[Objective] The effects of mulching materials on the collection of faint rainfall and dew from soil moisture were analysed to provide a scientific basis to support their efficient utilisation in central arid belt of Ningxia Hui Aouonomous Region. [Methods] Three treatments were evaluated in the field experiment: ordinary polyethylene film mulch (T₁), high-density polyethylene film mulch (T₂) and polytetrafluoroethylene film mulch (T₃); bare ground (T₄) was used as the control. The slopes of the catchment surface were optimised, and the changes in soil moisture during faint rainfall and dew events were determined. [Results] ① The total multi-year single precipitation of less than 5 mm accounted for 29.8% of the annual precipitation in the study area, with an average annual dew of 31.68 mm, representing 13.2% of the average multi-year precipitation. ② The order of soil volumetric moisture content at depths of 5 and 15 cm in different ridge mulching modes was consistent, decreasing from polytetrafluoroethylene film mulching > ordinary polyethylene film mulching > high density polyethylene film mulching > bare ground. ③ The depth of influence of ridge mulching on soil moisture increased significantly when collecting faint rainfall, and was up to 15 cm for 2 mm precipitation, whereas it was only up to 5 cm in the bare ground control. ④ The effect of dew on soil moisture was mainly above 5 cm, and when the dew amount was 0.8 mm, the soil moisture of ordinary polyethylene film mulch, high-density polyethylene film mulch, polytetrafluoroethylene film mulch and bare soil increased by 0.6%, 1.6%, 4.0% and 0.2%, respectively. [Conclusion] We found significant differences in the effects of three mulching treatments to pool faint rainfall and dew to increase soil moisture, of which the polytetrafluoroethylene film mulch ridges pooled the best, with soil moisture content in the ridges being greatest.