When the cold and wet weather arrives, drying your washing outside can be almost impossible so you might find yourself resorting to drying it indoors.

As a result, you might try putting your clothes on a radiator to dry instead but experts have warned homeowners of the dangers this can involve.

Radiator expert Nancy Emery at Only Radiators explains that putting wet clothes on your radiators can cause damage to your home and negatively affect your health.

She said: “It might be a quick fix for those of us without a tumble dryer especially while the dreary weather means we’re unable to hang our clothes out on the line, but using radiators to dry wet clothes causes a number of issues - some of which are dangerous to our health.  

“The problem with drying clothes on radiators is that it leads to higher amounts of condensation due to the lack of airflow from having your radiators covered, which leaves moisture lingering in your rooms - and that’s when the issues start to arise.”

How to Dry Clothes Indoors During the Winter

Dangers of drying clothes on radiators

Mould growth

When you dry clothes indoors, moisture is released into the air. The amount of water in wet clothes can be equal to litres so once the water evaporates, it needs to go somewhere.

This water will then ride along an air current until it sticks to the first cold surface that it meets. This creates the perfect environment for mould to start growing.

Flu-like symptoms

If mould is left untreated, it can be harmful for your health.

Some symptoms you might notice are sneezing more often and coughing. There’s also an increased likelihood that you’ll have a sore throat.

You might also experience a runny nose, irritated skin and red eyes.

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If you’re feeling particularly tired and have flu-like symptoms, you could have mould-induced Aspergillosis without realising.

Medical conditions can worsen

Condensation caused when wet clothes dry on a radiator can lead to mould and can also harm your respiratory system.

It mainly affects people with pre-existing conditions like asthma due to mould-producing allergens, irritants and toxic substances.