If for no apparent reason someone in the family who suffers from asthma and other kinds of allergies falls ill, think about the clothes that are hung to dry inside the home.

A study revealed that drying clothes indoors causes an increase in home moisture by as much as 30%. Meaning there are potential health hazards to people who are prone to the mentioned diseases when laundry is dried inside the house. As if the air pollution encountered outside is not enough threat to health, there are further dangers at home and to be aware about it is important.

The study discovered that:

• People resort to drying their clothes indoors during rough weather situations such as winter time.
• Too much moisture of up to 30% is caused by laundry; on an average, moisture at home is said to be at 15% only.
• About 75% of surveyed homes with increased moisture level showed higher mite and mould spores growth increasing the risks for asthmatic people.
• Homes that are well-insulated make it harder for vapor to escape hence moisture gets trapped and its intensity goes up when drying clothes indoors.
• Home ventilation appears inadvertently overlooked as people seal their homes in an attempt at energy saving.
• There is an increase in the number of people who sparingly use tumble dryers due to high energy bills issues.

Clean Laundry Without the Risks

The risks may still be prevented and the bills maintained at a minimum. Here’s how:

• Find a spot in your home where you can accommodate an outdoor collapsible clothesline. Your balcony will serve the purpose. Your clothes will even smell better.
• Old dryers consume higher energy. Upgrade to newer, better models that spin faster for less drying time. Some models come with moisture sensor and automatically switch off when clothes are already dry.
• Organize your drying by doing similar fabrics together instead of over-drying light items that are together with heavier, thicker fabrics. It is a complete waste of energy.

We spend a lot of our time indoors. For working individuals, about 50% of their time is spent inside the homes but to most people, about 80%. There should not be any reason to expose ourselves further to health hazards that we already meet outside. This cannot be any more true to children who are more vulnerable.

If drying clothes indoors cannot be avoided, ensure that there is proper ventilation. This is vital in keeping moisture at a minimum level. Install extractor fans to avoid condensation, mould build up and all the factors that could increase the health risks associated with indoor laundry drying. Keep some windows open to keep the air circulating.

The revelations the study made can be alarming but there is always something that you can do. Find ways to reduce the risks. Provide yourself with knowledge and the right equipments to install at home because after all, washing and drying clothes is a necessity that cannot be avoided even during bad weather.

About Jenie David

Jenie is a self-proclaimed super mom of 6 who has been waiting for that elusive chance to become a multi-billionaire in whatever monetary unit and thus stalks people who might be in possession of the winning lottery number combination. A former regular employee who worked 8 to 10 hours a day, 6 days a week, she now enjoys more time with her kids working online and home-based. She cooks, does the laundry, cleans the home, iron, does handicrafts on the side and wonders whoever coined the word multi-tasking. She enjoys putting into written words things that she discovers about life based on experience, observation and research.