AS temperatures continue to drop, you have likely found yourself drying your laundry indoors.
While handy for cutting down on energy costs, air drying your clothes indoors can increase the risk of mould.
Experts recommend adding peace lilies to your home to absorb excess moisture in the air (stock image)[/caption]
The evaporated water from your drying clothes usually ends up sticking on walls, around window frames and on ceilings.
This then turns into black mould spores if your room isn’t aired out, which can be difficult in cold weather.
However, there is a way you can dry clothes inside while saving your house from mildew.
And with the rise of energy costs, you’ll be glad to know this tip won’t affect your bills.
Adding certain house plants to your home can be extremely effective at sucking up excess moisture.
Peace lilies
Since peace lilies originate in humid climates like rainforests, they are great for absorbing excess dampness from the air around them.
According to gardening enthusiasts on the Creative Gardening Discussion and Tips Facebook page, the plant is ideal for adding to your laundry room.
The green-fingered pros explained that peace lilies “combat mould by reducing air humidity” and help to “purify the air by removing harmful toxins”.
And since they are low-light friendly, you can put them in any room with high humidity levels.
So why not add them to your laundry room, bathroom, or wherever you dry your clothes?
Ferns
Ferns are also effective at preventing mould growth in your home this winter (stock image)[/caption]
According to the experts at Better Homes & Gardens, ferns thrive in high humidity environments.
This means the plant acts like an air sponge, effectively mopping moisture from the room.
By evaporating dampness from laundry, ferns can prevent mould and mildew from growing in your home.
Snake Plants
Snake Plants are also recommended for tackling humidity in your home (stock image)[/caption]
These hardy houseplants rarely need watering, preferring to feed on moisture around them.
This makes them the perfect natural low maintenance mould guard for your laundry room.
More winter laundry tips
Tackling laundry in the winter can be a challenge, but these handy tips can help you stay on top of it:
- Use a Dehumidifier: Place a dehumidifier in your drying area to speed up the drying process and prevent dampness.
- Spin Cycle Boost: Run an extra spin cycle on your washing machine to remove excess water from clothes, reducing drying time.
- Indoor Drying Rack: Invest in a good-quality indoor drying rack and position it near a radiator or in a well-ventilated room.
- Tumble Dryer Balls: Add tumble dryer balls to your dryer to help clothes dry faster and reduce static cling.
- Space-Saving Hangers: Use space-saving hangers or a retractable washing line to maximise indoor drying space.
- Microfibre Towels: Lay microfibre towels over your drying rack to absorb extra moisture from hanging clothes.
- Partially Dry Outside: On dry days, hang clothes outside for a short period before bringing them in to finish drying.
These hacks can help you keep your laundry routine efficient and your clothes fresh, even during the colder months.
The experts at Everest Windows recommend Snake Plants, explaining you “can place the plant in high humidity or dry rooms and it’s very forgiving”.
“The Snake Plant is perfect for a bedroom as it absorbs water vapour at night, helping to tackle nighttime condensation on windows,” they added.
However, it should be noted that houseplants cannot eradicate mould or completely prevent it from growing.
More on laundry
Plus, three cost-friendly ways to get your laundry finished without using a tumble drier.
And six cheap ways to get your laundry looking fresh.
A little-known laundry product that costs just 7p per wash will leave your clothes smelling fresher than ever.
And your laundry will look newer and brighter if you add one surprise kitchen staple to your washine machine drum.
Another Aldi buy helps to dry your wet washing in a flash while saving on bills.