Value Village ／ Clothing
This answer is a draft. It stays unpublished until legal review and source verification are complete.
Mould and musty smells in the closet are a shared problem in every humid region. In Japan, some summer months have a mean humidity above 75%, and generations of households have built up practical know-how for keeping stored clothes dry. If you have come from a drier climate, the products in the drugstore (dehumidifier packs, slatted boards) may be unfamiliar. Here is how people here use them.
| Measure | Reason |
|---|---|
| Store laundry only once completely dry | Stops moisture being carried in |
| Leave a palm's width between garments | Lets air move |
| Once a week, open the doors to air the closet (not on rainy days) | Lets moisture escape |
| Dehumidifier packs low down, moth repellent high up | Moisture sinks; repellent vapour spreads from top to bottom |
| Do not put clothes straight back after wearing; hang them overnight first | Lets sweat moisture evaporate |
[Verify] Check the humidity normals in the Japan Meteorological Agency's "Historical weather data search", and the conditions for mould growth in Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Public Health material.
Packs work only in a space that is close to sealed. If there is a wide gap around the doors, they keep absorbing moisture from the room air and fill up quickly.
Moving air alone reduces the amount of mould that settles. Opening the closet doors and running a fan during the rainy season is a method widely shared among people living in Japan.
Moisture collects under storage boxes that sit directly on the floor. Raising them a few centimetres on a slatted board (すのこ, sunoko) lets air pass underneath. It works in rented flats too.
Wiping the surface leaves the roots (hyphae) behind. For mould on clothing, wash according to the care label and put the garment in sunlight. For mould on walls, use rubbing alcohol (消毒用エタノール) or a chlorine mould remover — one or the other, never both — and keep the room ventilated. Never mix chlorine products with acidic cleaners.
Winter condensation is also a source of moisture. A closet on an outside wall gets condensation on the inside, because heating keeps the room warm while the wall stays cold. Ventilation is needed in winter too.
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https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_sfc_ym.php?prec_no=44&block_no=47662
https://www.hokeniryo.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/kankyo/kankyo_eisei/jyuukankyo/indoor/kabi.html
https://www.hokeniryo.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/anzen/ensokei/
⚠️ Editorial note: the source URLs above were identified by search. Our working environment cannot reach go.jp domains, so the contents have not been checked against the text. Verify every source before publication and record who checked it and when.
What we share here are ideas and everyday practices passed down among people living in Japan, together with general information drawn from public sources. They are not official recommendations, and they are not professional instruction. Practices vary between households and regions.
This is general information. Results vary from person to person and depend on your own conditions and surroundings.
Please decide for yourself, using your own judgement, whether any of this suits your situation. We cannot accept responsibility for any damage, loss or injury arising from following this article.
Follow the care label and the maker's instructions for any garment, shoe or bag. For expensive or sentimental items, ask a specialist cleaner or repairer.
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