Damp, condensation and mould: a day-to-day routine

The Running a Home cleaning lesson covers the basics. This lesson goes deeper: what kind of damp you are dealing with, a daily routine that stops condensation, how to clean small patches safely and when it is the landlord's job.

Three kinds of damp

• Condensation: Shelter explains that it happens when moisture in the air meets a cold surface, like a window or an external wall. It is often worse in cold homes.
• Penetrating damp: water gets in from outside, often through gaps and cracks, a leaky roof, faulty guttering or internal leaks (Shelter).
• Rising damp: groundwater soaks up into the bricks or concrete, affecting basements and ground-floor rooms (Shelter).
• Only condensation is mostly about daily habits. Penetrating and rising damp are building faults, so report them; do not try to treat them yourself.

Why it matters for your health

• GOV.UK guidance says damp and mould mainly affect the airways and lungs, and can also affect the eyes and skin, causing cough, wheeze, breathlessness and worse asthma.
• It notes that even if visible mould is not present, dampness alone can increase the risk of health problems.
• People with asthma or other lung conditions, weakened immune systems or mental health conditions, and children and young people, are among those more at risk.
• If you have symptoms that might be linked, see a doctor, and tell your landlord. GOV.UK stresses landlords should not wait for medical evidence before acting.

A daily routine against condensation

• Morning: wipe condensation from windows and sills (Shelter), then wring the cloth out in the sink rather than leaving it on a radiator.
• Cooking: put lids on pans, use the extractor fan and close the kitchen door (Shelter and GOV.UK).
• Showering: run the extractor fan, keep the bathroom door closed, and open the window wide afterwards until the air has changed (GOV.UK).
• Laundry: dry clothes outdoors or in a tumble dryer where possible (Shelter). If you must dry indoors, use one small room with the door shut and the window open.
• Furniture: leave a gap between furniture and external walls so air can circulate (Shelter and GOV.UK).
• In GCC homes, condensation can still appear where warm humid air meets surfaces cooled by air conditioning, for example around AC vents and on windows, so the same wiping and ventilation habits apply.

Cleaning a small patch safely

• GOV.UK says tenants may reasonably be expected to remove condensation and very small amounts of mould, using a mould and mildew cleaner in preference to bleach.
• Photograph the patch first, and if possible draw around it lightly in pencil, so you can show whether it grows back.
• Wear gloves, a mask and goggles, keep the room door shut and the window open during and after cleaning (GOV.UK).
• Bag and throw away the cloth or wash it hot, and let the surface dry completely.
• Do not pull off mouldy wallpaper or carpet yourself: GOV.UK warns this can release a lot of spores. Larger areas need professionals.

When it is the landlord's job

• Shelter says your landlord must try to find out what is causing damp, and should instruct a damp surveyor if they cannot, at no cost to you.
• Landlords should fix causes such as leaks, broken extractor fans they installed, poor ventilation and structural faults, then check again at least 6 weeks after repairs (Shelter).
• Shelter says landlords should not tell you to paint over recurring mould or simply stop cooking or showering.
• Report damp in writing as soon as you notice it, with photos and dates (see the repairs lesson). GOV.UK is clear that tenant actions must never be a substitute for fixing the underlying cause.