What can I do about damp in my fitted wardrobe?

Question

I have found damp in my fitted wardrobe and its ruining my clothes. I can't afford for a tradesman to come and fix it. What can I do?

Answer 1

Most DIY stores sell a product that is basically moisture absorbing Silicone in a vented container. It works beautifully.
Sorry..i can't remember brand name off hand..but if you go in and ask and tell them the problem..they will for sure be able to help you out.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

As it is a wardrobe then I assume that it is upstairs and as it is damp then it is fitted to an outside facing wall.
You may have a cracked or damaged gutter nearby and the water is constantly falling onto the house external wall near that spot. A cracked tile on the roof allowing water to get inside the wall cavity. Lack of ventilation in the wardrobe. If the wardrobe is cold then condensation will form from cooking, showering, having a bath or even from your own breath etc.
Ventilate the bedroom at all times.
In the end you may have to call in a tradesman as there could be other damage occuring to your house which if left could cost a great deal more to put right. If you do call one in, get a quotation not an estimate to CURE THE PROBLEM. An estimate can be open ended. A quotation is a fixed price. Deal with the problem not the symptons. Then clean the walls with bleach and paint over with a gloss paint.
Best of luck

Answer 4

Depends how damp you mean. If there is actual moisture (assuming it is a brick wall with plastered finish) you'd best deal with the source of the problem before it results in further deterioration. Hiding the problem with built-in furniture is a recipe for disaster. However, if it is merely a 'cold wall' (perhaps north facing?) and an electrical damp meter gives only surface readings you may find that the wardrobe lining provides sufficient insulation to protect your clothes. Bear in mind that you will be cutting off circulating air, so any affected surface will be prevented from drying out through the concealed area. If you have 'black mould' on the wallpaper or around the window area, you may wish to treat this with a fungicide or bleach prior to painting over with a spirit-based (as opposed to water soluble) paint. Black mould will always recur unless you improve heating and/or ventilation. Best advice? Get the 'damp' problem checked by a professional and have appropriate remedial measures carried out prior to installing any finish or fitting which may mask the problem. You may be held liable for consequential losses arising from any damage which may have been more readily detected and addressed. That is regardless of whether you presently own the building.

Answer 5

First assess the CAUSE of the damp:
If the wardrobe is on an outside wall, it is likely that wall feels cold to the touch - this will encourage condensation damp from warm air of the room.
Do you put clothes in the wardrobe that you have worn outdoors? - these clothes may be slightly damp and this dampness will disperse onto other clothes, walls, etc.
Ventilation - if there is no ventilation for the wardrobe, air within will 'stagnate' and encourage mould growth, especially on leather, plastics, shoes, belts, etc.

To reduce the problem, first empty the wardrobe, and clean all surfaces with a mould killer/disinfectant, then dry thoroughly.
Ensure that all clothing/footwear placed in the wardrobe is absolutely dry and aired.
See whether adding ventilation is possible - installing vents at the lowest and highest points to encourage airflow.
If it is on a cold outside wall, think about insulating that wall with a suitable covering - blown vinyl wallpaper may help, or thin polystyrene sheeting, or a proprietary dampcoat lining paper which is usually bitumen backed foil.
You may also place a quantity of large silica gel pads or cushions in the wardrobe. These absorb moisture but will need periodically to removed and dried out again (which you can do in a warm oven).

Note: signs of damp:
1. White powder on walls due to dampness coming through the wall.
2. Black mould (aspergilus niger) usually due to poor ventilation.
3. White mould on leather, clothing etc. generally due to these items being damp when placed in the wardrobe plus poor ventilation.

And remember, all the clothing and footwear you wear absorb moisture from your body, so when you put the clothing away that moisture is released in storage.

Answer 6

If its plain wall at the back of your wardrobe then wash it well with bleach and soapy water, dry and air well, then treat it with a damproofing paint(in DIY shops) if its partition(wood/woodchip) remove the wood and treat the wall as above, a (Temporary) measure will be to place a bowl of bicarbonate of soda inside the wardrobe to soak up excess moisture,or get a moisture remover from DIY shop

Answer 7

When I was in the Air Force in Malaya all the wardrobes had a light fitment in the bottom. The heat from the lightbulb is enough to drive off any dampness. It doesn`t have to be high wattage-just on all the time. Please make sure that nothing is touching it though.

Answer 8

Buy a packet of bicarbonate of soda and leave it open in the wardrobe. It will absorb the damp.

Answer 9

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Answer 10

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