The reason you should avoid drying your clothing indoors during winter (2024)

FAQs

The reason you should avoid drying your clothing indoors during winter? ›

Drying your clothes in ill-ventilated rooms during the winter months could lead to mould, fungus and bacteria growth, the experts have warned.

Clothes can dry indoors in winter, but it can affect air quality, humidity and lead to mould. Try avoiding drying laundry in the rooms where you spend the most time e.g., your living room and bedroom. Instead, place the drying rack in the bathroom, the kitchen or hallway where you spend less time.

"If it's humid and cold outside, your clothes might dry only very slowly or not at all. That would be an ideal situation to use an indoor drying rack to take advantage of the heat inside your house. If it's dry and cold outside, you might get freeze-dried clothes.

Damp clothes attract biological elements – 'spores' which are indoors. These spores increase on wet or damp clothes that are kept to dry, without good ventilation or in airtight dry spaces and bedrooms. Mouldy spores are the primary cause of allergies, random sneezing, watering eyes, and more.

Although drying your clothes indoors may be cheaper and easier, you might experience mould growth and decreased air quality.

But experts are warning that if you do air-dry your wet clothes indoors, to avoid putting them in one particular room - the bedroom. According to researchers, doing this could result in issues such as mould, dampness and some health concerns.

Do clothes dry better inside out? When you dry your clothes inside out, you're helping to prevent color fading and lint buildup on the outside of the items that may occur from tumbling in the dryer. Drying your clothes inside out helps to prevent damage to the garment as a whole.

Instead, most Amish families rely on clotheslines in the summer — and they still work in the winter, Williams said. According to appliance company Speed Queen, “Drying on a line in winter is actually a form of freeze-drying thanks to sublimation — or ice evaporating from a solid state.

Put a dehumidifier next to your clothes airer

Dehumidifiers work by drawing in air, removing the moisture, then blowing drier air back out into the room – so positioning one next to your drying rack can help to remove dampness from the air as your clothes or sheets dry out.

You have this half-backwards: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Texas, Vermont, Virginia and Wisconsin - these states all have "right to dry" laws.

Is it bad to wear wet pants? ›

Wearing wet clothing in cold weather can further weaken the immune system, as the body is working harder to stay warm and conserve heat. Additionally, the wet conditions can increase the risk of infection and illness, as damp conditions can promote the growth of bacteria and other pathogens.

Don't Leave your house with the dryer on

It is important to make sure to turn your dryer off when you are not around. If your dryer catches fire while you're not home, it can burn your house down and cause tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage instead of simply requiring a new dryer.

'Drying clothes indoors can release pollutants such as lint, dust, and laundry detergent particles into the air, potentially affecting indoor air quality. This is only really a problem for those with respiratory conditions, or those that are allergic to certain pollutants such as dust,' James explains.

Drying clothes indoors with inadequate ventilation

This causes humidity to rise and moist air to condense on cold surfaces, creating dampness and mould. Air quality is terrible, and there could easily be health problems for the occupants ranging from mild to severe.

Payne says drying clothes flat and un-bunched on the line is the most effective way to ensure everything dries completely. If it is too humid or rainy to dry clothes outside, hang them on a rack inside with space between each garment. Use a fan to help circulate the air, or a dehumidifier to remove excess moisture.

Running a dehumidifier for at least 3 hours while drying clothes can significantly reduce the risk of damp smells. Another simple way to manage humidity is to open a window in the drying room, allowing moisture to escape and fresh air to circulate.

But the common, and often seen as harmless, practice of drying clothes indoors can be seen as serious contributor to breathing difficulties, particularly in asthma sufferers. Previous research has shown that wet clothes draped on drying frames or radiators can raise moisture levels by up to 30%.

The key to successfully drying laundry indoors is to ensure good air circulation in the space. Open windows to allow fresh air to circulate and help moisture escape. If it's too cold or impractical to open windows, consider using fans to promote air movement.