Non Electric Dehumidifier: Best Moisture Absorbers, Bags & DIY Options

Most non electric dehumidifier products use calcium chloride. The white crystals pull water vapor out of the air, dissolve into a salty liquid (brine), and collect it in the bottom of the container. When the crystals are gone, you pour the liquid away and refill, or throw the bag out. The other common material is silica gel, which holds water inside the beads and can be dried out and reused.

Absorbers are slow. They suit small, enclosed spaces: closets, wardrobes, cabinets, boats and RVs in storage. They cannot dry a damp basement or a bathroom after a shower. For those you need an electric dehumidifier.

Sources: Amazon and retailer listings for each product. "Lasts" figures are maker claims and depend on temperature and humidity.

Best moisture absorbers compared

Best closet dehumidifier

For a closet, hang a DampRid bag or put a refillable tub on the floor, and leave a little space between hangers so air can move. In a walk-in closet with a musty smell, use two. If clothes still feel damp after a few weeks, the problem is bigger than an absorber can solve: check for a leak or a cold outside wall, and consider a small electric unit outside the closet with the door open.

Fridge dehumidifier

A fridge dehumidifier, or refrigerator dehumidifier, is usually a small absorber or a baking soda box. Be careful what you put in a fridge: calcium chloride brine is not something you want near food. Most fridge moisture comes from uncovered food and a door left open, so cover food, wipe up spills and check the door seal first. A moisture-absorbing produce mat in the crisper is safer than a chemical absorber.

Basement moisture absorber

A basement moisture absorber can help a small storage room or a cabinet under the stairs, but it cannot dry a basement. A damp basement can hold several pints of water vapor in its air and keep adding more from the walls and floor every day. An absorber that collects a few ounces over weeks will not keep up. EPA advises keeping indoor humidity below 60%, ideally 30 to 50%; in a basement, that means an electric dehumidifier. See our basement dehumidifier guide.

Homemade dehumidifier (DIY)

A homemade dehumidifier uses the same materials as the store-bought ones. The simplest version: put calcium chloride (sold as ice melt or as DampRid refills) in a plastic container with holes in the bottom, set it inside a second container to catch the brine, and place it in the closet. Wear gloves, keep it away from children and pets, and pour the brine down a drain with plenty of water.

A natural dehumidifier in the sense most people mean, such as a houseplant or an open window, will not lower humidity much. Ventilation helps only when the outside air is drier than the inside.