As the chilly winter months draw near, British citizens have been strangely advised to place a bowl of salt on their windowsills.
It may seem like a strange superstition that one of your grandparents is telling you to follow, but there is actually a good reason to use this everyday food item, and it may even be good for your health.
The clocks are turning back this Sunday, October 27, which means that the days will be shorter and darker in addition to growing colder. Cheers.
According to a home and garden expert, salt can be used to help fight off some of the issues that come with winter.
It’s that time of the year…
Condensation surrounding your home is one of the biggest concerns caused by the change in temperature. This can lead to issues like mold, which is bad for your long-term health, as we all know.
Posh.co.uk claims that a bowl of salt can reduce moisture by drying out your house, which in turn reduces the likelihood of mold growth.
Here’s the science: When the air inside a building is warmer than the air outside (I’m referring to radiators here), condensation forms on the glass when the warm air from the interior comes into contact with the colder window.
But how does salt help exactly, I hear you asking?
Because salt absorbs moisture, the air becomes less damp and produces less condensation; in other words, less moisture in the air means less condensation.
One of the experts over at Posh.co.uk explained: “A constant buildup of condensation in the home isn’t great, and in some cases, it can cause mould growth, which can be dangerous for your family.”
“Salt has the ability to naturally absorb moisture from the air and essentially dries it out so that when it does come in contact with the glass, there are fewer droplets of condensation that will form,” Ellis said.
The expert continued: “It’s a really easy trick that requires no effort at all. Simply fill a shallow bowl or a small jar with some salt – this can be table salt or rock salt.”
He went on to say that the size of the window you’re placing it next to will determine how much salt you need to use; the larger the window, the more salt you need to use.
But ‘one tiny bowl should be OK,’ he explained.
“You should be able to use the same bowl of salt for a few days. When the salt looks wet and starts to clump together, you’ll know it’s time to replenish it,” he said.
