In an ideal world, we wouldn’t have to deal with the stale air, musty odour and mold growth that comes with poorly ventilated rooms.
Unfortunately, many rooms, especially rental ones, are windowless, which makes sufficient ventilation a real struggle.
Nonetheless, there’re a few things you can do to improve the air circulation in your room.
Increase air movement
Poor ventilation essentially means that there is a limited amount of air movement in and out of a room, causing it to feel stuffy and have an unpleasant smell.
1. Open the windows and doors
So, to increase the air movement in a room, the simplest thing you can do is to open the doors and windows in your room. This will allow air to circulate, preventing it from being stagnant.
However, take note not to open doors that lead nowhere, like closet and pantry doors as this can help direct air to the other open doors instead of being trapped in a small enclosed space.
If you have a portable fan as well as windows that are on opposite sides of the room, it could be useful to place the fan near one window as this will help draw in outside air, move it across the room and out the other window.
2. Install an exhaust fan
If you have a windowless toilet or kitchen and you’re experiencing excessive humidity in these spaces, install an exhaust fan if possible.
An exhaust fan works by flushing out the stale and humid air in the space.
If your bathroom or kitchen doesn’t already have a built-in exhaust fan, consider asking for it from your landlord as it is definitely worth it in the long-run.
3. Invest in a good fan
More often than not, it is not practical to install a ceiling fan in your room if you’re renting. Although, the room not having a fan already is quite a problem!
So, portable standing and floor fans are the way to go. If you have the budget, try the highly raved Vornado fan. The appliance is not just your traditional fan spewing breezy air- it’s designed to circulate air, improving ventilation while cooling the room it’s in.
Removing moisture
Besides increasing air movement, it’s also important to keep the moisture levels in your room low if it has poor ventilation. This practice helps to prevent the growth of mold and mildew.
1. Invest in a dehumidifier
After improving the air movement in your room, the room may still feel stuffy if there is a lot of moisture in the indoor air. This is where a dehumidifier can come in to lower the humidity levels.
By removing the humid air in a room, the air will feel feel drier and the room more comfortable. Although, you may need to find a balance that’s right for you as rooms that’re too dry can cause dry eyes and sore throats among other health issues.
Most dehumidifiers cost RM1,000 and above, so if you just want to give the appliance a try, we recommend the Xiaomi Deerma Rechargeable Mini Dehumidifier that costs less than RM100!
2. Wipe up water on surfaces
This may seem like a very obvious thing to do, but some of you don’t wipe down your counters and it shows!
Getting pools of water on kitchen counters and dining tables are unavoidable, especially when you’re cooking and when you have condensation from a cold drink gathering at the bottom of glasses.
Instead of just letting these puddles of water evaporate on their own (which can take a while if your space is humid!), wipe them down with a piece of cloth to maintain a drier environment.
3. Remove water from toilet floors
Last but not least, remove water from bathroom floors frequently! If your bathroom is windowless and doesn’t have an exhaust fan, the least you can do to PREVENT mold and mildew from growing is to remove as much water as you can from the floor.
To do this, you can use a squeegee to sweep water into the drain. You can probably buy one for less than RM20 from your local mini market.
Hopefully this article can help some of you guys struggling in your poorly ventilated rooms and houses. Do you have any other tips on improving air circulation and quality?
Also read: “It’s the size of a grave!” – Ridiculously Sized Room For Rent in Seri Kembangan Goes Viral
