickly noticed how mirrored surfaces tend to be the first to steam up and become covered with condensation. If you see mirrored surfaces in your bathroom covered with condensation, wiping them dry is the best action – but this can be a chore.
Instead, it might be worth investing in de-mistable mirrors that are designed to get rid of condensation by themselves. They are fitted with heating pads to keep the mirror surface at a warmer temperature, which prevents condensation from forming on them. While they do tend to be more expensive to buy compared to a standard mirror, they’re worth getting if you want to keep your bathroom as condensation-free as possible.
Use Bathroom Paint
If you are redecorating your bathroom and want to paint the walls, then it is worth investing in a paint that has been designed specifically for use in the bathroom. This is often anti-condensation or anti-damp paint that is designed to prevent moisture from collecting on the walls and reduce the risk of damage from excess condensation.
By painting your bathroom with a specially designed bathroom paint for the walls and ceilings, you will effectively waterproof the surfaces and help prevent mould, mildew, and other problems that can be the result of condensation.
The bathroom is a room that gets a lot of moisture. To avoid the issues that this can cause, it’s best to start with these strategies for reducing condensation.
Thomas Jackson is a dynamic and talented content writer at WonderWorldSpace.com, renowned for his engaging and informative articles. Beyond his professional pursuits in writing, Jack is also known for his deep passion for fitness, which not only shapes his lifestyle but also influences his work.