Humidity in the room and what it does to clothing

Short answer: Clothes in a wardrobe follow the humidity of the air. If it is too damp, the fabric takes up water and can start to smell. If it is too dry, it becomes static and crackles. A level between forty and sixty percent suits both clothes and people.

The fabric finds balance with the air

The fibres take up and give off moisture until they are in balance with the room around them. This happens all the time without you noticing. If the air is damp, the fabric takes up moisture. If the air is dry, it gives some off. Clothes in your wardrobe are never fully independent of the room.

Hours, not days

It takes hours to reach balance, not days, and it happens every time the weather changes. When a damp spell arrives, the clothes in the wardrobe become slightly damper. When frost and dry indoor air arrive, they give moisture off again. That is why clothes can feel different from one week to the next.

Below forty percent everything turns static

Dry air means charges cannot drain away. Clothes cling to the skin and crackle when you take them off, especially in winter when the room is heated. This also applies to nightwear such as bamboo night shorts for women, which can cling if the air in the bedroom is very dry.

Above sixty percent the smell arrives

Damp clothes in a closed wardrobe give bacteria and mould good conditions. It shows first as a musty smell, later as spots. If the wardrobe stands against a cold outer wall, the risk is greater, because the wall is cold and moisture collects there. Notice whether clothes smell fresh when you open the doors.

What is a good level

Between forty and sixty percent indoors suits both clothes and people. That is the range where fabric neither turns static nor soaks up too much moisture. It is not an exact number to hit every day, but a rule of thumb that helps you judge whether the room is too dry or too damp.

How to measure the humidity

Use a small hygrometer. They cost only a few hundred kroner and can stand in the bedroom or by the wardrobe. Read the number a few times over some weeks and see whether it swings with the season. Once you know where you stand, it is easier to decide whether to air, dehumidify or humidify.

How to air the wardrobe

Open the doors an hour after airing the room, so fresh air can enter the wardrobe. Avoid cramming the wardrobe full, because clothes with air between them release moisture more easily than tightly packed ones. A wardrobe with a little distance from the wall also helps keep the air moving.

Storing clothes

Clothes that have been worn and are slightly damp should hang to air before going into the wardrobe. This also applies to fine pieces such as a bamboo petticoat and a bamboo bodystocking, which sit close to the skin and may have taken up moisture. A quarter of an hour on a hanger is often enough.

The main thing to remember

Clothes follow the humidity of the air, and a level between forty and sixty percent suits both clothes and people. Too dry gives static, too damp gives smell and at worst mould. Measure with a hygrometer, air the wardrobe after airing the room, and let worn clothes hang briefly before putting them away.

Frequently asked questions

What is a good level

Between forty and sixty percent indoors suits both clothes and people. Below that clothes turn static, and above it they can start to smell and get spots.

How do I measure it

With a small hygrometer. They cost only a few hundred kroner and can stand in the bedroom or by the wardrobe. Look at the number a few times over some weeks to get a picture of the air.