How to humidify your home in winter without a humidfier

Cold, clear February days are perfect for drying laundry on the veranda in the Kanto region. When I put my laundry out before midday, I can be confident it’s bone dry before sunset. When I checked the weather for my region today, we’ve got clear skies all day and the humidity level is about 28%, perfect laundry weather.

This is a result of what's described by the Japan Meteorological Agency as a Siberian High, a weather system that brings cold air and heavy snow to western Japan. But when that system bumps into the mountains, it drops its moisture, and the Pacific side of Japan gets desiccated. The condition results in a humidity level far below the level for human comfort. The ideal humidity range for human beings is between 50 and 60 percent.

If in the morning you’re waking up feeling not fully rested, your throat parched, your skin a husk, and eyes itchy, you ought to look at ways to increase the humidity level of your home. For most of us in the Kanto region, we’re heating our homes with either kerosene stoves (a heating solution that is becoming less common), aircon units, or oil heaters. These forms of heating dry you out more.

Something to bear in mind is that humid air carries heat more efficiently and more humid air reduces dust, another bane of winter conditions in the Kanto region. To offset the drying power of your heat sources, you need humidifying sources.

Besides the apparent effects on skin and eyes, dry air is a detriment to fighting infection. When your airways get dried out and work less effectively, you’re more prone to respiratory infections. To combat dry air, the institution I work in has purchased industrial humidifiers for classrooms and meeting rooms. It makes a huge difference in the comfort level of our teaching and working environment.

At home, I get a lot of use out of a dehumidifier in the rainy and summer seasons, but I don’t have a humidifier for the dry winter months. In the driest part of the year, I use a few low-tech tactics to raise the humidity to fight dry skin and fight infections.

Paper humidifier

At the 100 yen shop, I found a paper humidifier. It’s great to place on your desk at work or in your bedroom and has a perceptible effect on the humidity in warm air.

I placed mine in a cute mug. I top up the water level every day. A curious thing is that the top of the vanes discolor. My suspicion is that the dye in the paper at the bottom of the paper humidifier wicks up to the top. It’s not a bad thing. It means it’s working.

Drying laundry indoors

This tactic is probably the most effective in my 10 mat living space. I hang the laundry rack with heavy and thin towels from the curtain rail.

Put the kettle on

Cooking in your space, or running a hot shower with the door open a crack makes a huge difference in the humidity level of your living space.

When it’s bone dry in my home, I boil the kettle and fill a pate with steaming water.

It raises the humidity but doesn't steam up the windows. If your windows get condensation, you know the humidity is too high.

Do you have some other tips and tricks to humidify your home in winter without a humidifier?