Pros

-Convenient to use (I think)
-Absorb moisture
-Cost-effective if bought only a few times

Cons

-Possess health hazards
-Questionable safety for children and pets
-Costly over time
-Not a reliable source of moisture reduction
-The pellets only start to work at 62% relative humidity. Mold grows at 55%.
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Full Review

DAMPRID. First off, for those of you who don't know what this product is, it sells itself as "The Original Non-Electric Moisture Absorber". In other words, people use it to soak up excess moisture and help control mold growth and mildew. I recently spoke with a woman who had been using this product and thought it was the bird's knees. Let's break it down.

DAMPRID offers a selection of products but is probably best known for moisture absorbing white pellets. The pellets are placed into a bucket and voila, your very own little dehumidifier. According to the website, the pellets absorb moisture in the air and are activated at a certain relative humidity level. In other words, the pellets are "smart" and start working only when the moisture is high enough to cause mold. The pellets draw moisture in and moisture is trapped underneath the pellets, eventually needing to be dumped out. In addition, the pellets are non-toxic, septic safe and safe for the environment. The pellet buckets can be placed anywhere in the home but are most often used in areas where moisture is high like bathrooms. DAMPRID offers hanging moisture-absorbing sachets for closets and new moisture-absorbing packs that are used in their new "Super" systems.

Although DAMPRID has a spiffy website, it does not answer some serious questions I have. Such as how often should I change the product? And how much product should I use? Also, it is not clear to me if I just peel off the lid to the DAMPRID bucket and go for it or, if I have to purchase an accessory to hold the pellets. Besides being an ignorant shopper, I am mostly concerned about the product itself. They say it is non-toxic; however, if you pull up the safety data sheet, you are warned that inhalation, skin contact and eye contact may cause irritation and that it may cause nausea. Furthermore, you shouldn't spill it down the sink when it is time to empty the container. That is a bit concerning.

In Closing

Although DAMPRID may contribute to reducing general moisture in the air, I am not confident in it's sole ability to remove and control mold from moist areas. The DAMPRID website claims that the pellets start to work at 62% relative humidity and that mold grows between 70% -90% relative humidity. However, there are several counter-statements to this claim stating that mold will actually start to grow if humidity levels reach 55%. Furthermore, I would be worried to use this product if I had small children in the home and/or pets. There are many steps you can take to controlling moisture and removing mold in your home, including all natural methods to controlling mold. I say to heck with the non-electric and buy an electric dehumidifier. Yes, they are more costly initially, but will make up for it over time versus all the DAMPRID you would have to buy. Plus, dehumidifiers cover a larger area, are effective at moisture reduction and do not pose any health hazards.