Does salt absorb moisture?

Question

I've recently been using table salt on a window which has been covered in ants. This technique works and lately I haven't seen any ants around the window at all.

However, lately the windowsill has become very wet. It's been humid here lately and all I can think of is that the salt has absorbed the moisture in the air? Is this possible and would it cause the windowsill to become quite wet?

Answer 1

Your ant problem was caused by moisture in that windowsill. They were coming to drink. You gave them salt. In biological beings, salt causes water retention, and makes them thirsty. Too much salt kills.

Now you're seeing moisture in the window sill because the window was originally flawed to let water in. That's why the ants came.

I hope this is a coherent explanation.

TX Mom

Answer 2

Does Salt Absorb Water

Answer 3

For small applications it is possible to use salt that has been dried in an oven for a while. The problem is that if you use the oven in your house the water vapour released from the salt will contribute to your humidity! Sodium hydroxide (lye) would be quite effective but is pretty nasty stuff so I would avoid that. Cat litter might work, depending on what the composition (Fullers Earth probably best) is but the best and cheapest (chemical) solution would be silica gel which you can find online (or from the little bags saying 'do not eat' in new shoes etc). This can absorb much more water per gram than table salt but will also have a limit at which it will no longer work. At this point you could replace it or refresh it by drying it in the oven - perhaps with your windows open as per the first answer :-)

Answer 4

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Salt will absorb moisture but there are better desiccants (absorbent materials). I believe the rice in salt shakers is to stop the salt from forming one big mass and not for absorbing moisture. If you do a search on the internet for desiccants I am sure you will find many. Regards Dave

Answer 5

yes salt does absorb a lot of moisture, that is why we put crackers or rice in our salt shakers, because they will absorb the moisture before the salt can. & yes i would think that it would make the windowsill damp, if it is humid, because i noticed if you put salt on hot food it begins to look like it is melting & becoming wet looking.

Answer 6

I have double sound proof windows, and I live in a humid area. During the summer, I get a lot of condensation between the two. Would setting a container of salt on the sill in between each set of windows be effective? Just wondering before I go out and buy little containers and 10 lbs. of salt...

Answer 7

salt is a hygroscopic material, meaning it absorbs moisture out of the air.

this is why salt shakers sometimes have rice in them, so that the salt does not clump together.

Answer 8

YES IT DOES !!!!! In any form, salt absorbs moisture.