Exploring thrifty homemade humidifiers in Africa
What's the story
Many regions in Africa struggle with excessively dry air, particularly during the harmattan season.
This arid environment can cause discomfort, including dry skin, sore throats, and worsened respiratory conditions.
Commercial humidifiers are often costly and consume a lot of electricity.
This article presents economical, DIY alternatives to raise indoor humidity levels without straining your wallet.
Simple setup
Use bowls of water
The easiest way to humidify dry air is by strategically placing bowls of water around your room/apartment.
The water will slowly evaporate, naturally raising the humidity level indoors.
To promote faster evaporation, position the bowls near sources of warmth like radiators or in direct sunlight on windowsills.
Top up the bowls with water every day to maintain constant humidification.
Towel technique
Wet towel over radiator
Another efficient trick is to place a wet towel over a radiator or any safe heat source.
As the towel dries out, it releases moisture into the air, serving as a natural humidifier.
This trick works wonders during the winter months when heating systems are operational and indoor air tends to be dry.
Make sure to keep the towel damp by rewetting it a few times a day.
Green humidifiers
Indoor plants
Indoor plants can serve as natural humidifiers by releasing moisture into the air through a process called transpiration. In this process, water absorbed by a plant's roots travels up to its leaves and then evaporates into the surrounding air.
Spider plants and peace lilies are great choices because they require frequent watering and are therefore very effective at releasing moisture.
DIY innovation
Sponge humidifier
Just wet a big sponge, put it in a perforated plastic bag (to let air through), and voila! You've got yourself a DIY humidifier.
Place it near fans or open windows to help circulate the damp air around your room.
Remember to rinse and re-wet the sponge every day to keep it working well and stop bacteria from growing.
Evaporation boost
Pebble water tray near heat source
For a more passive method, fill a tray with pebbles and water just below the top layer of pebbles.
Position this tray near heat sources like wood stoves or radiators. The warmth will accelerate evaporation without risking damage to electrical appliances through direct moisture contact.
This technique offers slower but steady humidification, ideal for smaller spaces.