Why Do Clothes Get Damp In An RV?
RV or travel trailer closets are notorious for their funky odors and making your clothes damp.
It’s very easy for moisture and condensation to build up in RVs and that moisture gets trapped in the closets.
Related RV Product: The Camco Screen Door Cross Bar Handle (click to view on Amazon) makes it easy to close an RV screen door and protect it at the same time.
Even if you have a dehumidifier in the RV, the closets and cupboards usually stay closed. Moisture gets trapped and the humidity inside stays high.
The good news is there are a few things you can do to prevent moisture from collecting in your RV or trailer closets.
Related: RV Condensation And 14 Ways To Prevent Mold In Your Trailer
Ways To Prevent Humid Closets
Open The Door
The most simple way to stop the build up of moisture in an RV closet is to open the door for a few hours every day.
You can place your RV dehumidifier in the bedroom while the closet doors are open for some extra help.
The only downside to this method is it is something you have to do every day and it can make your clothes dusty from the air coming into your camper.
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Moisture Absorbers
A lot of full-time RVers who have their clothes in their RV or travel trailer closets all the time use moisture absorbers to keep their clothes dry and funky smell free.
There are a few different moisture absorbers to choose from.
You can use the refillable tub kind (click to view on Amazon) that sits at the bottom of the closet.
(I use this method because it’s effective, affordable, and easy to deal with in small clothes packed RV closets).
Or there is the kind you hang with your clothes (click to view on Amazon) that draws the moisture out and collects the water in bags.
This method works great if you have a large closet and your clothes have lots of room to breathe.
If you live in your RV, there is limited closet space. You sometimes have to cram in clothes to get everything to fit. In that case, the hanging bags don’t work so well.
Another portable dehumidifier I’m seeing everywhere is the Eva-Dry Wireless Mini Dehumidifier (click to view on Amazon).
The cool thing about this style of dehumidifier is it can be “recharged” and used hundreds of times.
The way it works is a small container filled with silica gel beads actively removes moisture from the air.
When filled with water, the beads turn blue. To “recharge” all you have to do is plug the dehumidifier into a wall outlet.
When plugged in, there is a small heating element that heats the gel beads and removes the moisture from them.
In just a few hours, the silica beads turn yellow again, which means they are moisture free and ready to be placed back in the closet.
Depending on the humidity levels, the Eva-Dry can last as long as 4 weeks before needing a recharge.
Dehumidifier
If you have a huge RV closet could buy a small dehumidifier to put inside it.
This is a great option if you are connected to power and have a lot of closet space.
You can check out some great RV dehumidifiers in this article here.
As far as keeping moisture out of your RV closet, these really are some of the only options.
The good news is the moisture absorbers work really well and are easy to refill.
Just make sure you check them regularly. Also, make sure your clothes are totally dry before you put them away in the closet.
Related: Do I Need To Run A Dehumidifier When The RV AC Is Running?
Have questions about keeping your clothes dry in an RV closet? Leave a comment below.
