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Expert reveals why drying washed clothes indoors in the winter is high-risk for asthma and cancer patients

Hanging our wet laundry inside our home might pose a fatal risk for physically vulnerable people but there is a solution to it.

BY AMPLIFY STAFF

PUBLISHED JAN 29, 2025

(L) A woman folding clothes inside her house. (R) Washed clothes hanging on a drying stand inside a house. (Representative Cover Image Source: Pexels | cottonbro studio and Ron Lach)

Many people enjoy the rainy and winter seasons. However, our love for the weather fades away as soon as we find ourselves with a pile of wet laundry. After pulling the clothes out of the dryer, we still look for nooks and corners for hanging our laundry. But hanging our damp clothes inside our house could lead to health issues, per Irish Star. In a startling new study led by Professor David Denning and his team at the National Aspergillosis Center of Manchester, it was discovered that putting damp clothes on radiators inside our homes posed a danger to our health.

A woman putting clothes in the washing machine (Representative Image Source: Pexels | RDNE Stock project)

The team of experts found an increase in the number of patients who suffered from lung diseases caused by inhaling Aspergillus fungal spores. "It was estimated that as many as 87 percent of us dried our clothes indoors in the winter. One load of wet washing contained almost two liters of water, which was released into the room," Denning explained. "Most of us were either immune to the fungus which grew in these humid conditions or had a sufficiently healthy system to fight the infection." But homes with patients already suffering from asthma, damaged immune systems, AIDS, cancer and people with auto-immune diseases fell victim to those dangerous spores.ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

via GIPHY

The spores that proliferate in humid environments end up causing irreparable damage to our lungs and sinuses. For those wondering about drying their damp clothes in unpleasant weather conditions, there is a hack that can solve the issue. "My advice would be, when in doubt, dry wet washing outside, in a tumble dryer or a well-ventilated indoor space away from bedrooms and living areas. Be safe rather than sorry," Denning suggested. According to the Express, the NHS in the UK ends up spending over 1.7 billion dollars each year to treat people who get sick from living in cold and damp homes. ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

A man lying in hospital bed and receiving oxygen (Representative Image Source: Pexels | Tima Miroshnichenko)

"Many people are completely unaware of the consequences of air drying clothes inside their homes," Greg Wilson, the founder of Quotezone.co.uk, said about the dangers of drying clothes indoors. "Using air dryers, radiators, and heated drying racks indoors may seem like a good idea during the winter months, but it can pose a serious health risk. Wet clothes release moisture into the home as they start to dry, which can develop into mold and dampness, causing mild allergies, aggravating asthma or worse." ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

A man putting a hand on his chest and coughing (Representative Image Source: Pexels | Towfiqu barbhuiya)

Wilson also mentioned that every household should download a weather app and keep track of dry and wet days to wash and dry their clothes accordingly. Installing a dehumidifier in homes could help reduce the moisture level and promote airflow. “Mould and damp are not just expensive issues to fix, they are also very dangerous and in many cases, possible to avoid. If people need to claim their home insurance due to mold or dampness then the insurer is unlikely to cover them if the property is not well maintained or is damaged due to a lack of care," Wilson concluded.