Additionally, the wet conditions can increase the risk of infection and illness, as damp conditions can promote the growth of bacteria and other pathogens. Wearing wet clothing in cold temperatures can lead to a variety of health risks, including hypothermia, frostbite, chilblains, and immune system suppression.
When clothes remain damp, they create a moist environment that can cause skin irritation, rashes, or even fungal infections such as athlete's foot. Prolonged exposure to wet conditions can disrupt the skin's protective barrier, making it more vulnerable to these irritations.
If clothes are left in water, or even just damp, for too long, the dyes in the clothing can leak, fading darker colours and colouring lighter ones. In addition, dampness/wetness encourages the growth of mould and bacteria.
Mouldy spores are the primary cause of allergies, random sneezing, watering eyes, and more. And inhaling them while wearing clothes that aren't dried properly cause grave respiratory issues. These fungal moulds are tiny minute particles and cannot be seen with the naked eye.
As the wet clothes dry the moisture released into the air creates the ideal breeding conditions for the growth of mould and other airborne irritants that can easily be breathed in and introduced into the body.
The main issue caused by leaving wet clothing in the washing machine or dryer is that the clothes will tend to smell. They may even develop mildew or mold that has to be washed away.
While placing garments in the dryer or on the clothesline right after the cycle finishes is best practice, wet laundry should generally not stay in the washer for more than 8-12 hours. Mildew and mold thrive in warm, damp environments, and the washer provides an ideal setting if laundry is left too long.
If you've ever wondered how long wet laundry can sit in the washer – and what to do about it – read on. The simple answer is 8-12 hours. That comes straight from the experts at Whirlpool, who make washing machines. Of course, the sooner you get them into the dryer the better.
While it's best practice to place your garments in the dryer or on the clothesline right after the cycle finishes, it's perfectly okay to leave your wet clothes in the washer overnight, Martha says. "I mean, don't leave it for a long time—don't leave it for a week," she says.
Leaving Wet Clothes in the Washer Can Cause Bacteria and Mildew to Grow. The biggest downside of leaving your clothes in the washing machine for more than eight to twelve hours is that, after this period, there's a greater chance that bacteria, mold, and mildew will grow.
If you choose to leave it out on the line for a couple of days through a series of rain showers, it is likely to develop a musty smell that will mean it needs rewashing.
One of the most prevalent New Year's superstitions is that on January 1 no washing should be done. However, some people go one step further and make it a custom to keep any dirty clothes unwashed from Christmas until New Year's Day.
If you let your wet clothes sit too long and notice they've developed an odor, you may have to deal with not only the mildew smell in your clothes, but also potential stains and patches of rotten fabric, says Bauer.
Even if your clothes don't smell or have visible sweat marks, sweat creates the perfect moist environment for bacteria to grow and wearing sweaty clothes more than once can lead to a bacteria imbalance, rashes and skin inflammation, or infection if you have any grazes or wounds.
Wet clothing can be a catalyst to one getting sick. Wearing the wet clothing for a sustained period or wearing it in a cold environment lowers the body temperature. The body likes to remain around 98.6 or close to it.
A T-Shirt made from 100% cotton will decompose within a few months, and pure linen can biodegrade in as little as two weeks, while some natural fibers may take a bit longer. Depending on the blend, for example, wool may take between 1 and 5 years to decompose.
Don't allow your wet clothes to sit too long. The Whirlpool Institute of Fabric Science's lead home economist, Lucinda Ottusch, gives a concrete guideline of 8-12 hours before odor, a sign of mildew, begins to occur.
After a day or two in warm conditions the clothes will start to mildew and smell funky, but you can still salvage them at that point if you rewash them with fresh detergent and an oxygen bleach. Left for a week in the bag they will reek and be permanently stained.
If you forgot to dry your laundry, it is safe to hang it out to dry for about 1 hour in the summer and about 2 hours in the winter. Bacteria, mold, and Moraxella bacteria that cause odors tend to multiply when the temperature is 20 to 30 degrees and the humidity is over 60%.
Most mold spores will die at temperatures above 140 degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees Celsius), so cold and warm water cycles won't work. Add laundry detergent (regular detergent is fine). Add any other disinfectants, like vinegar, bleach or baking soda. Run two complete cycles on hot water.
No Soaking Wet Clothes
Clothes that are soaking wet or dripping are heavy and this added weight in a standard dryer could damage it as it spins the load around. Always let your washer fully complete its spin cycle before removing the damp clothes and putting them in your dryer.
If you left clothes in the washer overnight, you may need to freshen them up before drying. A quick rewash may be all you need. Or, for a more thorough refresh of your laundry, run the same load on another full cycle and try adding a presoak option to help combat stubborn odors.
Drying clothes in a bedroom can increase humidity, promote mold growth, and lead to breathing problems. It's best to dry clothes in a well-ventilated area and use a dehumidifier to remove excess moisture from the air.
When your clothes get wet and are not dried properly, they become breeding grounds for mould. Mould produces musty odours due to compounds called microbial volatile organic compounds (mVOCs). These are gases released by mould as it grows, which we detect as 'damp' or 'musty'.