Where to Put a Dehumidifier: The Best Spot in Every Room
By Priya Shah, reviewed by James Whitfield · Updated
Placement decides whether a dehumidifier clears a room in a day or struggles for a week. Put it in the wrong corner, behind furniture or in a draughty hallway, and it will cost you more to run and do less. Here is where to stand it in each room, and the mistakes that quietly ruin results.
The golden rules of placement
Four rules apply in every room. Leave space around the unit: keep at least 30 to 50 cm clear on the air-intake and exhaust sides so the fan can move air freely. Stand it on a hard, level surface so the water tank and float switch work properly. Keep doors and windows closed while it runs, otherwise it is trying to dry the whole street. Put it near the damp source rather than in the far corner, but not so close that it blows warm air straight at wet laundry or a window.
Bedroom
Place the unit a metre or so from the bed, clear of curtains and bedding, at a point where the air can circulate. If noise matters, choose a quiet model: a unit rated around 35 to 40 dB(A) on its lowest setting is acceptable in most bedrooms. Condensation on windows is the clue that the room is too humid overnight, so standing the unit in the same room rather than the landing gives much better results. Our dehumidifier for bedroom pillar compares quiet models.
Living room and open-plan spaces
Position the dehumidifier on the side of the room that is coldest or most prone to condensation, usually near an external wall or a large window. In open-plan homes, close internal doors where you can, because a single unit only works efficiently on a space it can actually treat. A 12L to 20L model is typical here, and the best large dehumidifier pillar covers bigger spaces.
Bathroom and utility room
Do not stand a plug-in dehumidifier in a wet zone or anywhere water could splash it. Keep it outside the shower area, on a dry surface, and ideally in the adjoining hallway or landing with the bathroom door ajar after a shower. In a utility room used for drying washing, put the unit beside the clothes airer with the door closed. Our dehumidifier for bathroom guide explains the safety zones in more detail.
Drying washing indoors
Hang clothes on an airer in the middle of a small room, put the dehumidifier a short distance away with the airflow passing across the clothes, and shut the door. Set laundry mode if the unit has one. Do not drape washing over the dehumidifier itself, which blocks the vents and can overheat it.
Garage, basement and cold spaces
In a garage or cellar, put the unit on a stand or pallet off the floor if the ground is wet, and run the drain hose to a gully if you can. Below about 5 to 10°C a compressor model loses efficiency and may frost over, so a desiccant model is often the better fit; our desiccant vs compressor guide explains why. See also the dehumidifier for garage pillar.
Mistakes that waste money
The common errors are easy to avoid. Pushing the unit against a wall or into a corner starves the fan. Running it with windows open makes it treat outdoor air. Leaving it on a carpet over a heating pipe can overheat it. Putting it in a different room from the damp problem simply cools the wrong air. And forgetting to empty the tank, or to attach a drain hose, means it stops when it is full.
Placement and your electricity bill
A well-placed unit reaches its target humidity sooner and then switches itself off, which lowers the cost of every run. If you want actual figures, our guide to dehumidifier running cost shows how to calculate it for any model.
Ready to compare models? See our best dehumidifier uk comparison →
Frequently asked questions
Where is the best place to put a dehumidifier in a bedroom?+
About a metre from the bed, away from curtains and bedding, in a spot where air can circulate. Keep the door closed and choose a quiet model if noise bothers you.
Should a dehumidifier be on the floor or raised up?+
On the floor is fine as long as the surface is hard and level. Raise it off the floor only in cellars or garages where the ground can be wet.
How far from the wall should a dehumidifier be?+
Leave around 30 to 50 cm clear around the air inlet and outlet so the fan is not starved of airflow.
Can I put a dehumidifier in the bathroom?+
Not in a wet zone or where it could be splashed. Keep it in the adjoining room or a dry spot and leave the bathroom door ajar after showering.
Does the position affect how quickly it works?+
Yes. A unit with free airflow, closed doors and a position near the damp source reaches target humidity much faster than one wedged into a corner.