There's nothing that turns the stomach quite like grabbing a musty towel when you've just stepped out of a refreshing shower. Shockingly, some Brits let their towels reach a crusty state, waiting a full year before tossing them in the laundry basket.
Experts recommend washing your towels every three to four uses, to fend off the risk of bacterial and fungal infections, and to keep away the odour of an actual foot.
But if your washing machine is regularly churning and the funky smell still clings to the towel fibres, you're most likely making one easy-to-fix mistake. Devotees of the superior cleaning maestro Mrs Hinch have unveiled the ultimate trick to maintain your freshly washed towels smelling divine without splurging on pricey scent boosters.
On the Mrs Hinch Cleaning Tips Facebook page (which boasts over 443,000 members), one bewildered member questioned: "How do you get this nasty smell off your towels, even if they've been washed? " Some clean-obsessed fans suggested adding a touch of white vinegar - available for a meagre 35p at Tesco - to the laundry cycle, while others advocated for scented fabric softeners. Interestingly though, the overwhelming consensus was that no particular product was needed at all.
In fact, the secret to keeping towels from becoming smelly is straightforward: dry them as quickly as possible. "Hang them outside in fresh air to dry," one individual suggested.
Another concurred, remarking: "They're not dry enough or have been left in the washer before drying."
A third chimed in with "Once washed, dry outside in sunny weather" - a sentiment another user declared as essential.
Given the unpredictable nature of UK weather, alternating between rain and sunshine, it may not always be feasible to dry your towels outdoors. Furthermore, you may not have access to a garden or a suitable space to hang your laundry.
If this is the case, you have the option of either putting your towels in the tumble dryer or drying them on a heated airer. These powerful devices often consume less energy than a tumble dryer and can be bought for as little as £34.99 from retailers such as Home Bargains.
If you're overwhelmed with wet laundry, you could also consider investing in a three-tier heated airer for £100 from John Lewis.
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