Winter ready - inside dampness - does kitty litter work?

Kitty litter does absorb moisture and is inexpensive - used by some on boats etc. Not sure how much it absorbs and how often you have to change it. If I went that route I would likely use multiple shallow pans and maybe rotate the pans occasionally to dry out.

I use a small dehumidifier which sometimes freezes over during the winter - so I back that up with a couple of containers which contain crystals my wife uses to dry out flowers. The crystals change colors when they are saturated and I can stick those in the oven to recharge.

If you use kitty litter - follow up and give us feedback on how effective it is.

Calcium Chloride snow melt in a colander over a 5 gallon bucket is a cheap and effective solution. The liquid will accumulate in the bucket. Be careful when disposing of it, it is corrosive.

If you have access to 120VAC a dehumidifier is the best.

Kitty litter is not a dessicant. If it were it wouldn't work very well for its intended purpose in humid climates.

2oldman wrote:
Kitty litter is not a dessicant. If it were it wouldn't work very well for its intended purpose in humid climates.

X2

Kitty litter absorbs moisture, but not moisture in the air. It's great for spills, but not for humidity.

I use damp rid. I get the big bucket and it lasts about 3 months. I open the bathroom door and any cupboard where I store liquids (rubbing alcohol, oils, etc.) or creams (sunscreen, etc.). It works great to pull the condesation off the bottle before they get that musty smell.

Bagged calcium chloride is cheaper than kitty litter, by far (and more effective). You can leave it in plastic trays or buckets and it will take moisture out of the air.

We've never had a problem. We cover the rig with a Sunshield tarp (black side up to melt the snow) and crack open the end windows and ceiling vents. Must be enough air flow to eliminate the problem.

donn0128 wrote:
If you have access to 120VAC a dehumidifier is the best.

I did just that when we wintered our RV's. Biggie is you need to get rid of the water. I let ours drain into the shower and left the grey tank valve open.

Here are my two centavos:

If you have access to 120VAC, a powered dehumidifier is best. I don't like having it drain to the gray tank because a freeze could cause the trap in the shower to crack. It may be a chore fetching the water every so often and dumping it, though.

If no access to power, I would buy a few Damp Rid tubs and place them in five gallon buckets. I would have at least two of these. Alternatively, place the absorbers in the bathtub or sink. Because calcium chloride is caustic, I make sure to take precautions and have a secondary layer of "insulation" should the primary container rupture (like a freeze cracking it.) Damp-Rid containers do not work as well as a compressor based dehumidifier, but they do work.

Avoid the tiny, Peltier based dehumidifiers. Those are worthless, in my experience.

Hey again;
So besides kitty litter tricking mice into thinking a cat lives there ! ! it serves no practical purpose? Right? Right on. I placed several Damp Rid tubs inside - on the advice of the majority. Case closed. Thanks again. BB