An expert has highlighted a common mistake many of us are guilty of, which may be contributing to the prevalence of damp and mould in our homes.
As winter bites and temperatures fall further, drying clothes and other washing becomes an increasingly difficult challenge.
We all yearn for the scent of clothes air-dried outside, but often, indoor drying is the only viable option in the coming months, leaving many with bulky clothes racks or airers burdened with damp laundry for prolonged periods, or radiators cluttered with items in an urgent attempt to speed up the drying process.
Searches for ‘how to dry clothes in winter’ have surged by 226% over the past month, prompting experts at Shark Clean to reveal the best methods for indoor clothes drying during the colder seasons – and why we should resist the urge to use radiators as drying aids.
While it seems convenient to leverage your central heating system, draping clothes on radiators elevates the room’s moisture levels, leading to dampness and mould formation.
This practice can also increase energy bills since the heat is absorbed by the wet garments instead of warming the space, potentially requiring radiators to run longer to achieve the desired warmth. To effectively dry clothes indoors this winter, the recommendation is to hang them on a clothes-horse situated in a well-ventilated area, being careful not to overload the airer to facilitate quicker drying.
In the AskUK forum on Reddit, a discussion was sparked after one user asked: “Do you dry washed clothes by putting them on the radiators? My family never did this, but my wife’s does as standard.
“Now in my wife and my house, it’s standard practice. We don’t have a dryer yet and after one day with normal radiators on their schedule the clothes are generally dry. But my parents always said it’s bad, but no real reason.”
People were keen to share their views. One person said: “Hang them near a radiator on a clothes rack, they’ll get a waft of warm air which will dry them better… The main issue though is the humidity – all that water is getting released into your house and unless it’s well ventilated, you’ll get mould spots in the corners of rooms.”
Another concurred, recommending it’s “better to get those little airers that hang off” radiators instead. A third advised: “Always on a clothes horse near a radiator, not on it. You can damage the radiator, walls and your clothes. It’s not great for anyone in the house with asthma for example. It can cause excess moisture which settles on the walls and furniture and becomes mould.”
While someone else added: “We do. Even the mum-in-law who is a cleanliness fanatic does. There is no other way in winter, [in my humble opinion]. BUT, as others are saying, be careful about the condensation, open a window or something to ensure the water vapour can escape.”