Expert shares exact 'cut-off point' for how long you can leave wet clothes in washing machine

A cleaning expert has shared the exact ‘cut-off point’ for how long you can leave wet clothes in the washing machine, and we’ve got bad news for anyone who’s prone to forgetting about their washed undies...

Doing laundry has to be one of the most infuriating chores around the home, not least because one wrong slip and you’ll end up with a shrunken jumper or a bright pink bedsheet.

Once you’ve put a load on to wash, you’ve then got to remember to check back when it’s finished to get everything out to dry – and that’s not including the extra step if you like to put it on for a spin or pop it through the dryer.

But just how bad is it if you end up forgetting stuff in the drum for a bit? If you suddenly sit bolt-upright in bed at 2am remembering the haul you put on at dinner time, is it really worth clambering downstairs to retrieve it, or can it stay there until the morning?

According to expert Mary Futher, aka @madamesweat, you can leave it for a certain window of time, but there is a ‘cut-off point’.

“Can you leave wet laundry overnight?” she asked in a recent TikTok video, which has received thousands of likes.

Mary, from Canada, explained: “How many hours is too many hours?” the cosmetic scientist said.

“The rule of thumb is if you left your laundry sitting wet more than 12 hours that’s the cut-off point.”

She said if you do find a mildew smell on your clothes, you’re best off just whacking it through another wash again.

“You need to rewash and use half a cup of baking soda with your detergent to get rid of that mould and build up,” Mary said.

Many people were grateful for her advice on the issue, which seems to be strangely common.

“Mine’s been sitting there for 4 days,” one admitted.

Someone else said: “2 hours is my max otherwise I rewash them. I can smell the mildew if it’s too strong.”

A third added: “If I forget my clothes in the washer I automatically rewash them. I don’t care how many hours it’s been.”

Mary replied to say that was a ‘good call’, so while 12 hours is her cut-off point, it seems if you’re ever in doubt, your best option is to give it another wash to be sure.