Experts warn against using heated clothes airers to dry clothes inside house

It could cost you more than money

Autumn is upon us and even though the weather forecasters might say an Indian summer is on its way, the air has definitely taken a soggy turn lately. As the rain and winds blast, we all have to find ways of drying our laundry inside that don't cost a fortune, cause dampness, or take up too much space.

Nearly all of us have felt the pinch that has come from the cost of living crisis, with energy prices higher than they’ve been for years, and using appliances like tumble dryers, heated clothes airers, and drying pods have all proven to be pretty expensive. There are options available that don’t cost the earth but one popular choice that we often do without thinking about has been panned by the experts, with them revealing it could be the most expensive option and potentially cause damage to your home.

Posted in their most recent newsletter, the experts at Which! have explained why putting clothes on the radiator to dry - even if it’s on a rack attached to the heater - is a big no, no. They wrote: “Radiators work to establish an ambient temperature in your home. If you switch the heating on and set it to 20C, your radiators will work to pump out heat until your home is at that temperature.

“Putting cold and wet laundry on your radiators will make your clothes act as a barrier between the heat your radiators give off and the temperature of your home. Your radiators will think your home is the temperature of your clothes.” According to the experts, this will end up making the radiators work much harder than necessary as they’ll work overtime to counterbalance such a drop in temperature, causing your heating bills to rise.

Not only is this method of drying clothes more expensive and less efficient than other means, but it can also be a health and fire hazard. The team at paint manufacturer Little Knights shared: “Draping wet clothes over the radiator means that moisture will be carried into the room on a warm air current and will stick to the first cold surface it hits, normally a wall. Excess moisture in a room can lead to patches of mould, which can cause damage such as staining and peeling paint. Even worse, it can lead to health problems, particularly in vulnerable people such as children and the elderly.

If you have no choice but to use radiators to dry clothes, experts advise keeping a window ajar when possible, especially if you are using your bedroom radiator to dry clothing. And damp clothes should never be dried on storage or convector heaters as this can be a fire hazard.

Earlier this week we shared an 'amazing' trick for drying clothes in winter without heating or a dryer, which works 'overnight'. Shared on the Facebook group titled 'Mrs Hinch Made Me Do It", one social media user said: "I use a clothes airer with a dehumidifier, it dries faster than my tumble dryer".

Another echoed: "I swear by my dehumidifier. Hang the clothes in the utility room, shut the door and a load is dry in four hours", while a third said: "Wouldn't be without [my dehumidifier]. Scary how much water it takes. No damp problems anymore and our clothes are dry overnight".

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