Never dry your laundry indoors - the side effects can be fatal!

You've probably heard in the past that you should never dry your clothes in the room where you live, because of what the evaporation from the laundry can do to your health.

Craig Mather, 43 years old, from Bolton, England, who did not heed the warnings, said that because he regularly dried the clothes inside his house his lungs got infected. He suffered from serious health problems due to mold spores created due to the drying of the clothes on the radiator in the living room.

"I only started to recover after being diagnosed with chronic pulmonary aspergillosis and was given medications to fight the fungal infection", said the father of three to the Huffington Post.

Craig's case is not the only one. Experts warn that drying clothes indoors can pose a serious health risk. The clothes, which sit on a radiator, can raise the humidity level in the house up to 30% and create optimal conditions for the formation of mold spores.

"Clothes from one washing machine contain about 2 liters of water that is released into the space of the room. Most of us are immune to infections that develop in wet conditions, or we have a body that can fight infection. But asthmatics may experience difficulty breathing and coughing, and for people with weak immune systems - such as cancer patients treated with chemotherapy and AIDS patients and autoimmune diseases - the fungi cause pulmonary aspergillosis. This is a condition that can lead to incurable diseases and sometimes fatal damage to the lungs", says Prof. David Denning who recommends drying the clothes outside or in the tumble dryer, away from bedrooms and living rooms.

Dr. Nick Osborne, a senior lecturer in environmental health at the University of New South Wales and a moisture expert, said that drying clothes indoors can lead to mold and dust mite bacteria.

Another lecturer, Dr. Christine Cavy explained to the public how moisture can cause fungi, bacteria and viruses.

"From a health point of view", she says. "Many biological substances are found inside homes and they bloom in a humid environment without adequate ventilation. They have found that the humidity itself increases the risk of asthma and other respiratory problems. There are other studies showing that mold spores are directly linked to allergies and asthma".

The Sun reports that in March, the Irish Asthma Patients' Association issued a warning for people not to dry clothes indoors.

"Moisture environments encourage the growth of mold that releases 'seeds' called spores. The spores can cause allergic reactions in humans. Mold and fungi are usually invisible to humans", said Pina Kenny of the Irish Asthma Patients Association.

People with asthma, children, adults and people with weak immune systems are the ones who will suffer the most. Therefore, if you dry clothes and without a drier - then only outside the house.

Please share this vital information with your friends and family so that they too will be aware of the dangers of drying laundry at home.