Does Salt Absorb Moisture?

In this brief guide, we will answer the question “Does salt absorb moisture?” and tell you if salt can absorb moisture from air and act as a dehumidifier. We will also share with you how to make your own dehumidifier using rock salt and list down some other natural methods of removing excess humidity from your home. Furthermore, we will discuss why salt is used as a natural preservative.

Yes, salt absorbs moisture. Salt is a hygroscopic substance that means it can absorb moisture. It does this through the phenomena of osmosis. Salt usually tends to dissolve in water but in cases where salt is in a higher concentration, it will draw out the moisture but would not dissolve.

This is the reason why salt gets clumpy when there is excess moisture and also why salt gets stuck in a salt shaker.

Can salt absorb moisture from air and act as a dehumidifier?

Rock salt is more suitable for when you want to draw out excess moisture from air. It is an inexpensive method of dehumidifying air.

How to make your own dehumidifier out of rock salt?

In order to make your own rock salt dehumidifier, you will need a lot of rock salt and a couple of buckets. You can place rock salt in one of the buckets and place the bucket wherever you feel has a lot of humidity. You will also need another bucket beneath the one containing rock salt, to collect all the water.

What are some other methods of dehumidifying your house?

Let us list down some other ways in which you can make your own dehumidifier.

Baking soda

Baking soda acts as a dehumidifier by absorbing moisture however, it would not be as effective for larger spaces but you can use it for smaller spaces. Place it in a bowl in a place which has humidity and let it do its job.

Charcoal

Charcoal can also be used for smaller spaces as a dehumidifier. Put it in a can which has a lid. Make small openings in the can and in the lid as well. Place this charcoal can in any place to draw out excess moisture. Remember to replace the charcoal after a couple of months.

Calcium chloride

Calcium chloride makes an excellent dehumidifier, even better than table salt and you can use it for larger spaces as well. Put the calcium chloride in a sock and hang it anywhere you want.

Silica gel

If you have ever found small packets inside a jewelry box or a bag and wondered what it is doing there? That is a packet full of silica gel. Silica gel acts as a dehumidifier. You can use those packets or even make your own.

Learn more ways to dehumidify your home here.

Why is salt used as a preservative?

Salt is used as a preservative due to its hygroscopic nature and also because it is toxic to microorganisms. It is widely used to cure meat because when it is applied to meat, it absorbs the moisture from the meat leaving it dry and dehydrated.

This dehydration leaves the meat less susceptible to contamination by bacteria. Dehydrated meat does not serve as a favorable condition for the survival of bacteria.

In addition, bacteria will get robbed off any water present inside its cells due to the presence of salt outside, again due to osmosis. So this is why salt has been used for years now as a natural preservative.

Other FAQs about Salt that you may be interested in.

Does salt attract ants?

Does salt break fast?

Does salt burn?

Conclusion

In this brief guide, we answered the question “Does salt absorb moisture?” and told you if salt can absorb moisture from air and act as a dehumidifier. We also shared with you how to make your own dehumidifier using rock salt and listed down some other natural methods of removing excess humidity from your home. Furthermore, we discussed why salt is used as a natural preservative.