A cleaning expert has come up with an ingenious way to keep your washing machine in top condition.
Irish TikTok star Laura de Barra shared the advice in a video released to her 27,000 followers earlier this year.
This is the little drawer you put your clothes in before turning on the device.
"You may be wondering why your dispenser drawer is stuck on the fabric softener and not using the full amount you put in each wash," said De Barra, 35.
Then pull out the drawer on your washing machine to reveal the cause of the problem.
It turns out that the inside of the device contains "spray holes", as De Barra puts it, which pumps water into the drawer to drain the contents into the keg.
These holes are often clogged with traces of electricity, limescale, or mold, which means your detergent or fabric softener is not washing effectively.
"If you find that a section is not fully collected during a cycle, it likely means that the spray ports are clogged," said de Barra.
"It's almost always the fabric softener department. "
To remedy this, the former London property manager recommends cleaning the inside of the washing machine.
To do this, remove the dispenser drawer from your machine according to the instructions supplied with the machine.
In the space left by the drawer, there are holes in the ceiling of your machine.
Scrub these holes with an old toothbrush or toothbrushes. Make sure you clean it gently so as not to damage your machine.
"Toothbrushes are great because they are small enough to fit in injection holes like this one," said de Barra.
"The bristles are soft enough for the gums not to damage the machine."
If you have a particularly stubborn mold attack on your machine, de Barra recommends removing the large guns.
Take an old toothbrush and soak it in a mixture of 50 percent vinegar and 50 percent water before scrubbing.
After cleaning the spray holes, the fabric softener should flow out of the dispenser drawer without any problems.
