Appliances
Appliances
CARE AND MAINTENANCE
Did you know?
In 2019 alone over $51,000.00 was spent repairing and replacing appliances.
Many of these costs are unnecessary and can be avoided by taking proper care of your appliances.
Check out these Tips & Tricks to extend the lifetime of your Appliances
The Fridge:
- Clean your fridge by removing all food, shelves and drawers. Soak shelves and drawers in hot soapy water while you wipe the interior of the fridge from the top down
- At the back of the fridge, clean off the condenser coils a few times each year using a bristle brush or vacuum
- Check the door seals (called a door gasket) to make sure no cold air is escaping and replace when necessary
- Remove any frost build-up from inside walls
The Range:
- Clean up cooking spills immediately. Remove spills from the element using an old toothbrush. Clean any loose food off of the stove top regularly. If you have a liquid boil over, don't let water sit in the burner bowl, when safe to do so, remove the element and clean the burner bowls
- If you are doing a lot of canning, be careful that the weight of the big pots gets distributed evenly on the stove top. The weight of the pot can sometimes damage the internal mechanisms of the range. Again, clean up spills as soon as you can, don't let the water sit
- You can run the self-cleaning feature on your oven or manually give it a deep clean at least twice per year. Always remove the shelves before a self-cleaning cycle. Remove any gritty, solid bits of food, so it doesn't catch fire during the self cleaning process
- Remove grease build-up from glass oven doors frequently or it will harden becoming difficult to remove
The Washing Machine:
- Inspect the hose connections. Make sure there are no bulges or cracks and that fittings are tight
- Sort clothes into smaller loads, overloading can damage your washer and the clothes don't get cleaned properly
- Shake dirt and other debris out of your clothes before loading into the machine, check your pockets!
- When needed, wipe down the interior and the dispensers to help keep things clean and fresh. Fabric softener has a tendency to gunk up the dispenser
The Dryer:
- Your dryer generates heat and could be considered a fire hazard! Make sure to remove the lint from the lint filter after every cycle
- Clean the exhaust vent annually by detaching from the dryer and cleaning out excess lint; find the exterior vent and clean that out too
- Just like your washer, don't overload! Large loads take longer to dry and use more energy
The Microwave:
- Remove the glass turntable and hot soak in soapy water
- Fill a microwave safe bowl with equal parts water and vinegar. Microwave on high for two minutes. The vinegar steam will eliminate odors and loosen any hardened food
- Wipe down the interior and exterior with a cloth or sponge to remove any remaining debris
The Dishwasher:
- Begin by removing racks and wiping up any debris on the interior of the machine
- Remove the filter that is located inside of the drain. Empty the filter of debris and soak in hot soapy water
- Put the clean filter and racks back in the unit and place a cup of white vinegar in the otherwise empty dishwasher. Run the dishwasher with the vinegar cup inside for a full cycle on a high heat setting
At-Home (Affordable) Cleaning Solutions
Equal parts
White Vinegar
+
Water
=
ALL PURPOSE CLEANER
Mix
Baking soda
+
Water
=
PASTE FOR TOUGH STAINS
Using
Dish Soap
+
Warm water
=
A SOLUTION FOR GREASE BUILD-UP
IMPORTANT: PLEASE REMEMBER
Disinfectant cleaners containing bleach can leach into your food.
Do not use these products to clean your fridge or anywhere food might be stored.