Winter is a tricky time of year to get your clothes dry. Without being able to hang them outside, if you don’t have a dryer you’re frequently stuck with piles of damp, cold laundry slowly starting to smell like mildew.
It can be very tempting to simply drape your clothes over the radiator and let the heat dry them. However, experts are warning this is one of the worst things you could do. It can actually spell disaster for the longevity of your clothing. According to fashion expert Roza Francken from Aurélien, this shortcut is one of the worst things you can do to your clothes. It can cause irreversible damage and will do so without you even noticing what’s happening.
She said: “Most people don’t realise that radiators and fabrics don’t mix,” she explains. “It’s a bit like leaving your clothes under a hairdryer for hours. The heat is too concentrated, too harsh, and it strips the fabric of its natural elasticity, colour, and structure.”
Placing your clothing onto direct heat, like a radiator, can damage the fibres and cause them to sag.
Roza said: “Cotton tightens and stiffens, wool loses its bounce, and anything with stretch, like leggings or underwear, starts to break down. You’re essentially slow-cooking your clothes.”
Draping clothes on the radiator to dry is bad for everything from wool to polyesters and in particular, delicate fabrics like silk and satin.
Roza said: “Radiator heat pulls and twists the natural fibres, so sleeves and hems never quite fall the same way again.”
“Silk, viscose, and satin fabrics can blister or develop a shiny glaze when exposed to strong heat. You might not notice it straight away, but after a few rounds, that subtle lustre turns patchy and dull.”
Direct heat sources can also sap dyes, turning your favourite black jeans into a patchy grey mess if you’re not careful.
Rather than placing clothes directly on the radiator, place them on a clothes horse and set it in a room where the heat is on. This allows warm air to circulate, drying your clothes more evenly and protecting them for years to come.