Households urged to follow the 30-minute laundry rule in winter – say goodbye to musty washing

Laundry experts have issued a 30-minute rule to ensure your washing remains fresh and clean-smelling throughout winter, avoiding damp and mould in the process.

There’s nothing worse than doing a load of washing, only for it to end up smelling damp and musty at the end. While the best heated airers can help dry washing quickly in winter, without the use of an energy-guzzling tumble dryer, there are still precautions we must take to eliminate that horrible, musty scent.

This is where the 30-minute laundry rule comes into play. Removing clothes from your washing machine within 30 minutes of the cycle finishing is one of the easiest (and cheapest) ways to prevent your clothes from smelling musty. Here’s why.

What is the 30-minute laundry rule?

Drying laundry in winter is never an enjoyable task. While there are some instances where you can dry your clothes outside in winter, for the most part, we rely on airers and the best dehumidifiers to help dry our clothes fast. But if you’re finding your clothes don’t exactly smell fresh, you are likely leaving them in your washing machine for too long.

‘If your laundry smells musty after washing, it’s likely due to moisture being trapped rather than the clothes not being cleaned properly. Once a cycle finishes, the drum is still warm and damp, which creates an ideal environment for bacteria to develop if washing is left sitting inside,’ says Gwil Snook, Laundry Appliance Expert at AO.com.

‘Removing clothes within 30 minutes (or even sooner) is a good habit to get into, as it helps prevent that stale odour from forming. Leaving damp laundry in the machine for several hours can undo lots of the freshness you’ve just achieved with detergent and fabric softener, meaning you may need to rewash the load.’

Plus, leaving your washing in the machine for an extended period of time can also mean extra work when the time comes to whip your best iron out.

‘Leaving clothes in the drum after the cycle has finished can also cause them to crease and may require more ironing. If you have an integrated washer dryer, it’s worth switching the settings for this reason too,’ says Michael Forbes, lead product trainer at AEG.

If you are particularly worried about bad smells, bicarbonate of soda can also be used to neutralise odours.

‘Bicarbonate of soda can help neutralise odours, but it works best when used correctly. Adding a small amount alongside detergent during the wash can help tackle smells, particularly in hard-water areas, so it's worth checking if you live in one. But sprinkling it onto already damp clothes won’t fix laundry that has been left too long – in that case, a proper rewash is the better avenue to go down,’ says Gwil.

Make your laundry smell fresh all year round

It’s good to get into the habit of removing clothes from a washing machine as soon as the cycle has finished. This way, you can enjoy fresh-smelling laundry all year round.