Why you should never dry your clothes on a radiator

When the weather is wet and cold, it can be difficult to dry our laundry indoors. With energy bills still on the rise, many Britons are also forgoing using their tumble dryers in favour of airers. While it may be tempting to put your clothes on the radiator to dry, experts have now shared why this could cause problems at home and increase the cost of your heating bills.

Owen Whitlock, an interiors expert at Beanbags.co.uk has shared why drying clothes and other items on your radiator could cause problems like mould and condensation around your home.

He said: "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.

"As well as this it could increase the cost of your heating bill. 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."

READ MORE: Easiest methods to remove 'baked-on residue' from oven glass and racks

To help with this dilemma, Owen has shared six ways to help dry your clothes quickly indoors without spending a fortune on tumble dryers.

Washing your laundry in the morning instead of the evening allows you to take advantage of any sunlight during the day which can help dry your clothes.

This is particularly helpful in the winter months when the days tend to be shorter so there's less daylight.

When it's cold, avoid putting your clothes outside on the washing line as they are unlikely to dry.

However, you can place your clothes airer in a spot inside your home where natural light is projecting onto them to help your clothes dry quicker.

DON'T MISS10 kitchen updates to ‘boost the appeal and value’ of your home [INSIGHT] Five common mistakes to ‘avoid’ to prevent ‘killing’ your peace lily [UPDATE] Remove toilet limescale in 30 minutes with no scrubbing required [ANALYSIS]

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info

One mistake we all make when drying our clothes on an airer is not moving them until they are dry. You should turn them over every couple of hours to help them dry evenly.

Drying clothes on hangers will result in fewer creases which will reduce the need to iron them. This works especially well for work shirts, school jumpers and trousers.

Putting essential oil like lavender in your fabric conditioner could help combat unwanted smells when you are drying your laundry indoors.

READ MORE: Natural £1.25 item is ‘best’ method to clean washing machines

Looking for a new home, or just fancy a look? Add your postcode below or visit InYourArea

If you don't have any essential oils, you could try adding a cup of white vinegar to your laundry instead.

While you may think this would make your clothes smell like vinegar, it actually neutralises unpleasant scents.

Simply pour it into the fabric softener compartment. This should soak up any unwanted odours during the wash.

White vinegar is a commonplace cleaning item that is also used to remove limescale and clean windows.

If your clothes airer is overcrowded, the clothes will take longer to dry which can result in them smelling damp and musty.

To get rid of this smell you may end up having to wash them again which will end up costing you more money in energy bills.

Having too many clothes in your washing load will also result in the clothes being damper when they come out of the washing machine.

Washing fewer clothes per load will allow for more space in your washing machine and your airer so they will dry quicker and avoid having a damp smell to them.