Drying clothes indoors is a necessity for many Brits during the colder months, but it can lead to mould growth if not done properly. A cleaning expert has shared the best place to hang your laundry
As the UK weather turns colder and wetter, laundry becomes a nightmare, with outdoor drying suddenly becoming an impossibility. While those lucky enough to have a tumble dryer can dodge this issue, it’s not a practical solution for everyone, particularly those on a tight budget or short on space.
This has led many to resort to indoor drying—a method that cleaning guru Laurence Smith from In the Wash advises against unless done correctly, to avoid mould taking over your clothes and home. He warned: “Drying clothes indoors is not ideal because wet clothes release damp into the air, which can lead to mould growth. However, it’s not unsafe to do so as long as your home is well-ventilated. Luckily, you can take measures to reduce the moisture in the air.”
He maintains that clothes shouldn’t be hung indoors for more than 24 hours unless you’re keen on musty-smelling clothes or a layer of mould.
Laurence warned: “Avoid drying laundry in the bathroom as it’s already a damp space and you don’t want to add more humidity to the air. Plus, clothes will take longer to dry in an already-damp room.”
Instead, he pointed out that a spare room is one of the best places to dry your clothes quicker. The expert suggested: “Use a drying rack and place it in a room that you use infrequently.
“This means that you won’t be exposed to damp as your clothes dry and you can close the door, to keep in the heat in or encourage airflow by keeping a window open for clothes to dry faster.”
For those with limited living space, drying clothes in shared areas might be the only option. Laurence suggests positioning the drying rack near a heat source for quicker drying and, if possible, keeping doors shut to trap moisture, reports the Express.
The expert also cautioned against draping wet laundry on radiators, stating: “Don’t place wet items directly on a radiator as this will encourage water to evaporate into the air, leading to a humid room.”
He advised investing in a ceiling-mounted drying rack to save floor space and keep it out of sight when not in use.
And for those eager to cut down the time their laundry takes to dry, he said that it’s worth putting your laundry on a spin cycle, as it helps remove a significant amount of moisture at the end of the washing cycle.