Pals at the schoolgates have smugly ‘almost finished their Christmas shopping’, The X Factor is back on the telly and we are wearing our coat again – which means Autumn is here!

The temptation to dry your washing on the radiator is more apparent then ever – especially with it raining every five minutes!

However, despite drying your clothes indoors saving you a small fortune, it turns out that it is probably damaging yours and your family’s health. Eek.

The Asthma Society of Ireland has issued a serious warning urging the public to think twice about hanging their wet clothes on the radiator as it increases moisture in the room by 30%, meaning mould is more likely to thrive.

As well as mould being unpleasant, it can cause havoc to those who have breathing difficulties, asthma and/or skin problems.

Why does everything good have to be either a) fattening b) illegal c) bad for you d) expensive. Sigh.

Pheena Kenny, of the Asthma Society of Ireland, said: “Moist environments encourage the growth of mould which can release ‘seeds’ called spores.”

“The spores can cause allergic reactions in some people. Mould and fungal spores are often invisible to the naked eye.”

She continues to tell RTE, “If you aren’t sensitive to mould, you may never even experience a reaction. But for some people with asthma who are sensitive to mould spores, it can act as a trigger, causing asthma symptoms to get worse.”

To overcome this, we suggest drying your clothes outside or in the tumble dryer. Alternatively, keeping rooms well ventilated – either by open windows or an extractor fan, can help.