I’m a cleaning expert and here’s my cost-free tip to rid your washing machine of those nasty smells

As the checkout assistant sweeps a packet of digestive biscuits beneath the barcode reader, the resulting ‘ping’ triggers a haunting thought…. you forgotten to take the washing out last night.

The rest of your day is disturbed with thoughts of those beautiful new bed sheets, pressed against the stainless-steel drum of the washing machine, damp and festering.

And, after you’ve listened to Linda’s latest dating disaster over a Starbucks and brownie, then battled the traffic back home, it’s the predictable horror show in the kitchen. Those sheets need rewashing, and the machine itself now reeks.

Well, worry not. A grandmother, who has done a lot of laundry in her time, has revealed a cleaning hack that keeps her washer spotless, and smelling good as new.

Instagram influencer Babs (@brunchwithbabs) asked her followers: ‘Have you ever forgotten to change the laundry load and left the wet load in the washer overnight only to find a smelly washer the next day?’

In the video, which went viral on Instagram, influencer Babs (@brunchwithbabs) revealed a cleaning hack that keeps her washer spotless, and smelling good as new

In the video, Babs can be seen taking out a pile of damp laundry from her washing machine as she says: ‘Did you forget to change over the laundry load last night and your washing machine stinks?’

She then revealed that you can easily remove the mouldy smell using just a lemon and toothpaste. 

In the video, Babs can be seen taking out a pile of damp laundry from her washing machine as she says: ‘Did you forget to change over the laundry load last night and your washing machine stinks?

‘Then you need to give your washing machine a spa treatment.’

The influencer then proceeds to show a lemon that has been halved with a dollop of toothpaste on top. 

She advises that it is best to ‘remove the seeds’ otherwise they will get stuck inside the machine.

Babs also advises her followers to only use ‘about a tablespoon’ of toothpaste for the hack. 

She then continues to say: ‘Just put both halves of your lemon in your washing machine and run your speed was on hot.

‘And that’s it.’

In showing what the process looks like, she stops the cycle half-way through to show viewers the progress on her machine’s ‘spa treatment.’

The influencer then proceeds to show a lemon that has been halved with a dollop of toothpaste on top. She advises that it is best to ‘remove the seeds’ otherwise they will get stuck inside the machine

According to the cleaning influencer, this cheap and easy hack will leave your washing machine smelling like a spa

According to Babs, it is easier and cheaper to make your own washing machine cleaner rather than buying the expensive packs in supermarkets.

The video has over 76,000 likes on Instagram and hundreds of her followers have commented saying they will ‘definitely be trying this’ hack. 

A Instagram user commented: ‘Aunty babs! Thanks for this .. my machine no longer has that funky smell and nothing else worked!’

Another person put: ‘Goede tip!’ 

While another said: ‘You are brilliant Babs!!! Will definitely be trying this!!’

One user wrote: ‘BRILLIANT! Your tips are life-changing.’ 

In another video on the social media site, Babs advised her followers that they should wash their washing machine ‘a few times a year’.

In order to do this, she recommended mixing up a solution that is 1/4 cup baking soda and 1/4 cup of water.

She said you should stir this together properly and place in your liquid dispenser.

Then you should place two cups of white vinegar in the drum.