Martha Stewart dishes a secret about dirty laundry

New York, New York - Never fear, household queen Martha Stewart is here!

In the best case, you should hang the wet laundry directly or put it in the dryer (symbol picture).
In the best case, you should hang the wet laundry directly or put it in the dryer (symbol picture).  © 123RF/tanyar30

We've all been there – when life gets busy, you can end up leaving your wet clothes in the washing machine and forget to put them in the dryer right away.

When you're running low on time for a dry cycle spin, it's not a huge problem to leave wet clothes in the laundry machine for a bit, according to Martha Stewart (79).

The lifestyle guru said that leaving your clothing overnight might be ok, but she wouldn't push it much longer.

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"I would say that it's perfectly all right," she assured viewers on The Today show.

But if freshly washed laundry sits for too long, bacteria and mold can start to grow in the machine.

How can you tell if you're in tricky territory? Follow your nose!

"That mold and that bacteria that starts to grow on damp clothing and closed environments, that's very pungent," Stewart said.

"I mean, don't leave it for a long time," she continued. "Don’t leave it for a week. If you get up in the morning and throw it in the dryer, it should probably be OK."

Stewart says on her Instagram that her aim is "elevating the everyday".

In addition to her appearances on the New York morning program, she has a business empire and her own TV shows including Martha Knows Best on HGTV, Martha Stewart Living, and The Martha Stewart Show.

With Martha to the rescue, it's safe to say that clothes can be left in the machine for a little while, but should still be hung up or put in the dryer as soon as possible.

As she warned: "Dont make a habit of it!"

Cover photo: 123RF/tanyar30

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