If you’re dealing with low humidity, and thus dry air, you should definitely think about getting a humidifier. After doing so, you’ll be able to breathe more freely, and you’ll sleep better at night.
Although it’s most commonly found in the living room, which is typically the most crowded room in the house, a lot of people like to place the humidifier in their bedroom instead. But the question is — should you put the humidifier in your bedroom? Is it safe? And if it is, should it be on the floor or on the nightstand?
I’ll answer all of these questions shortly. But first, let’s see how humidifiers work.
How Humidifiers Work
There are many different types of humidifiers, and the placement of the humidifier actually depends on them.
The first and the most common type of humidifier is the evaporative humidifier. It’s fairly simple and easy to use, so many people opt for this one. The machine actually has its own reservoir, which gets filled with water. Then the water passes through a filter and evaporates. Next, a fan blows air into the filter, which then sends the evaporated air into the room.
You can either choose to buy a separate evaporative humidifier or integrate it into your house’s existing heating or cooling system.
Another type of humidifier is a mechanical humidifier.
Oddly enough, you can also fill a pot or bowl with water and put it on a radiator, and that would also count as a mechanical humidifier. This method is cost-effective and works surprisingly well.
In case you’re looking for something a little more modern, you can buy a separate humidifier. Typically, you can choose between:
- ultrasonic
- central
- impeller
- wick humidifiers/vaporizers.
Ultrasonic humidifiers use high-frequency vibrations to create droplets. Vaporizers use steam, and impeller humidifiers use rotating discs to break water into droplets and launch it into the air. All in all, whatever type you choose, you can’t really go wrong.
Humidifiers also vary in size. Which size you get should depend on where you want to put it. If you want to cover an area with a lot of people, you should go with a bigger humidifier. However, keep in mind that big humidifiers can be quite expensive.
There are also cool-mist and warm-mist humidifiers, but I’ll address those a bit later.
Where to Put the Humidifier in Your Bedroom
A bedroom is a great place for a humidifier if you want to improve the quality of your sleep. You will wake up feeling refreshed and ready to start the day. Using the humidifier every night can significantly improve your health in the long run.
However, many people make the mistake of putting it right next to their bed, which is not a good idea. So, you should carefully think about the placement of the humidifier. Placing it in an inconvenient location can be dangerous if you’re not careful.
In short, the humidifier should be somewhat close to your bed, provided that it’s in a safe and secure location, far from anybody’s reach.
I often see people asking — should I put the humidifier on the nightstand or on the floor? Frankly, the answer is — neither. Here’s why:
Nightstand
The nightstand seems like a great place for your humidifier, but it’s actually the opposite of that.
As I mentioned, you want to keep your humidifier far from your reach. Now imagine this situation — you wake up in the morning, stretch your arm out to reach for your phone, and you accidentally knock over the humidifier. Then it falls down and breaks. This situation may seem silly, but it is quite likely to happen.
I don’t have to explain to you why it’s bad. If any appliance hits the ground hard enough, it will break and become useless. So, you’ll either need to fix it or buy a new one, and both will cost you some money, time, and effort. And unfortunately, not everyone can afford that.
Moreover, sleeping too close to a humidifier isn’t healthy. It can overwhelm your sinuses at one point, which can be quite uncomfortable. It will undoubtedly wake you up.
If you have no room for a nightstand, you can use one of these alternatives.
Floor
The floor is also a bad choice when it comes to humidifier placement. The reason for that is the same as with the nightstand. You can easily tip it over, causing it to break. Even if you don’t have children or pets, just walking by the humidifier can be dangerous.
Aside from the risk of breaking your humidifier, there is also a risk of getting burned. You see, most humidifiers use steam, so they’re usually quite hot. And if someone accidentally knocks one down, they have a high chance of burning themselves with hot water. Talk about a bad start to the day, am I right?
In addition, the floor is a dirty place, and your humidifier should be squeaky clean at all times. When it’s on the floor, it gets dirty twice as quickly, so you’ll need to clean it quite often. To save yourself some time and effort, don’t place it on the floor.
No matter where you choose to place it, you should clean the humidifier regularly. If you don’t, it will start absorbing the dirt and sending out germs into the air, making you and everyone around you ill.
Another reason why you shouldn’t place the humidifier on the floor is mold. The humidifier can easily make your floor or carpet wet. If the moisture gets deep enough, it can cause mold. And we all know that inhaling moldy air is extremely bad for your health.
Where Should You Place It?
So, between the nightstand and the floor, the nightstand is a better option. However, as I said, you need to ensure that you can’t accidentally knock down the humidifier.
In my opinion, the best location for a humidifier is a desk or a table in the corner of your bedroom. It doesn’t really matter what it is, as long as the humidifier is safe, stable, and high off the ground.
Also, make sure it’s not facing direct sunlight, as that can speed up the growth of unwanted algae and bacteria.
And if you have kids, take extra precaution. You should place the humidifier far away from their reach. I suggest you place it somewhere high, perhaps on a shelf. It will work just as effectively, but won’t risk anyone’s safety.
Also, when buying a humidifier for your bedroom, you should definitely look for a quiet humidifier. Believe me, you don’t want to listen to that gurgling sound all night.
You may also like: How to Make a Nightstand Taller
Cool-Mist vs. Warm-Mist Humidifier Placement
The other two main types of humidifiers are cool-mist and warm-mist humidifiers. The warm-mist humidifier uses boiling water and distributes warm air, whereas the cool-mist one doesn’t exceed room temperature.
As you can tell, warm-mist humidifiers are much more dangerous than cool-mist humidifiers. Although they are quite soothing when you have a cold, you can easily get burned with boiling water if you keep the humidifier too close to your bed. Therefore, you should be extremely careful, and make sure you secure it in every way you can.
Cool-mist humidifiers are designed to be safe. Still, you can’t just place them anywhere. Like I mentioned earlier — don’t keep it right next to your bed. Although you won’t get burned if you knock it over, it can still easily break. Plus, your sinuses will get irritated if you keep the cool-mist humidifier too close to your head.
Conclusion
All in all, humidifier placement matters, especially in the bedroom. You can’t just place it where you think it looks ‘nice.’ It’s a humidifier, not an ornament.
If you want to get the most of the humidifier and also stay safe, you should follow the advice I gave you in this text. To recap — you shouldn’t place the humidifier right next to your bed or on the floor. Both of those placements are terrible, no matter what type of humidifier you own.
The best place for a humidifier is a corner of a room, somewhere it will be secure and far from the reach of children and pets.
If you’re having a hard time figuring out where you should put your humidifier, you can always check the instructions. They will clearly show you what the best placement for your particular model is.
