Expert reveals how long you can actually leave your wet clothing in the washing machine

Many of us rush to get our wet clothing out of the washing machine to avoid the very unpleasant damp smell - but you might not actually have to...

An expert has revealed that there's no need to rush to take clothing out of the washing machine.

In fact, you can leave them in there for a lot longer than you might've originally thought, according to an expert from Whirlpool.

The expert from the Whirpoool Institute of Fabric Science has revealed you could leave a load of wet laundry in there for a whole day.

They told The Sun that any wet garments can be left for a maximum of eight to 12 hours, so there's no need to panic and unload as soon as the cycle is done.

Martha Stewart has backed up these claims too, telling Today that people shouldn't worry about instant mould or unpleasant smells.

She said, "I would say that it's perfectly all right [to leave it overnight]. I mean, don't leave it for a long time ... don’t leave it for a week.

Read more: 11 common laundry mistakes you’re probably making

"If you get up in the morning and throw it in the dryer, it should probably be OK."

So if you've put a load on at night and you're starting to get tired, it's fine to go to sleep and hang them up the next morning. We're not going to complain about that!

However, if your laundry smells strange it could mean that bacteria and mould have started to grow and it will need to be re-washed, so it's best not to exceed this time.

And if it's your washing machine that's developed mould, one mum revealed a she uses this £3.50 Asda spray to rid mould from washing machine.

Good to know!

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