Washing machines are one of our most used appliances already, but it turns out we could be getting even more benefit from them because they can clean a lot more than just clothes.
And if you're thinking about a deep clean it's handy to know what you can pop in the washing machine rather than using elbow grease to scrub.
There are plenty of household items you can wash in your machine to make the entire process a lot easier and quicker.
Read on to see the surprising items that can be cleaned in your washing machine.
Children can be germy little creatures so disinfecting the play room is always a good idea. If you've got small plastic toys like blocks, action figures or even bath toys they can go in the washing machine, just make sure they're securely fastened inside a mesh laundry bag first.
If you're trying to kill germs, add a disinfectant to the machine and put them in a warm wash. Once they're done just leave them out to air dry.
You can actually wash your pillow in a washing machine ¡ª both feather and polyester-filled ones are fine to put in. Just make sure you give them room to move around the machine, don't load it up too much.
It's best to do it on a nice sunny day to give your pillows the best chance of drying out in the fresh air quickly.
If you've got a fabric or vinyl backpack or gym bag, you can throw it in the washing machine.
Make sure every pocket is completely empty first, turn it inside out and try to put it in with similar coloured laundry.
Use a stain remover on any tough marks and try to use soft bristled brush to work the solution in and leave it for around 15 minutes before putting it in the wash.
Sure, totally cleaning the house from top to bottom is satisfying, but don't forget to clean your cleaners too. Dirty mop heads, sponges, cloths, gloves and scrubbing brushes can be home to bacteria that can just spread around next time you do some cleaning.
Place small cleaning tools in a mesh bag and take your mop head off the handle before throwing them in the machine with a load of towels. Use a strong detergent and a disinfectant while running the machine on a hot or sanitise cycle. Then allow it all to air dry.
If your shower curtain is looking a bit worse for wear, next time you take all the towels for a wash ¡ª bring it too. If the curtain has a bit of mildew, use a solution of chlorine bleach on white or plastic curtains and oxygen bleach on coloured curtains to remove the stains.
You put your gym clothes in the machine after a workout, but don't forget about your yoga mat.
If you don't have an agitator in your machine this will work better because it's more gentle on what's inside. But if you do have a centre agitator just arrange your mat around it as evenly as possible.
Throw a couple of towels in to help balance the load and use a gentle cycle with warm or cool water. Using a heavy-duty detergent will help cut through body oils and then you just need to let it air dry.
Just like plastic toys, stuffed ones can go in the machine too. Just make sure they don't have a mechanical part, are battery operated or vintage (you want to be extra careful with precious toys) as these shouldn't go in the machine.
Treat any stains with a detergent or stain remover first, place the toy in a mesh bag and pop it in the machine for a cool or warm wash on a gentle cycle. Then allow it to air dry.
When was the last time you washed your lunch bag? If the answer is never time to give it a wash. Insulated lunch bags can be home to bacteria like Salmonella, Listeria, E. coli and even mould that can over time make you sick. For soft-sided lunch bags pop them in a cool or warm wash on a gentle cycle and let it air dry when the machine is done.
Tea towels should be washed daily, but don't forget about your oven mitts and pot holders. They also come in contact with a lot of food and mess in the kitchen so next time you do the tea towels, chuck them in too. Silicone ones are also safe to throw in the machine, just opt for a gentle cycle on cool or warm and hang up to air dry.
Have you ever thought about washing your reusable bags? Sure, we use them every time we go to do groceries (if you remember them that is) but they do get dirty too.
The bags you use for fresh produce, pre-cooked food and meat should be washed often to prevent bacteria growing and contaminating new loads of groceries.
Some bags have instructions on how to wash, but if they don't remember to remove any dividers or inserts first and pop them in on a gentle cycle with cool or warm water and air dry.