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01st Dec 2023

How long can you leave laundry sitting in the washing machine?

Anna Martin

washing machine

Taking the clothes out of the washing machine

Even putting them in in the first place is a struggle all of its own and now you’re telling us we have to take them out? Scandalous.

We’re all guilty of just leaving the laundry sitting in the machine for a bit too long, to the point where it gets that smell and you have to start thinking about rewashing them.

Now a cleaning expert has revealed the actual cut-off point for your soggy clothing and it might just provide you with a bit of motivation.

@madamesweat Can you leave wet laundry overnight? #wetlaundry #wetlaundryhack #laundryhack #laundryhacks #laundrytok #moldandmildew #madamesweat #madamesweatisconcerned ♬ Heirloom – Joshua Kyan Aalampour

According to Mary Futher, aka @madamesweat the window of opportunity is a lot smaller than we would like it to be.

“How many hours is too many hours?” the cosmetic scientist said, “The rule of thumb is if you left your laundry sitting wet more than 12 hours that’s the cut-off point.”

Just 12 tiny hours to get them out and on the line? Mary, you’re killing us! On the bright side, she did have a method of getting rid of that damp smell.

She said if you do find a mildew smell on your clothes, you’re best off just whacking it through another wash again.

“You need to rewash and use half a cup of baking soda with your detergent to get rid of that mould and build-up,” Mary said.

washing machine
Credit: Getty

Don’t feel bad about not always getting your delicates on the line within that half-day window, according to the expert’s comment section, it’s a super common struggle.

“Mine’s been sitting there for 4 days,” one admitted.

Another penned, “Not me leaving them in for 24 hours regularly. I usually put a load in when I put my toddler to bed and switch it the next night to start another one.”

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