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Spring has now arrived in the UK, and many people will be relieved to spend more time outdoors and get some sun. However, the rising temperatures also mean people can finally start doing laundry outdoors again, and it is a good time to check your clothes baskets and hampers.

Lisa, a self-described "cleaning fanatic mum" and founder of Your Mom Village, has shared that the majority of households overlook their laundry baskets even though they contain a lot of "particles and dirt". She said: "Most people don't realise this, but dirty laundry acts as a breeding ground for bacteria and odours! One of the quickest and easiest ways to keep your clothes smelling fresh is to clean your laundry basket."

Laundry baskets, especially plastic or fabric ones, can retain a lot of moisture, and during winter, when we have our heating on, they can become a hotspot for bacteria.

It is really common for dust, mildew and even mould spores to build up in laundry baskets, which can then transfer a lot of germs back onto your clothes.

Clothes can become contaminated when placed in a dirty laundry basket, and repeated exposure may leave fabrics with unpleasant odours even after washing them.

A hamper that has never been cleaned can make a room smell musty or sour and may also harbour allergens that irritate the eyes and trigger sneezing.

However, it is really easy to deep clean hampers and baskets, and you will not have to spend any money, as you likely have all the items you need sitting in your home.

If the hamper or basket is made of plastic, then this cleaning will be easy, as all you need is a bucket of hot, soapy water and some baking soda.

Baking soda is an alkaline product, which helps neutralise acidic odours such as sweat, mildew or dampness to make everything smell fresh.

It is also highly absorbent and abrasive, helping remove any residue hidden in your basket or hamper without having to keep scrubbing at it.

All you need to do is mix hot water, washing up liquid and a few tablespoons of baking soda into a bucket.

Dip a brush or sponge into the solution, wipe down your basket or harbour, then dry it thoroughly, and it should be completely cleaned.

If the hamper or basket is made of fabric, then you can toss it into the washing machine, and it should come out washed.

It will really help to add white vinegar to the detergent drawer of your washing machine, as it can eliminate lingering smells and is antibacterial, helping remove germs.

You can also place larger fabric baskets or hampers in your bathtub with hot water and a few drops of white vinegar. Soak them for a few hours, squeeze them to remove excess water, and then hang them to dry.

For small households that do laundry only once or twice a week, clean out your laundry baskets and hampers once a month to prevent bacteria from building up.

However, if you are in a larger household that does laundry almost every day, you should clean the baskets and hampers once every two weeks to get rid of any musty smells from sweat.