I test dehumidifiers for a living – these are the 5 products I always have on hand to combat damp, mould and condensation in autumn

With autumn well and truly upon us and temperatures set to drop from now on, we are well and truly in damp, mould and condensation territory. Colder windows, wet weather and the return of drying laundry indoors can all contribute to excess moisture. They all create the ideal conditions for mould if you don't stay on top of it.

I regularly test the best dehumidifiers and various other air quality products, and over the years, I've accumulated a fair few products that I have to hand when the air gets a little on the damp side, especially since I live in a Victorian home with single-glazed windows!

From items that actively remove moisture in the air to blasting condensation from my windows, these are the things I recommend anyone have in their autumn/winter damp-busting arsenal.

1. A dehumidifier

Using a dehumidifier is the most obvious thing to use when your home feels damp, and it's easily my most-used product in my house. A full-sized dehumidifier like the Meaco Arete Two at Appliances Direct is probably the best thing you can have when tackling excess moisture in your house, particularly when you dry laundry indoors or if the humidity levels are particularly high in a bedroom or bathroom.

Smaller dehumidifiers that usually cost under £100 are also useful for smaller, localised problem areas, like window panes and small bathrooms, and their compact size means you can easily pop them on windowsills or in tighter spots. In fact, I recently discovered a brand new small dehumidifier with its own detachable wand (£74.99 at Lakeland) for awkward damp spots, killing two birds with one stone.

However, these smaller dehumidifiers are nowhere near as powerful as a larger model, so I wouldn't rely on one to deal with a bigger damp room.

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2. A mould and mildew spray

Even though I think prevention is always preferable, I still keep a bottle of HG mould remover spray, £3.80 on Amazon, in my cleaning caddy to blast those tell-tale black spots around windows and in the shower.

Moisture-prone areas are particularly susceptible, and I've found it's far better to deal with a small patch as soon as I notice it rather than allowing it to spread further. The one caveat is that repeatedly treating mould won't solve the problem if there's an underlying source of damp that needs addressing.

3. A good window vacuum

A window vacuum like this top-rated Karcher model, currently £59.99 on Amazon, doesn't necessarily prevent condensation from forming, but it's one of the easiest ways to deal with it when it does. Ideal Home's cleaning editor, Lauren Bradbury, really rates them for tackling the condensation you wake up to every morning.

Rather than wiping soaking-wet windows with a cloth and potentially leaving moisture sitting on the frames and sills, a window vacuum sucks the water straight off the glass. This won't fix the underlying cause of the condensation, but it'll reduce the amount of water on sills and frames that can contribute to mould growth.

'I couldn't live without my window vacuum,' says Lauren. 'Not only does it tackle condensation on windows in seconds, but it also leaves them with a streak-free shine, and I barely have to charge it, as the 100-minute run time seems to last forever. I also used it to clean my windows the other day and have a second one that I use for my shower screen.'

4. Moisture absorbers

There are quite a few places where plugging in a dehumidifier simply isn't practical, which is where moisture absorbers can come into their own.

I use both moisture absorber tubs (this Absodry moisture absorber on Amazon is the best) and hanging dehumidifier bags (Clevast dehumidifier bags from Amazon are my favourites), depending on the space. Tubs are really handy for places like in cupboards and on windowsills, while hanging bags come into their own in wardrobes.

For even smaller enclosed spaces, silica gel packs (buy a 12 pack on Amazon) are another useful option. These little sachets you usually find in packaging can be bought in larger and reusable versions for places like drawers, storage boxes, show cupboards and wardrobes. They're particularly handy for helping to protect items when they're packed away for long periods of time.

5. A hygrometer

One of the simplest ways of keeping on top of humidity is by using a hygrometer, like TempPro's small digital thermometer and hygrometer, £7.24 on Amazon. In winter I can see exactly how humid my home is before condensation or mould becomes an issue.

I aim to keep my home's humidity level between 40 to 60%, and if I see it creeping above that, it's my cue to ventilate the room or switch on my dehumidifier. They're inexpensive, tiny and really useful in bedrooms and where I usually dry laundry.

I'll be honest and say none of these products will fix an underlying damp problem. However, for everyday autumn condensation and excess moisture, they're the things I really do rely on to help keep my home dry and mould at bay.