Home appliances are devices that are made to save you time and make your life easier. However, the more sophisticated they are (the more functions they can effectively perform), the more expensive they are to replace (or even repair). This is why taking care of them properly and completely skipping the need for such an expensive project becomes an even greater priority. By taking care of them properly, you can prolong the number of working hours of each appliance quite significantly.
In order to make things easier to digest and instead of giving general (even generic) advice, we’ve decided to talk about the specific maintenance tips for the five most common home appliances. These are the appliances that can be found in virtually every household, which makes them universally useful. So, here are several tips on how you can properly clean and service your – washing machine, oven, refrigerator, coffee maker and dishwasher. Let’s get right to it!
Washing Machine
There are several things you can do in order to prolong the life of your washing machine. The first thing you need to do, like with any other appliance, is to carefully read the user’s manual and follow all the suggestions left there.
The first thing you need to do is wash your machine on a regular basis. How does this save your washing machine? Well, first of all, it ensures that your laundry is done properly. This affects your overall perception of the state in which the machine is, to begin with. Second, it affects the basic function of your washing machine – washing laundry. Apart from this, you should also clean the dryer lint filter and vent. Another tip, closely related to this one, is that you should always check the pockets on your clothes before putting them in the washing machine.
In the user’s manual (most likely somewhere on the machine, as well), you will have the maximum load weight that the machine can take at one time. Make sure to follow this rule. Other than this, take the laundry out as soon as the machine is done with it. When it comes to your use of detergent, you should avoid using too much. Once again, just follow the requirements.
Oven
Ensuring the longevity of your oven is a matter of consistency. The benefits of this are both financial and practical. On the one hand, the reliability of your oven will determine the quality of every single one of your meals. If the recipe suggests that the meal should be baked at X degrees, it is definitely not counting in the loss of heat due to the appliance malfunction. Second, it can save you quite a bit of money (both on the repair/replacement and the power bill).
The first thing you need to do is check the seals on the oven. If the insides of the oven aren’t tightly closed, the oven in question will lose heat at a rapid pace, which will diminish its effectiveness. It will also completely ruin the energy-efficiency of the appliance in question. Protecting the oven from numerous power surges is also an important thing. Sure, you may not be able to predict them but if they happen due to a flaw in your power grid, then this is something that you can actively resolve. It’s vital that you contact an electrician as soon as possible.
Speaking of calling a professional to resolve your maintenance issue, fixing your oven right away should always be a high priority. Experts from Total Appliance Repair Center warn that a minor flaw on your oven may not seem that big of a deal at the moment but there’s always room for things to get worse. A faulty oven can cause a kitchen fire and since it’s an electrical appliance. There’s even a risk of electrocution (more often just a mild shock) present.
Refrigerator
Making the refrigerator last longer is important due to the fact that it’s probably the most expensive appliance in your kitchen. Other than this, it’s a place where you store all your food. Which means that not noticing a faulty refrigerator (which is easier than you think) may lead to food poisoning.
The first area you need to pay attention to is the condenser coils. This is a crucial task in order to provide greater longevity of your refrigerator get it collects dust and dirt of all kinds. So, gently vacuuming this part once every six months can make a much bigger difference than you would expect. The biggest problem with this tip is the fact that you would (most likely) have to move the fridge to get to it. Most experts suggest that doing this twice per year is enough. Which means that you won’t have to move furniture too often.
It is also quite important to keep the door gaskets clean. Regularly change the water filter and even focus on using the bottom of the refrigerator more often than the top. The top chamber of your refrigerator is pivotal for the dispensation of the heat. So, leaving the top open will improve the circulation of the air and make your refrigerator run smoother. One last thing, while not necessarily a maintenance upgrade, cleaning the water/ice dispenser on a regular basis is important for the overall hygiene of your refrigerator.
Coffee Maker
While a coffee maker is not as expensive as some other items on this list, the truth is that it’s an essential part of your kitchen. It’s also the only small appliance that we will add to this list. Keeping it clean and functional is perhaps the simplest way to make a difference in your morning routine. Here are several additional tips to help out.
Cleaning the coffee maker properly is the first skill that you will have to adopt. For starters, since it’s something that you use in order to prepare beverages, it’s safer to use full-strength white vinegar than a commercial cleaner. Once the vinegar is poured in, the appliance should be turned on and run through a full cycle. After this, you should rinse out the vinegar thoroughly and pour in some fresh water. Repeat a full cycle and, once you’re done, turn the coffee maker upside down for a while so that it can drain out.
Sometimes, you will even have to do some maintenance on the legs of the coffee maker, as well. This will involve disassembling it by removing a screw (or screws) at the bottom of the coffee maker. Cleaning the insides from dust with a long, narrow wire is the simplest way to clean the insides of the coffee maker, without having to completely disassemble it. Naturally, once you’re done, just reassemble anything. There’s no general rule about how often this cleaning process should be repeated. You can just trust your intuition here.
Dishwasher
Making your dishwasher last longer is one of the simplest tasks there are. Mostly, it’s about the way in which you use it and the cleaning process is not that complex once you get a grip on it. Sure, some people postpone this process because de-gunking it can be… well, disgusting to be honest. Still, it’s something that has to be done.
The first thing we mentioned is the way in which you’ve used your dishwasher. Use it for dishes and dishes only. While this may sound like a ridiculous request for you, you would be surprised at just how much problem ignoring it can cause. It’s not people’s fault either, seeing as how some tutorials online (I kid you not), suggest that cleaning car parts in a dishwasher is a valid idea. Other than this, you need to avoid overloading the dishwasher and you need to stop rinsing dishes before putting them in. Just cleaning the contents of the plate is more than enough.
As far as the cleaning goes, you need to start by cleaning the filter. So, whenever you think there’s a problem with the cleaning quality of the dishwasher, you should remove the bottom rack and look for a plastic cylinder that you can unscrew. Simply take it out and rinse it properly. Other than this, cleaning the door seal with a rag and some vinegar is also an important task. The key thing here is to avoid using bleach or any hard chemicals. After all, you’re cleaning dishes that are coming in direct contact with the food that you (and your family) eat at a later date.
In conclusion
In the end, you need to keep in mind that there are some things that you just can’t fix on your own. This is when you’re supposed to call a serviceman, instead of wasting your own time and resources. In fact, sometimes, when you’re not skilled or knowledgeable enough about these repairs, you risk hurting yourself in the process or making the problem even worse. Just keep in mind that the risk of these malfunctions is always looming, as well as that maintenance requires continuity. Admitting these two things alone will get you halfway there.
