Warning to those hanging towels in one common place this week

An expert has urged households to avoid a common mistake when it comes to hanging towels over winter. 2026 has been off to a cold start for much of the UK, and many households are struggling to stay warm as temperatures outside plummet below freezing. When it comes to the bathroom, there is one mistake that many households make, which could make damp and mould problems worse and even cause damage to your property. 

It is estimated that around millions of households across the UK have some sort of issue with damp and/or mould. According to the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, damp and mould can have serious effects on people’s health. Prolonged exposure to mould can lead to serious respiratory issues, so mould and damp should be addressed and prevented where possible. There is one mistake you should avoid in the bathroom to try to reduce mould and damp.

“A lot of people have a shower and hang their towels and bathmats onto the radiator to dry,” Andy explained. “It seems like the most obvious thing to do but the truth is these items are releasing moisture into an already damp environment.

“This then takes the bathroom and the towels longer to dry and air out and you run the risk of creating or worsening a mould or damp problem.”

He continued: “If you live with other people and there are two or three towels drying at the same time, the problem becomes even worse. Not only will this take even longer, but if your towels are overlapping, they can dry with this horrible musty smell.”

Additionally, Andy warned that placing towels and hot radiators to dry isn’t always as effective as people might think. This can release more moisture into the air, making the room generally more damp and wet.

He said that instead of hanging your towel or bathmat on the radiator, you should dry them in a separate room if possible. “When it comes to drying things like towels or bathmats, set these up on an airer in another room if you can,” he said. “If you don’t have the space for this, then you can always hang towels on the back of a sturdy chair.”