Social media influencer Anna Louisa revealed her top tips and tricks before heading off on holiday and you’ll thank yourself for it on your return
Leaving your house in a respectable state before bundling out the door with suitcases is something Brits almost prides themselves on.
Before leaving home for a two-week holiday in the sunshine, it’s common for many people to strip their beds and change their sheets, mop the floors and leave wash baskets mostly empty.
This is because we all know unpacking once we get home and the huge pile of washing that comes with it is enough chaos to be dealing with, along with those post holiday-blues.
According to cleaning influencer Anna Louisa, who has a collective 5.4 million followers on Instagram and TikTok, there’s one less common thing we should be doing before we leave for the airport. And that’s keeping the washing machine door slightly ajar to air while we’re away.
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Before leaving, the social media influencer suggested travellers do all their washing to avoid the smell of dirty clothes accumulating, bringing up mould and smelly bacteria.
But, instead of closing the door, as you would on a normal day, keep it slightly open to allow the air to circulate and not keep in moisture from previous washes. Allowing it to completely dry will avoid the build-up of humidity leading to unpleasant smells and the later eventuality of the machine breaking down.
She said: “After doing a wash, leave your washing machine door slightly open to allow air to circulate, and water to evaporate. It helps prevent mould, bacteria and musty smells from developing. If there’s time, wipe the rubber seal and detergent drawer clean.”
Other advice included locating any dirty dishes and washing them, emptying the bins, rinsing and wiping down the shower and toilet, getting rid of any fruit that’ll likely go off, sorting out any fresh flowers and even changing your bed sheets.
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By following this simple advice and applying it, travellers can ensure peace of mind whenever going abroad. Once you open the door, the fresh smell will instantly remind you why there’s no better place than your own home.
Why should you clean your home before going on holiday?
Cleaning your home before going abroad will allow you to go straight to bed after a long day of travelling without any pest infestations or accumulation of smells.
Leaving any food scraps will attract insects and rodents. Therefore, it’s best to avoid it by giving it a quick wipe and bin any opened food that will not be consumed.
Do you do any of these pre-holiday chores before leaving your house? Let us know in the comments below.