Because winter air has low humidity, it can dry out your skin and mucous membranes, making your skin itchy, your throat scratchy and your nose sometimes bleed. This dry air may also aggravate sinus troubles or asthma and cause discomfort if you have a cold or cough.
Cold winter air is dry because it holds less moisture than warm air and because the humidity is so low, what little moisture that is around is quickly sucked up into the air.
When it becomes colder, you’re also more likely to turn on your home’s heating system, which again causes the air to dry out.
So how can we add some much-needed moisture back into our home’s air?
Here’s a fun little do-it-yourself project:
- Leave out little saucers of water on or near sources of heat (like a radiator or heat vents). Heat hastens evaporation creating more humidity quickly. This will add moisture to the air. The more saucers you leave out in a small space or room, the more moist the air will become.
- Avoid using the oven and microwave, which zap humidity. Use the stovetop for cooking instead.
- Stop the dishwasher BEFORE it gets to the “dry” cycle and pull out the ack and let the dishes air dry. This will add all of the water particles to the air.
- Shower with the door open so the moist, warm air spreads out throughout the home. It might be a bit cooler while you shower, but it will be better for the humidity in the home.
- After a bath, let the warm tub water sit until it cools off before draining. This, again, will allow the warm moist particles to evaporate into the air and add moisture.
- Dust often! This one most of you likely won’t want to read, but the more your remove dust from around the house (wipe it down and vacuum) the better the air quality. You will want to amp it way 2-3 times more frequently than other times of the year. Dust particles really dry up the air.
For these and other home DIY tips, follow us at @summerhillmkt.
