Which? Experts issue warning on why you should stop drying clothes on your radiators once and for all

WE all know that turning your central heating on costs more than a pretty penny these days.

But according to the experts at Which? you might be making a rookie error if you think you’re making the most of having the heating on by drying clothes directly on your radiators.

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Posting on Instagram, the pros explained that it could end up costing you even more money in the long run, as well as lead to mould in your home – which is the last thing anyone wants.

The issue is that if you turn your heating on and set it to your ideal temperature, say 20 degrees, it will heat up the room until that temperature is reached, the expert explained.

But if there are wet or damp clothes draped over the radiator they “act as a barrier to the heat.”

“This means you could be heating your room for a lot longer than you need to,” he added.

Of course, your clothes might dry quicker, but you won’t feel the benefit of actually having the heating on – and for the price of switching it on you’ll definitely want to feel it.

Not only that, but it’s not just soaring energy bills you’ll have to deal with.

You could also unknowingly be encouraging mould to grow in your home if you dry clothes this way.

So, how do you get around this problem? It’s simple really.

You can opt to dry clothes in a tumble dryer, although this can also be costly, especially if you’re also going to turn the heating on regardless.

One of the best ways to dry clothes without breaking the bank is to place them on an airer near the radiator, rather than directly on it.

This method might take a bit longer, but at least you’ll feel the benefit of having the heating on as well.

Alternatively, the Which? experts suggested buying a heated airer to speed up the drying process.

Although, they noted that heated airers tend to work best with smaller loads of laundry.

You can find the best heated clothes airers for 2024 here.

How to reduce the cost of running a tumble dryer.

If you do want to stick to using a tumble dryer rather than an airer, there are a few ways to help keep costs as low as possible.

You can start off the load and get the worst of the wetness out, then air drying the rest.

Of course, avoiding using the tumble dryer altogether and drying outside is the best way to reduce costs, but isn’t always possible in the famous British weather.

If you do need to use the device, check your manual carefeully.

Eco settings could slash your energy bill.

For big families who do three loads of washing a week, a tumble dryer can cost £104.52 a year tumble drying your clothes.

Households that opt for the eco or low heat setting can slash their energy bill by £53 a year according to Uswitch.

Another expert tip is using the spin cycle on your washing machine before you whack clothes in the dryer.

Ben Gallizzi, energy expert at Uswitch, previously told The Sun “If your clothes are still very wet when you take them out of the washing machine, you could make use of the spin cycle setting.

“Using the spin cycle will remove excess water, meaning your clothes will dry faster in the tumble dryer or on an airer.”

It’s also worth researching which model you’re going to buy before splashing the cash.

There are three main types of tumble dryer you can buy – heat-pump dryers, condenser dryers and vented dryers.

But research from Which? suggests a heat-pump dryer might be the best way to go – these cost up to £51 less each year to run compared to some other models.

That’s because they recycle hot air when drying your clothes, so they don’t need to work as hard.