One shopper has found a cheap and easy laundry hack to keep clothes and towels smelling fresh for a week - and it's as simple as adding one item to your washing machine drum10:12, 09 Jul 2026Keeping on top of the laundry is undeniably one of the most tiresome household chores. No matter how often you tackle the washing pile, there always seems to be another batch of towels to clean, sheets to fold and clothes to iron.‌The most infuriating part is when your freshly laundered clothes and towels lose that clean scent within a day or two, especially if they've been folded away or hung in the wardrobe. It can make all your efforts feel pointless, as the payoff for conquering that mountain of laundry should be the delightful, fresh fragrance.‌However, one woman has discovered a budget-friendly trick for keeping laundry smelling gorgeous for longer, reports the Manchester Evening News.‌Reach's Nicola Roy has found a cheap product that, when added to your wash, helps keep clothes and towels smelling wonderful 'for a week'."I am unfortunately not lucky enough to live in a house with a tumble dryer, so it's very important to use the right products if that stale laundry smell is to be avoided," she says.‌"And I've found that after years of drying my clothes inside, searching for that elusive fresh smell that's hard to achieve without outdoor or tumble drying, there's one thing that has worked better than the rest."Dr Beckmann's fabric conditioner sheets are really all you need for fresh-smelling clothes and towels, especially if you're drying your clothes inside."Since trying them out, I've been so impressed with how good each load has ended up smelling, and they couldn't be any easier to use."‌How to make your laundry smell amazing:Simply pop a sheet into the washing machine drum alongside your regular detergent — no need for fabric conditioner — and carry on with your usual wash cycle.Once you've hung your laundry out to dry, you'll find that your entire home is filled with a wonderful fragrance.Better still, these scents stick around for a week or even longer, which is quite remarkable, particularly when it comes to towels.‌There's no sticky residue to fret about either, as the sheets dissolve straight in the drum. With a few more washes under Nicola's belt, she is hopeful they may even begin to soften her towels.If not, there are plenty of other ways to achieve this, such as adding white vinegar to your laundry loads.The Dr Beckmann fabric conditioner sheets are available to buy on Amazon for £1.50, or from Tesco for £1.50 if you hold a Clubcard.‌This follows as households are being urged to pour mouthwash into their washing machines for an important reason this July. A cleaning expert from an appliance repair firm has disclosed the unusual tip in a bid to help eradicate germs and reduce odours during your laundry cycle.Washing machines, despite being regularly filled with hot water and detergent, do gather dirt, grime and bacteria over time and can even become prone to mould. Ian Palmer-Smith, appliance repair expert at Domestic and General, says that a splash of mouthwash directly in the detergent drawer is an economical and simple way to maintain your washing machine's cleanliness, and that this 'maintenance wash' should be performed every three months.Article continues belowHe said: "Your washing machine should be deeply cleaned every one to three months to prevent bacteria, mould, and detergent build-up. However, you should perform a maintenance wash once a month; this involves running a hot, empty cycle with a dedicated washing machine cleaner. If you don't have a dedicated cleaner, white vinegar or baking soda are good alternatives.""Mouthwash can also be used to clean your washing machine. Pour half a cup of alcohol-based mouthwash directly into the drum or the detergent drawer, and run an empty cycle. This allows the antiseptic properties to kill bacteria, sanitise the drum, and leave it smelling fresh. For best results, pair this with cleaning the detergent drawer and filter as these are often the quickest places to get dirty."You can also try disinfecting your laundry load with mouthwash. Using mouthwash on clothes with stubborn odours, like activewear and socks, can help to remove lingering smells and bacteria."