Wet, cold and wintery weather makes drying clothes a nightmare, expecially for thicker fabrics and items such as towels and bedding.
As the cost of living crisis continues, many of us are avoiding the tumble dryer like the plague as it can hike up bills.
Therefore, clothes are hanging around a lot longer as they dry. This may be more cost effective, but the extended drying process means clothes are often left with a lingering horrid damp smell.
Thankfully, the queen of the cleaning hacks, Mrs Hinch, has spawned a loyal fan-base who have come up trumps with their genius solution to smelly clothes.
Good news is you won't have to fork out any more cash on laundry products. Instead, it's all about selecting the correct washing machine setting.
One woman posted on Mrs Hinch Cleaning tips and tricks page on Facebook, and asked: "My towels smell when they get damp from drying yourself after a shower. I think it may be bacteria," she said.
"I do all my washes on a 32C wash. Do you think doing a high temperature wash will do the trick?"
"I have tried the bacterial in-wash liquid and there’s no difference. I put white vinegar in the softener drawer and a couple of spoonfuls of soda crystals in the drum with powder or liquid."
Little did Lola know that the answer was on the washing machine's dial, as many on the forum were quick to share this revelation.
One person said: "Always do my towels on a 60C degree wash. White vinegar in the wash too or soda crystals."
"The wash temperature isn't high enough to kill the bacteria. Give them a boil and wash on a high temperature," agreed another.
A third stated: "All towels and bedding should be done on a 60C or they’re not getting cleaned properly."
Many pointed out the necessity of higher temperatures in order to kill bacteria. The higher the temperature, the more effective the wash will be in removing cosmetics, oil and, of course, bacteria was the response of many.
Other solutions recommended by many on the post included adding soda crystals, Napisan, Zoflora to high temperature washes, and never putting items away until they are dry.
