Homemade Damp Rid

Does anyone know how to make homemade Damp Rid? I am going to store some things in my crawl space under my house, which is insulated and the floor has thick plastic covering the dirt. I was thinking that I would like to place something under there just in case there is some moisture. At times it smells a little musty. Got any ideas what to use or a recipe for such a product? WalMart carries a product, but it seems rather expensive. Thanks for all your ideas.

PrairieFloozie from Sioux Falls, SD

Answers:

Homemade Damp Rid

I take old pantyhose, cut the feet out or knee highs, fill them with charcoal (fine like for plants) tie them to make a bag. Place these all over where you have a moisture problem. They work well in closets and inside storage. Don't know about crawl spaces, I do have to replace them about every 3 months. Oh, they also help with basement odors. (08/06/2006)

By Glenda

Homemade Damp Rid

Funny. The other day, I opened a new Damp Rid in my basement crawl space, where it works great to eliminate the damp, musty smell I used to get. Immediately thereafter, I went out to use the new pool chemical I'd just bought to increase water hardness (a minor concern for plaster pool owners and one I had not bothered with in past years).

I was struck by the fact that the huge tub of calcium chloride chips I bought from the pool store looked exactly like the Damp Rid. Turns out they are one and the same. Thus, if you need calcium chloride, Go to the pool supply store. You can get the white flakes that make up Damp Rid in large quantity. I got 25 lbs for $32. You can buy lesser amounts (down to about 5 lbs). Any pool supply store should have it. (06/03/2007)

By tim

Homemade Damp Rid

Just to let everyone know you can recycle DampRid and other similar products forever. After your container of Damp Rid has filled up with water just take a Pyrex bowl and line it with aluminum foil. Pour the Damp Rid and water solution into the bowl with the foil lining and put it in the oven at a very low temperature. Make it as low as you can get it, 200 degrees or less. If you put the temp too high it will boil and make a giant mess.

Let the water evaporate completely and you will be left with a dry white powder. This powder sticks to any surface, that is why it is essential to line the bowl with foil or you will never get the powder out of the bowl. Pull the powder and foil out of the bowl, wrap in a towel and hit it with a hammer until the powder is all broken up. Then you can put it back in the original Damp Rid container and re-use it. You can do this forever.

NOTE: Make sure you put a cookie sheet under the bowl while drying out the liquid. Do not use a temperature above 200 degrees. If this stuff boils over you will have the most complete and utter mess you have ever had in your life, your oven will never be usable again. You have been warned. (05/17/2008)

By JimInDC

Homemade Damp Rid

I took a plastic butter container put holes in the bottom and with a screen on the bottom filled it with Calcium Chloride. Then cut a 1/2 gallon plastic milk container fit the butter container on top. When needed just empty the container and refill. Works for me. (07/21/2008)

By tapnsee

Homemade Damp Rid

I use this on my cabin cruiser, take a plastic container and put a bag of kitty litter in it. Then add half a bag of ice melt, not rock salt on top and place in a larger plastic container. The kitty litter will soak up the moisture and the ice melt (calcium chloride) will pull the water from the air. Works great. (10/21/2008)

By Joe