Home appliances endure more wear and tear during the holidays, which can eventually break them down. Knowing how to care for your appliances will help you cut down on the cost of repairs and equipment failure. The holidays are on the way – this means lots of cooking and warming food, lots of laundry, and lots of washing up. It can be hard to imagine something like your stove suddenly not heating up when you’re hosting Christmas at your home with the whole family, or a dinner party with friends. Just imagine the disappointment!
Take care of your appliances, particularly those in the kitchen, including your fridge, microwave, gas stove and stove top, dishwasher, geyser and more. Maintenance and cleaning of these appliances regularly can help extend their longevity so that they can still be used as desired, after the holidays, and for years to come.
For peace of mind, when it comes to your appliances these holidays, you may want to follow these maintenance tips so you don’t end up having to repair your devices when you least expect it. If you want a detailed guide on how to clean your dishwasher, how to clean your washing machine,and other appliances in your home, head over to our blog for useful cleaning tips.
Maintain Your Fridge
Your fridge and freezer are an essential part of your home. Follow these tips to ensure these appliances run efficiently, and to save on energy costs.
Firstly, always keep food inside your fridge covered and make sure the doors are closed properly once you’re finished using it. Clean your fridge’s coil and condenser regularly, while also emptying your entire fridge and freezer, and simply wipe the shelves.
Then, change the filters and remember to keep food away from the freezer vents. Remove all the ice from your freezer and clean the door gaskets. Make sure your fridge is level and don’t forget to change the lightbulbs. Lastly, double-check your fridge’s temperature and adjust as necessary, and don’t forget to clean the drain hole and drip pan.
Dishwasher Maintenance
There are many components to a dishwasher, including the spray heads, soap distributors, electrical components, and many drain heads. Here’s how to properly maintain your dishwasher. You can expect a regular dishwasher to last for 7 to 12 years. To ensure it does last for this long, you have to maintain it.
Regular checking and cleaning of the dishwasher filters can help prevent clogging when it drains. When using a dishwasher, it’s recommended to use hot water as much as possible. This is to prevent detergent from building up inside the dishwasher, which is why some prefer to use powder tablets instead of a gel-based detergent.
Also, gel-detergent products usually contain chlorine bleach which can cause damage to the interior of your dishwasher, shortening its life.
When you load your dishwasher, be sure that you have rinsed off any bits of food to prevent blocking the sprayers or filters. Place dishes on the racks gently, using too much force will eventually cause the racks to bend and eventually break. It’s advised to run your dishwasher at least once a day to wash away food remnants and prevent clogging.
Washing Machine Maintenance
The easiest way to extend the life of your washing machine is to ensure that it’s balanced and level on the ground. If it’s off balance, you will hear an awful noise while it’s running. This can cause stress on the motor and break your appliance. If your washing machine is on the floor and it sounds off-balanced, use shims under the front and back corners to balance it out.
Another common mistake with washing machines is overloading them with clothes. More clothes in the washing machine restricts it from cleaning your clothes properly and adds a strain to the motor. Also keep in mind that less is more when it comes to using laundry detergent – using too much can cause a build-up around the seals and even discolour the interior of your washing machine.
After washing bunches of clothes every day, it’s recommended that you clean the inside of the machine and leave the door slightly open. This is to let fresh air get into the machine and dry it out. If you’re travelling these holidays, it’s a smart idea to unplug your washing machine and turn off the water supply. This can help avoid accidental flooding from a surge of water pressure.
Oven And Stove Maintenance
Because stoves and ovens are subject to intense temperatures, they should be regularly cleaned and serviced. An oven can generally last between 10 to 20 years approximately. To extend the life of your oven for the longest time, it must be kept clean. A simple way to keep an oven clean is to wipe up spills as soon as they happen. However, this isn’t always possible, so allocate time once a month or so to give your oven a deep clean. This includes cleaning the grime off the glass and cleaning the oven racks and drip tray. Inspect the stovetop, burners, and heating elements. Check the electronic controls, and if you have a gas stove, test the gas lines and connections for possible leaks.
Some ovens have self-cleaning abilities which use extreme heat to completely incinerate grease and food drippings from the walls and floors of the oven; you shouldn’t use this too often as this feature can damage the heating elements, shortening the lifespan of your oven. Another common problem is foil on the drip pan, it can cause the burner to short circuit.
Microwave Maintenance
Here are universal maintenance tips to keep your microwave clean and running smoothly.
Pay attention to unfamiliar noises like thumbing, squealing, and other such sounds. These sounds are an almost sure sign of an issue. Wipe down splatters before they can harden, and cover the food you’re warming up to prevent splatters. Clean inside and outside your microwave more regularly. Clean the grease filter by following the manufacturer’s instructions. Always use microwave-safe plates and bowls, and never dry clothing or any sort of non-food item in the microwave. Never leave metal utensils in the unit, and try not to slam the door when closing it, you may damage the handle.
Tumble Dryer Machine Maintenance
Maintaining your dryer will make it last longer, and keep the household safe.
Never overload your dryer with clothes, be sure that it’s always level. Make sure you can feel air coming out from the dryer vent when the machine is running, and check and clean debris in the exhaust vent. Clear out leaves and debris from the outer vent cap, and empty the lint filter between each cycle. Don’t forget to clean the lint screen and lint trap. Wipe the drum and clean the inside to remove the lint.
Geyser Maintenance
Maintain your geyser if you want to have hot water all year round, especially in winter.
Inspect the anode rod every 3 years. You may want to consider insulating older geysers and pipes. It’s good to adjust your geyser’s temperature from 50° to 70°C. Listen out for any strange noises, and drain a portion of the tank to remove sediment. You may have to replace the heating element on your geyser, and if your geyser has a vacation setting, make sure to set it if you’re heading out of town.
Follow these tips with your appliances to minimise costly repairs and save on your utility bills. Have your appliances serviced regularly when they need to be, and not just when they’re completely broken. We hope that your appliances will run through the holidays and longer. Start inspecting your appliances as discussed, and if you need them to be serviced, the best thing for you to do is call in a professional, or at least start gathering quotes before the entire unit has to be replaced.
For more lifestyle, organising and cleaning tips, head on over to our blog for useful home guides and how-to’s.
