Savvy mum discovers £1.75 trick to stop condensation, damp and mould

Condensation is a common problem in winter (Image: MEN)As the weather gets colder, condensation can become a problem as it can cause issues such as damp and mould in your home. This, in turn, can impact your health as well as your house’s value. Condensation often occurs when you put the heating on and it’s cold outside, as the warm air collides with cold surfaces such as your windows and turns into water droplets.However, one Tesco shopper, Natasha Murfin, has now revealed a cheap product she uses to prevent condensation and stop damp and mould from forming in her home. Natasha, 35, says she was passed down the trick from her grandparents who lived in a caravan and used the item regularly over the winter months.Speaking to the Manchester Evening News, the mum-of-one says you should place table salt in paper cups and leave them on your window sills overnight to stop condensation from appearing, reducing the risk of damp and mould. Natasha bought 1.5kg of cooking salt from Tesco for £1.75 and 15 paper cups for just £1.15, costing her just £3 in total.The full-time mum swears by the tip and says it’s a cost-effective alternative to a dehumidifier. Since using the method, Natasha said she hasn’t had condensation once.”I can’t afford a dehumidifier in every room so I thought, even if it doesn’t work, it’s only about £3 – I may as well give it a go. It worked an absolute treat,” Natasha said.”I put one cup per windowpane in every room in the house. I only half-fill the cups with salt, and I shake them every morning to check the salt isn’t sticking together. Natasha Murfin no longer has condensation in her home (Image: Natasha Murfin / SWNS)”The windows used to drip with condensation, and we would have to wipe them every morning with a squeegee. Since using the salt trick, we haven’t had to wipe them once.”The mum added you can be even more thrifty by drying out damp salt in the oven.”We’ve had the salt out for five days now and it’s still soft. If the salt becomes hard and damp, it’s time to replace it,” Natasha said.Others have revealed they wipe their windows with salt water to prevent condensation.Salt is one of the most absorbent natural products available, helping to combat moisture around the home, the Express reports. Using salt is the most basic method when trying to make a homemade dehumidifier.Experts say once the salt has blackened or becomes wet, it means it has reached its maximum level of saturation and should be changed.