It's probably something you do most days and don't even think about: take the washing out of the washing machine, shut the lid, walk away.
But a handyman has revealed we've all been doing it wrong this whole time, and instead we should be leaving the doors and lids of our washing machines open to let air circulate.
That should stop the build-up of grime and mould many machines contain, which isn't exactly conducive to a clean load of washing.
Posting in a popular Facebook group dedicated to cleaning tips and tricks, the Aussie washing machine repair technician revealed why we're all doing it wrong.
"The first thing I tell people when I'm called out to a job is to start leaving the doors on their washing machines open when they're not using it," he wrote.
"Keeping it closed for hours and days on end can cause all sorts of problems.
"It's the mould and grime build-up, which is your biggest problem."
He says it's especially necessary for those who have front-loading machines, as mould can ruin the seal.
"A lot of people have to change the seal on their machines due to scum and build-up and that can be largely avoided or prolonged by keeping the door open.
"Your big problem is warm water being trapped in there. If the door's closed, then bacteria and mould can breed and no-one wants that."
His advice isn't the first washing machine cleaning hack to hit headlines. Recently a woman's genius method for giving her "disgusting" washing machine a good clean went viral, as she revealed throwing some dishwashing tablets into a hot wash helps scour off the built-up dirt and mould.
