Tea towels that are looking and smelling a little worse for wear can be revived with the combination of one common kitchen cupboard ingredient and a popular Poundland product. The humble tea towel is regularly used to dry pots and pans, scoop up messes, clear spillages and more, but professional cleaner Lynsey Crombie, known as Lynsey Queen of Clean, has shared her solution.
What causes the musty smell?
In a recent video shared on TikTok, Crombie addressed a viewer's question about tea towels that smell clean but carry a musty odour. She acknowledged that most people, including herself, are “tea towel abusers” because the towel doesn't just dry dishes.
Crombie recommended using a terry-towel tea towel, saying they are “so much better at soaking up those soapy suds”.
The vinegar and bicarbonate method
In the clip, Crombie is seen in the cleaning aisle of a Poundland store, where she picked up a bottle of Astonish White Vinegar Citrus spray, which costs from £1.50 up to £2 depending on where you buy it and special offers at the time of purchase.
She advised liberally spraying white vinegar on any stains, such as ketchup or food marks, and leaving it for 15 minutes before washing. She also advised “ditching the fabric conditioner” because it “takes away” the tea towel's “absorbency”.
Keeping towels white and bright
For white tea towels, Crombie suggested adding a “nice big scoop of bicarbonate of soda” to the wash. In that particular Poundland store, bicarbonate of soda was not available, so she recommended adding “a laundry cleanser to the wash” as a viable alternative.
She said: “It's just gonna give them that extra boost, kill that bacteria and keep your tea towels looking as good as new.”
