A cleaning expert has revealed that we should be getting more than one wear out of our knickers before tossing them in the washing basket.

TV cleaning queen Aggie Mackenzie, who rose to fame as the co-host of How Clean Is Your House?, has shared her top tips for cost-effective cleaning. Including washing knickers after every second wear and clothing after every three wears – even longer for children’s clothes.

 

Don’t wash knickers after each wear

Aggie’s first controversial tip is not washing undies after each wear.

“As gross as it sounds, you can get more than one wear out of your underwear”, Aggie told The Sun.

“By using panty liners it means that you can keep your pants fresher for much longer – so then you can change your knickers every other day.”

And she recommends washing bras only after every three wears, depending on how much you sweat.

Wash your kids clothes less than your own

We think that our kids are grubbier than we are, but Aggie says it’s not the case when it comes to clothing.

“Kids don’t smell as much as adults so they can go around in their clothes for longer,” she says. “If they spill food on them, it should just be wiped off with a damp cloth as quickly as possible before it can settle into the material.

“But there’s no need to put the washing machine on for any surface spills – save yourself the money!”

Use the washing machine quick cycle

Unless you’re washing towels, underwear or the bedsheets, Aggie recommends using your washing machine’s quick cycle. And if you’re not convinced that your clothes are clean – give them the sniff test.

“If you’re pulling clothes out of the machine and they’re still smelling bad then they haven’t been washed enough because the bacteria is still there. Then they may also need to be washed at a higher temperature.”

Hang your undies in the sun

Speaking of bacteria, Aggie recommends drying your underwear in the sun.

“HANG clothes that smell of anything strong outside on a sunny day – the UV rays of the sun are great at flushing out bacteria and smells. But if you don’t have the luxury of outdoor space, use a steamer or iron over the clothes – this will also get rid of the smells by loosening fibres in the fabric, which kills odorous bacteria.”

Wear your clothes three times

There’s no need to wash your clothing after each wear, says Aggie.

“Wear each piece of clothing – be it a T-shirt or pair of leggings – at least three times. If it’s an outer piece of clothing, wear it as often as you can before it starts to get grubby around the edges. Then it’s time to put it in the washing machine.”

What do you think of these cleaning tips? Let us know in the comments below.

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