Cleaning expert Lynsey Crombie, known as Lynsey Queen of Clean, has shared a simple solution for tea towels that smell musty despite appearing clean. The method uses two everyday items, including one available at Poundland.
The problem with tea towels
Tea towels are frequently used for drying plates and cookware, mopping up accidents, wiping away spills and countless other tasks, which can leave them looking and smelling tired. In a recent TikTok clip, filmed inside a Poundland branch, Lynsey addressed a viewer's question about tea towels that "smell clean but they've got a bit of a musty odour".
She admitted that most people, including herself, are "tea towel abusers", using the cloth for far more than just drying dishes. Lynsey recommended using old-school terry-towel tea towels, saying they are "so much better at soaking up those soapy suds".
The two-item cleaning method
Lynsey picked up a bottle of Astonish White Vinegar Citrus spray, priced between £1.50 and £2 depending on the retailer and any promotional offers. She advised liberally spraying stains such as ketchup or food marks with white vinegar, leaving it for 15 minutes before washing.
She also recommended "ditching the fabric conditioner" as it "takes away" the tea towel's "absorbency". For white tea towels, Lynsey suggested adding "a nice big scoop of bicarbonate of soda" to the wash to keep them "nice and white and bright".
At that specific Poundland branch, bicarbonate of soda was unavailable, so Lynsey suggested incorporating "a laundry cleanser to the wash" as a substitute. She said: "It's just gonna give them that extra boost, kill that bacteria and keep your tea towels looking as good as new."
