When the weather is cold or rainy, as it has been for many recently, drying clothes can be particularly difficult. If you hang washing up outside there could be a downpour, while tumble dryers use a huge amount of energy, which isn't ideal when bills are so high.
You might therefore be tempted to stick your wet clothes on a radiator, but an expert has argued that this may cause more harm than good. Interior guru Owen Whitlock, at Beanbags.co.uk said this drying method could trigger condensation, leading to mould growing in your home, the Mirror reports.
He explained: “While hanging wet clothes over your radiators will dry them, this could cause excess condensation in your home. This will lead to mould which can create all kinds of damage including staining paintwork, not to mention the allergens that mould can produce.”
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And that's not the only problem. Owen also suggested drying clothes on a radiator may hike up your energy bill, adding: “Hanging clothes over the top of your radiator will prevent it from heating your house, which means the boiler will need to work harder than it needs to, therefore increasing its running costs.”
Instead, Owen suggested some other tips for drying clothes quickly indoors, without having to use the tumble dryer. Firstly, he said people should always wash clothes early to make the most of any sunshine, as even if the weather isn't good enough to dry clothes outside, it may be a good idea to put the clothes horse close to the window so it's in the light.
Next, he advises people to turn clothes over every couple of hours when they are drying on an airer, to ensure they dry evenly. Or, people could even consider drying clothes on hangers, which will mean there are fewer creases, reducing the need to iron.
Owen also suggests people consider putting lavender oil in their fabric conditioner, which can help to combat any unwanted smells from drying clothes indoors. This trick should help to give clothes long-lasting protection against damp smells that can occur when you dry clothes indoors.
The final tip is to wash fewer clothes per load, as if your airier is overcrowded the clothes will take longer to dry. This could lead to the clothes smelling damp and musty, which would mean having to dry them again.
Too many clothes in the washing machine will also mean they are damper when they come out. Smaller loads allow for more space in the washing machine, and on the airer, so they dry much quicker.
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