Joe Tweedy, Mail Online
Updated on June 5, 2024 at 13:17 and June 5, 2024 at 13:49
With just a few twists of the spoon, you'll understand why your kitchen sink may look clean, but it doesn't always smell nice.
Former Bake Off winner and now green cleaning guru Nancy Birtwistle shared her latest tips with her 714,000 followers on Instagram this week, leaving many who saw it in horror.
In this video titled “Smelly Sink,” A Lincolnshire baker who won the 2014 series of The Great British Bake Off has shown off her sparkling “white and bright” ceramic sink and stainless steel plugs.
She explains that there was a bit of a foul smell coming from the drain and begins using a spoon to try and find out why.
Highlighting two notches in the nut on the bottom of the sink, the cleaning tool inserted the end of a tablespoon into them and twisted until the bottom of the sink came loose.
Beneath it was a thick layer of soil and grime, with Nancy telling viewers, “This is awful.”
She advised anyone thinking about cleaning their own drains to first place a bucket under the sink to catch any debris before trying to clean the “dirt”.
The baking star then used a homemade Basic Magic non-acidic cleaner to restore the bottom of the sink to its original shine.
Viewers of the programme admitted they were shocked to think what could be lurking just millimetres away from their sink.
One person wrote: “If this is your thing you better buy full PPE before getting yours tested!”
Another joked: “I feel like I've opened a chamber of secrets just by doing this.”
But some people urged caution before reaching for the tablespoon, saying some sinks are designed differently and removing the base could remove the silicone sealant underneath to keep them waterproof.
Birthwhistle has developed a cult following for her earth-friendly lifehacks, which include washing clothes with English ivy, using baking soda instead of detergent in the dishwasher and placing oven racks on damp grass to keep them sparkling clean.
