Are dehumidification products really effective? 10 dehumidification products were tested and the results were a bit disappointing

The rainy season is coming again after the return of the south wind. Every time this season comes, the humid climate is really uncomfortable.

I have to say that there are so many types of dehumidification products now:

Dehumidifier

Dehumidification box

Dehumidification Bag

Dehumidifier

......

I even heard that some people use dry lime to dehumidify:

Which one are you using? Have you ever worried about their actual effectiveness?

This time, we bought 10 different types of dehumidification products, including 2 dehumidification bags, 4 dehumidification boxes, and 4 dehumidification bags made of different materials. We were ready to test and see which one was the most effective.

Dehumidification sample collection

1. Dehumidification principle Whether it is a dehumidification box or a dehumidification bag, the principle of these products is to gradually absorb moisture in the air through the internal desiccant, and convert gaseous water into crystalline water, liquid water or other forms, so as to achieve the dehumidification effect.

Among the samples purchased this time, the dehumidification bags and dehumidification boxes use anhydrous calcium chloride with strong hygroscopicity; the dehumidification bags use activated carbon, quicklime, silica gel and montmorillonite respectively.

A certain brand of dehumidification bag-principle diagram

2. Actual test of dehumidification capacity Next, let's do a practical test and comparison to see how big the difference in their moisture absorption capacity is.

After the dehumidification product absorbs moisture from the air, its weight will increase, and the increased weight reflects the dehumidification capacity of the product. We put all the samples in a constant humidity test chamber, and controlled the humidity of the test chamber at 80%-85%RH. After the dehumidification product went through a moisture absorption process for 3 days and 7 days, we measured the increased weight of the samples.

Dehumidification products are placed in the test chamber

Looking at the dehumidification effect on the third day alone, silica gel, montmorillonite, dehumidification bags and dehumidification boxes have the best effects.

The moisture absorption of silica gel and montmorillonite per 100g can reach 32.9g and 19.8g respectively, but their service life is relatively short, and they rarely absorb water on the 3rd to 7th day. Dehumidification bags and dehumidification boxes have a longer service life and can continuously accumulate moisture in the water storage area.

During our daily use, we can feel the dehumidification effect of the product quite intuitively.

No wonder their sales are the highest, which can bring some psychological comfort.

Comparison of sample dehumidification effect and service life

The two products with the worst dehumidification effect are quicklime and activated carbon. Quicklime has the worst effect, only 1.2g/100g, which is surprising.

Regardless of its effectiveness, its safety also needs to be studied. After absorbing water, quicklime will generate calcium hydroxide, which is corrosive to the oropharynx and esophagus; if it splashes into the eyes, it will cause corneal damage and even impaired vision. Moreover, quicklime blocks will become powder after absorbing water. If placed in an open container, inhalation by the human body will irritate the lungs and even affect the respiratory tract.

It is especially forbidden to use in families with children. Children may swallow it by mistake out of curiosity, which may even endanger their lives!

The dehumidification effect is not good and there are risks in its use, so we should not trust this "money-saving trick" easily.

Child accidentally swallowed quicklime

3. Actual measurement of dehumidification capacity The experimental simulation effect alone is not accurate enough, so we simulated life scenarios and conducted actual measurements.

Four major items were moved into the constant humidity experimental chamber (humidity 80% ~ 85%RH): wardrobe, chest of drawers, fabric storage box, and plastic storage box.

Simulate home scenarios for actual testing

Wardrobe

We filled the closet with 12 dehumidifier bags, closed the door, and recorded the changes in humidity inside the closet every minute.

12 dehumidifier bags placed in the closet

Open the wardrobe after sealing for 24 hours, and record the changes in humidity data within 15 minutes of opening the door to confirm that the instrument is operating normally.

Humidity changes in the wardrobe

The wardrobe is large with many gaps, and the moisture outside will try its best to get in if there is a small gap. As a result, even though 12 dehumidification bags were placed, the humidity in the wardrobe only dropped by 10%.

Chest of drawers

Next, we tested the chest of drawers, placing a dehumidification box in each drawer. The experimental results were very similar, and the dehumidification effect was not obvious.

Humidity changes in the chest of drawers

Fabric Storage Box

The results for the fabric storage boxes commonly used at home are even worse, with almost no change in the humidity inside and outside.

Plastic Storage Box

Finally, the data of the plastic storage box finally improved, and the humidity inside the box dropped by 20%. This is also thanks to the relatively good sealing of the plastic storage box and its relatively small size.

Humidity changes in plastic storage boxes

After seeing the final evaluation results, I realized that after buying the dehumidifier product for so many years, I actually only used it for nothing. Alas~

Finally, the rainy season is coming, so we wrote some dehumidification tips for everyone: