Ever noticed a musty odour wafting from your washing machine? The source can often be lingering residue in the drum. While shop-bought cleaning products are an option, they can be expensive and contain chemicals you might want to avoid. Thankfully, there’s a simple and natural solution that involves just two everyday household items: lemon and toothpaste.
Anna Louisa, a popular home cleaning enthusiast, shared this ingenious trick on TikTok, where her video has garnered over four million views. Anna shows how you can clean your washing machine without the need for scrubbing or costly cleaners. The secret? A lemon and a dollop of toothpaste.
Anna’s method is as easy as it sounds. Simply cut a lemon in half, remove the seeds, and squeeze a swirl of toothpaste onto each half. Then, place the lemon halves directly into the washing machine and run a quick cycle. According to Anna, this will deodorise and clean the washing machine drum, leaving it fresh and free of odours.
Her hack has received praise from viewers, with many commenting on how helpful and easy it is. One user remarked, “This is the video I didn’t know I needed!” Another added, “So simple and effective. Thanks for sharing!”
While this hack has been widely applauded, some viewers have raised concerns. One TikTok user warned: “Be cautious with the lemon and toothpaste trick. My neighbour tried it, and she ended up with pulp and rind stuck in her machine for weeks. It was a nightmare to clean out.”
In addition to the washing machine hack, Anna Louisa shared several other useful home tips in the video. One of her favourites is to spray furniture pads with perfume or essential oil before placing them in your drawers. This keeps clothes smelling fresh, and you can simply refresh the scent by adding another spray when needed.
Anna also revealed a clever trick for preventing watermarks on taps. By rubbing candle wax on the taps and buffing them with a cloth, you can create a water-repellent barrier, ensuring that the water runs straight off, keeping your taps spotless for longer.
For those looking to deter spiders and other insects, Anna suggests filling a spray bottle halfway with water and adding 20 drops of peppermint oil. Spraying this mixture around windows and doors creates a scent barrier that many bugs dislike, helping to keep your home bug-free.
Finally, she shared a deep-cleaning method for cloths. She recommends boiling them in a saucepan filled with water and a half to a full cup of bicarbonate of soda. After 15 minutes of boiling, allow the cloths to cool, rinse them with cold water, and then wash them in your machine on a quick cycle. This technique is particularly effective for cotton cloths, though caution is advised with microfibre cloths as they may shrink.
Anna Louisa’s simple yet effective tips are a great reminder that you don’t need expensive or harsh chemicals to keep your home clean. Sometimes, the best solutions are already in your kitchen cupboards.
