Tips to combat drying air-conditioning?
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free skin care · Mon Jun 04, 2012 3:49 am

I sleep in an air-conditioned room now that it's summer, and it's drying out my skin, mouth, eyes, everything! Anyone have any tips or tricks to combat this? I read this article which was helpful:

http://www.mywomenstuff.com/2009/03/03/can-a-glass-of-water-help-with-dry-air-from-air-conditioners/

I'm going to try filling a bucket with water and putting it my room LOL.

Anyone have any other tips/tricks? I know I must not be the only one with this problem in the summertime! hmm

free skin care · Tue Jun 05, 2012 2:46 am

Well I guess I must be the only one then because no ones responded LOL.

Well for anyone with the same problem, I'm experimenting with a bucket full of water in my room. LMAO. It's not a huge bucket. It's like a 12 cup sort of bucket. I filled it with water and lugged it to my room and wow I gotta say, I woke up feeling a little better! Less dried out everything! lmao.

free skin care · Tue Jun 05, 2012 5:45 am

You could also try spritzing your face with water and sealing it in with a little oil. I use maracuja, but you could use argan, jojoba, coconut, etc.I don't use plain water, though you could. I use a very very mild toner and allpy a couple of drops of oil before my face dries.

free skin care · Tue Jun 05, 2012 6:15 am

EG, I use a humidifier in my room, no dry skin. On another forum I read how a woman bought an old electric crockpot (slow cooker) for $10 and used this at night. She found that her room was moist but not damp after using it and that the crockpot did not run dry. Her skin benefitted and her hair was no longer static. Hope this helps.

free skin care · Tue Jun 05, 2012 8:43 am

Thank you bullet!

Wow thanks HippoMe! That's a great idea! Smile

free skin care · Tue Jun 05, 2012 8:54 am

egyptiangoddess wrote:

Thank you bullet!

Wow thanks HippoMe! That's a great idea! Smile

Just clean a humidifier once in a while with water and white vinegar to kill mold, I used one for my kids as babies in their rooms with both AC and heat that can really dry out their nasal passages!

free skin care · Tue Jun 05, 2012 9:43 am

Thanks DM. That's what's been happening to me. I've been really sick since hooking up the AC! I don't have a crockpot though so my bucket will have to do for now, I hope!

free skin care · Tue Jun 05, 2012 10:13 am

egyptiangoddess wrote:

Thanks DM. That's what's been happening to me. I've been really sick since hooking up the AC! I don't have a crockpot though so my bucket will have to do for now, I hope!

You may need to either change the filter in your AC unit or take it out and hose it off! Smile

free skin care · Tue Jun 05, 2012 10:15 am

Sorry, I didn't mean I was sick from mold or the filter. I meant because the AC is so drying.

free skin care · Tue Jun 05, 2012 10:22 am

egyptiangoddess wrote:

Sorry, I didn't mean I was sick from mold or the filter. I meant because the AC is so drying.

Gotcha!

It is just always a good idea to have a clean AC unit! Laughing

free skin care · Tue Jun 05, 2012 10:29 am

I have to use a humidifier at night, or else I wake up every 3-4 hours to drink water, because the AC is so drying, especially in the winter.
The problem with a humidifier is that everything in my apartment gets covered with a thin white film from the minerals in water, even with a filter Sad

free skin care · Tue Jun 05, 2012 10:34 am

fitgineer wrote:

I have to use a humidifier at night, or else I wake up every 3-4 hours to drink water, because the AC is so drying, especially in the winter.
The problem with a humidifier is that everything in my apartment gets covered with a thin white film from the minerals in water, even with a filter Sad

I only used distilled water in mine, avoids all the mineral deposits from regular water! Smile

free skin care · Tue Jun 05, 2012 10:36 am

DarkMoon wrote:

fitgineer wrote:

I have to use a humidifier at night, or else I wake up every 3-4 hours to drink water, because the AC is so drying, especially in the winter.
The problem with a humidifier is that everything in my apartment gets covered with a thin white film from the minerals in water, even with a filter Sad

I only used distilled water in mine, avoids all the mineral deposits from regular water! Smile

Agreed, but if I use it every night, for 8-10 hours at a time, it can get pretty expensive, not to mention all the lugging of the distilled water... Do you have any suggestions? Aside from distilling my own water Smile

free skin care · Tue Jun 05, 2012 10:38 am

fitgineer wrote:

I have to use a humidifier at night, or else I wake up every 3-4 hours to drink water, because the AC is so drying, especially in the winter.
The problem with a humidifier is that everything in my apartment gets covered with a thin white film from the minerals in water, even with a filter Sad

Evaporated water should not hold minerals - it is effectively distilled. More likely the white film is mineral salts leaching out from your plasterwork/ wall finish (efflorescence) or *possibly* growth of a micro-organism. If this is worse in winter you are using too much water and it is settling on the cold surface of the wall. Long term you can damage the fabric of the building so I'd suggest you use less water and more ventilation.

free skin care · Tue Jun 05, 2012 10:40 am

fitgineer wrote:

DarkMoon wrote:

fitgineer wrote:

I have to use a humidifier at night, or else I wake up every 3-4 hours to drink water, because the AC is so drying, especially in the winter.
The problem with a humidifier is that everything in my apartment gets covered with a thin white film from the minerals in water, even with a filter Sad

I only used distilled water in mine, avoids all the mineral deposits from regular water! Smile

Agreed, but if I use it every night, for 8-10 hours at a time, it can get pretty expensive, not to mention all the lugging of the distilled water... Do you have any suggestions? Aside from distilling my own water Smile

Sorry not for those in the UK, distilled water is extremely inexpensive in the US! Smile

free skin care · Tue Jun 05, 2012 10:41 am

Firefox7275 wrote:

fitgineer wrote:

I have to use a humidifier at night, or else I wake up every 3-4 hours to drink water, because the AC is so drying, especially in the winter.
The problem with a humidifier is that everything in my apartment gets covered with a thin white film from the minerals in water, even with a filter Sad

Evaporated water should not hold minerals - it is effectively distilled. More likely the white film is mineral salts leaching out from your plasterwork/ wall finish (efflorescence) or *possibly* growth of a micro-organism. If this is worse in winter you are using too much water and it is settling on the cold surface of the wall. Long term you can damage the fabric of the building so I'd suggest you use less water and more ventilation.

Hmmm... my humidifier is a cool water/mist one... I do not think it evaporates the water. I know the ones that do, do not have the white film side effect. I've only read about the cool mist ones (like mine) that result in the white film.

free skin care · Tue Jun 05, 2012 10:42 am

DarkMoon wrote:

fitgineer wrote:

DarkMoon wrote:

fitgineer wrote:

I have to use a humidifier at night, or else I wake up every 3-4 hours to drink water, because the AC is so drying, especially in the winter.
The problem with a humidifier is that everything in my apartment gets covered with a thin white film from the minerals in water, even with a filter Sad

I only used distilled water in mine, avoids all the mineral deposits from regular water! Smile

Agreed, but if I use it every night, for 8-10 hours at a time, it can get pretty expensive, not to mention all the lugging of the distilled water... Do you have any suggestions? Aside from distilling my own water Smile

Sorry not for those in the UK, distilled water is extremely inexpensive in the US! Smile

I'm in the US. I guess I need to take a trip to Walmart!

free skin care · Tue Jun 05, 2012 10:47 am

fitgineer wrote:

DarkMoon wrote:

fitgineer wrote:

DarkMoon wrote:

fitgineer wrote:

I have to use a humidifier at night, or else I wake up every 3-4 hours to drink water, because the AC is so drying, especially in the winter.
The problem with a humidifier is that everything in my apartment gets covered with a thin white film from the minerals in water, even with a filter Sad

I only used distilled water in mine, avoids all the mineral deposits from regular water! Smile

Agreed, but if I use it every night, for 8-10 hours at a time, it can get pretty expensive, not to mention all the lugging of the distilled water... Do you have any suggestions? Aside from distilling my own water Smile

Sorry not for those in the UK, distilled water is extremely inexpensive in the US! Smile

I'm in the US. I guess I need to take a trip to Walmart!

I had to use it for my dad's oxygen to prevent drying of the nasal passages when I was caring for him.
I found it in any drug and grocery store right with all the bottled water! Smile

free skin care · Tue Jun 05, 2012 12:06 pm

Here's the post I found regarding the use of a crockpot as a humidifier. It wasn't on a forum but was in a blog.

"I moved here, to West Texas, 7 months ago. Previously, I had lived in Northern Indiana for 12 years. The humidity in Indiana is very high--especially in the summertime. The air can be so heavy with moisture that you felt like you were breathing through a wet washrag. But it was wonderful for my hair and my skin. Both were always moisturized and smooth.

Since being here, I have noticed that my hair and my skin are very dry. My hair has so much static in it, when brushing it, that it practically stands on end!

I have been pricing humidifiers, for my room, and cannot afford those. They average anywhere from $35 to $60 and even higher than that. I went to Walmart to look at the humidifiers there and found the same high prices. As I was getting ready to leave, I walked past the cookware section and saw a small electric Crockpot for only $10. The light bulb went off over my head. Why not? Why wouldn’t that work?

I bought it, took it home, and put in my room. I filled it with water, set it on “High”, put the lid on it and let it get up to the high heat. They don’t boil, so there was no fear of it boiling dry. When it reached the high point, I took the lid off, then went to bed.

By morning, there was enough humidity in the air that my skin already felt better and I could brush my hair without it flying up into the air. There was still 2 inches of water left in the crockpot. I did have a small fear of it going dry and ruining the crockpot or possibly catching fire but all was well. Another added bonus was that there was no moisture collected on my dresser where it was sitting and humidifiers can cause that--which can make it a chore to keep wiping up the water or keeping a towel under them and possibly ruining the wood.

I use it every night and am very pleased with the results. I can even put scented oil or potpourri in it and have my room smell heavenly!

Great ‘humidifier’ for only 10 bucks!"

Dark Moon, I regularly clean my humidifier or the water in it starts to resemble a swamp!

free skin care · Tue Jun 05, 2012 12:10 pm

LOL. At the swamp! I had a few going with 2 kids 15 months apart, and had to clean them! I was in Florida again Sad

and mold is a huge issue anywhere water sits! Shock

HippoMe wrote:

Here's the post I found regarding the use of a crockpot as a humidifier. It wasn't on a forum but was in a blog.

"I moved here, to West Texas, 7 months ago. Previously, I had lived in Northern Indiana for 12 years. The humidity in Indiana is very high--especially in the summertime. The air can be so heavy with moisture that you felt like you were breathing through a wet washrag. But it was wonderful for my hair and my skin. Both were always moisturized and smooth.

Since being here, I have noticed that my hair and my skin are very dry. My hair has so much static in it, when brushing it, that it practically stands on end!

I have been pricing humidifiers, for my room, and cannot afford those. They average anywhere from $35 to $60 and even higher than that. I went to Walmart to look at the humidifiers there and found the same high prices. As I was getting ready to leave, I walked past the cookware section and saw a small electric Crockpot for only $10. The light bulb went off over my head. Why not? Why wouldn’t that work?

I bought it, took it home, and put in my room. I filled it with water, set it on “High”, put the lid on it and let it get up to the high heat. They don’t boil, so there was no fear of it boiling dry. When it reached the high point, I took the lid off, then went to bed.

By morning, there was enough humidity in the air that my skin already felt better and I could brush my hair without it flying up into the air. There was still 2 inches of water left in the crockpot. I did have a small fear of it going dry and ruining the crockpot or possibly catching fire but all was well. Another added bonus was that there was no moisture collected on my dresser where it was sitting and humidifiers can cause that--which can make it a chore to keep wiping up the water or keeping a towel under them and possibly ruining the wood.

I use it every night and am very pleased with the results. I can even put scented oil or potpourri in it and have my room smell heavenly!

Great ‘humidifier’ for only 10 bucks!"

Dark Moon, I regularly clean my humidifier or the water in it starts to resemble a swamp!

free skin care · Tue Jun 05, 2012 3:04 pm

This may seem like a silly suggestion, egyptiangoddess, but do you have different seetings on your AC? Maybe not having it on too high would make it less drying. That's what I did with my AC. Overnight, I would change the temperature so that it wasn't blasting cold air. I found it far less drying. Just an idea!!

free skin care · Wed Jun 06, 2012 5:05 am

Thank you leeleedeedee. I've tried doing that but it's still quite drying. But my bucket of water seems to be helping a bit. Smile

free skin care · Wed Jun 06, 2012 7:15 am

Wow, great ideas! The cheapest most simple option is definitely the bucket of water, but Where does one put the bucket of water in the room? Near the AC vent, middle of room, next to bed or desk if in an office?

free skin care · Wed Jun 06, 2012 7:23 am

Thank you so much for posting that HippoMe! Very Happy

Peggotty wrote:

Wow, great ideas! The cheapest most simple option is definitely the bucket of water, but Where does one put the bucket of water in the room? Near the AC vent, middle of room, next to bed or desk if in an office?

Peggotty, I just put my bucket of water on the floor beside the side table that's beside the bed. The AC is at the foot of my bed. I don't think it matters where you put it though. Just anywhere is fine I think. Smile

free skin care · Wed Jun 06, 2012 11:07 am

egyptiangoddess wrote:

Thank you so much for posting that HippoMe! Very Happy

Peggotty wrote:

Wow, great ideas! The cheapest most simple option is definitely the bucket of water, but Where does one put the bucket of water in the room? Near the AC vent, middle of room, next to bed or desk if in an office?

Peggotty, I just put my bucket of water on the floor beside the side table that's beside the bed. The AC is at the foot of my bed. I don't think it matters where you put it though. Just anywhere is fine I think. Smile

Thanks egyptiangoddes! Very Happy

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