We often hang clothes to dry inside our house during rainy or winter season. It might look harmless but it can have negative impact on your health. According to experts, drying wet clothing on racks in poorly ventilated spaces could increase the amount of mould growing in your home.
A report by Science Alert revealed that drying wet clothes inside the home is associated with poor health and, in some cases, even death. When the mould starts growing in your house it can form black or green coloured patches on the walls, and usually creates an unpleasant musty smell.
It is important to highlight that exposure to mould over long periods of time can have serious health implications. Mold growth is the result of mold spores landing on wet surfaces and finding the right conditions to grow. Mold is a type of fungus that can grow on many surfaces, including walls, ceilings, and carpets.
According to Better Health Channel, mould grows best in damp and poorly ventilated areas and reproduces by making spores. Airborne mould spores are commonly found in both indoor and outdoor environments. When they land on damp spots indoors, they may begin to grow and spread.
You are likely to find mould growing on bathroom ceilings or damp walls, where there is more water for fungal spores to settle and grow. The most common ones to cause problems in damp homes are penicillium and aspergillus, Science Alert reported. Fungi can cause dangerous infections or make underlying health conditions (such as asthma) much worse.
Moreover, people who have damaged or compromised immune systems are at higher risk of becoming seriously unwell from fungal infections. Moulds like aspergillus cause infections in patients with limited immune function, or who have lung damage from diseases like asthma, cystic fibrosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) associated with heavy smoking.