You’ve been hanging your towels all wrong – it’s causing mould and could land you with a £300 bill
A PLUMBING expert has revealed how people are hanging their towels wrong which could see them hit a whopping £300 bill.
Peter Clayton from Trade Plumbing is urging homeowners to store wet towels correctly in the bathroom to avoid pesky mould.
Storing soggy towels creates persistent dampness in bathrooms, leading to foul odours, harmful bacteria, and ultimately the development of mould.
Peter explained that the common method of piling damp towels up and leaving them to dry in non-ventilated areas is the problem.
Instead, he’s encouraging people to store towels in a ventilated area and separate them on rails to prevent damp from rising and creating mould.
Hung or piled wet towels scrunch together and disrupt airflow, therefore preventing the towels from drying and putting excess moisture into the air.
Without any ventilation, Peter says that the consistent dampness in the bathroom can result in the formation of mould, which can cost up to £300 to get professionally removed.
Mould is not only unsightly, but can also be a health hazard.
When exposed to it, respiratory illnesses and infections can develop, while current respiratory problems, such as Asthma, are made worse.
Peter said: “Mould is a major concern within the home, and storing towels incorrectly plays a big part in its formation.
“Taking a couple of minutes out of your day to store them properly can result in a safer, cleaner environment, and will keep your towels in optimum condition”.
It comes as we revealed more ways to keep mould and condensation at bay.
There are a number of ways you can tackle both condensation and mould and save yourself issues further down the line.
The Sun spoke to Nicholas Donnithorne, UK technical services manager at damp proof company Peter Cox, Ben Gallizzi, energy expert at Uswitch and Natalie Hitchins, home products and services editor from Which?, who revealed their top tips for keeping them both in check.
How to get rid of condensation
Keep your home well-ventilated
The weather might be getting hotter, but you’ll likely still be having a warm shower from time to time.
To avoid steam clinging to your bathroom walls, make sure you open any windows and turn on any extractor fans, Nicholas said.
Keep the bathroom door closed after you’ve showered as well, to stop any excess steam escaping into the rest of the house.
And, Nicholas added: “Use the trickle vents on windows or keep a quarter light open for background ventilation.”
Trickle vents are small vents that can be added to the tops of windows and allow a constant stream of air in and out.
Dry clothes outside
Hanging your pants and socks up inside can create condensation as the moisture from them escapes into the air.
Instead, hang your clothes up outside, even if there’s a slight chance of rain, Nicholas said.
He added: “Alternatively, dry clothes using a tumble dryer or in a closed room with the window open.”
Try using tech
If you’ve done everything you can to avoid excess moisture escaping into the air, try using tech to get rid of it.
Ben, from Uswitch, said: “You may want to consider getting a dehumidifier if you regularly dry your clothes inside.
“They remove excess water from the air, helping to combat condensation and prevent mould growth.”
You don’t have to spend a bomb on them either.
You can buy moisture absorbing tabs too, and they cost as little as £6 from Screwfix.
They work by absorbing any excess moisture, neutralising bad smells and can last for months.
How to get rid of mould
Use household items
If it’s too late, and any condensation has had a chance to flourish and turn into mould, you can start removing it for nothing.
Natalie, from Which?, said: “A few drops of washing up liquid mixed with warm water can work on smaller areas of mould on hard surfaces like walls or floors.
“Use a sponge, cloth, or brush to work the soapy solution in small circular motions over the mould.
“If you’re trying to remove particularly stubborn mould, try a 1:1 solution of white vinegar and warm water and pour it into a spray bottle to target the affected area.”
If you’ve got a bit more in your budget, you can try buying mould or mildew remover from your nearest supermarket or retailer.
You can get it as cheap as £1.20 from B&M or £2.50 from Dunelm, at the time of writing.
Call in the professionals
You can usually treat smaller patches of mould yourself, but if the problem has gotten out of hand, you might need to call someone in.
Natalie said: “If you find new mould growing quickly in other areas of your home, or the affected area becomes too large to handle, it may be time to get professional help.”
Checkatrade says it costs £25-£35 per hour or £200-£400 per room to call someone in for mould removal.
Meanwhile if you want a specialist to come and take a look to inspect for any mould, that will cost you around £50-£300.