Washing machines will never smell if 1 natural item is used monthly - and it's not vinegar

When laundry comes out of the washing machine, it should smell fresh and clean; however, recently I've been noticing a nasty odour coming off it straight away. Despite using scent boosters and fragrant laundry liquid, clothes were still coming out of the appliance smelling funky.

While I couldn't see any visible mould on the rubber door seal or in the washing machine drawer, two of the most common areas where mould collects, the inside of the appliance was smelling damp. In my first attempt to rid the odours, I used the classic combination of white vinegar and baking soda, but unfortunately, I didn't find success with this, even after repeating the process three times. In need of a solution, I scoured the internet for washing machine cleaning tips and one product came highly recommended by engineers and cleaners - soda crystals.

Soda crystals, also known as washing soda, sodium carbonate, and soda ash, are a white, odourless powder that looks similar to baking soda, though the texture is a bit grittier.

The natural product works by dissolving any lingering soap scum that can harbour dirt, bacteria, mould, and bad smells.

To clean my washing machine with soda crystals, all I did was pour 500g of soda crystals into the drum without anything else and run it on a hot wash, 60 degrees to be precise. The temperature needs to be hot to be able to kill the germs and bacteria that are causing the odours.

As it had been a while since I had cleaned my washing machine, and I do use a lot of fabric conditioner, I had to repeat this step twice.

After the second time, there were no nasty smells left behind. I then decided to put on a wash load to see if the clothes would come out clean, and they did. My laundry was now smelling super fresh.

Since trying out this cleaning tip four months ago, soda crystals are something I make sure to add to an empty wash cycle once a month, or twice if the appliance has been used more often. As a result, this has prevented my washing machine from smelling and has warded off mould.

With a wash load completed, I made sure to wipe down the moisture on the rubber seal and left the door and detergent drawer open to air the appliance out.

Fresh air helps to evaporate any remaining moisture from a cycle and avoids the build-up of odour-causing residue like mould.

Musty smells aren't the only side-effect of leaving a washing machine's door open between washes; if left unchecked, over time, mould can also do permanent damage to the door seal, meaning that it will eventually need to be replaced.