9 Tips On How To Maintain Common Home Appliances

Table of Contents

1. The Refrigerator Coils
2. Air Conditioning Maintenance
3. Don’t Overstuff Your Laundry Machines.
4. Clean Out The Dishwasher
5. Revisit Your Oven Temperature Calibration
6. Never Ignore Or Hide Bad Smells
7. Use Less Detergent
8. Clean Filters
9. Rubber Feet For Quiet

A shiny new appliance can enhance the aesthetic of a room and simplify life for you and your household members. However, without proper cleaning and maintenance, appliances can quickly become dirty and lose their efficiency. In addition to aesthetic appeal, it’s important to maintain common home appliances to ensure they function optimally. Here are some straightforward tips to help you keep your appliances looking and performing their best.

The Refrigerator Coils

Refrigerator coils are a critical component of a fridge that keeps things cool no matter how warm it is in the kitchen. The second law of thermodynamics at its most basic states that when there are two things of different temperatures close to each other, the hotter surface cools down, and the cooler surface warms up.

The coils on your refrigerator are pumped with a cooling gas which soaks up the heat in the refrigerator and freezer, resulting in a nice cold inside. Dirt, dust, or pet hair packed into the coils make the process much harder than necessary. To help your fridge stay frigid, be sure to clean the coils at least once per year.

Air Conditioning Maintenance

Sticking with the theme of cooling things down, air conditioning is a vital component of comfort in some locations around the world. Regular maintenance checks of your air conditioner can help ensure that it runs effectively (and quietly) for the foreseeable future.

Air conditioning professionals here state that you might need a maintenance check if you’ve noticed that not every room is being properly cooled, your thermostat isn’t reflecting the feeling of the room, the machine is making noises, or your utility bills have suddenly skyrocketed. Take these symptoms seriously and have a professional come look at your unit should they arise.

Don’t Overstuff Your Laundry Machines.

While it might seem like you’re saving energy (and therefore money) by jamming your washer or dryer to the max, you’re actually likely damaging the motors, belts, or other moving parts.

Many of the parts of a washing machine that break are so expensive to repair that you’ll likely be looking to buy a new machine; this can be quite costly. To avoid this problem altogether, don’t overstuff your laundry machines. You’ll also find that your clothes get a lot cleaner if there’s room for them to jostle around.

Clean Out The Dishwasher

Similar to the lint trap in your dryer needing a regular cleaning (you are removing lint from the trap in your dryer, right?), your dishwasher has a filter that can become filled with food over time.

It’s quite simple to pull out the lower rack of your dishwasher and take off the filter cover (it should be super apparent, but if it isn’t, you can check your owner’s manual or look up where the filter is located on your model online).

Remove any larger debris with your hands and consider using a wet vacuum to clean the screen. Completing this task will significantly improve your dishwasher’s performance and result in cleaner dishes.

Revisit Your Oven Temperature Calibration

Sometimes, you might notice that your oven’s temperature is slightly off when you follow a recipe closely and find that your meal is significantly overcooked or undercooked despite following the recommended cooking time.

If you still have your instruction manual, you can find the steps to recalibrate the oven temperature in there. If you don’t have the manual, simply look up your model online.

Pretty much every manual can be found for free online at a manufacturer’s website. You’ll need an oven thermometer as part of this process.

Never Ignore Or Hide Bad Smells

If an appliance is producing a smell you don’t like, don’t ignore it or cover it up with some sort of fragranced product like candles or air freshener.

Unpleasant odors indicate harmful substances in the air. Masking the smell doesn’t eliminate the substance from the air.

Clean appliances emitting bad smells with a non-fragranced product; note that scent-free doesn’t mean fragrance-free.

You need to be able to smell the results of your work, so avoid all strongly-scented cleaning products except for vinegar (vinegar is an excellent option for cleaning most appliances). If this doesn’t solve the problem, begin troubleshooting and reach out to a professional if you cannot solve the problem yourself.

Use Less Detergent

When washing clothes, too much detergent can leave a thin coating of film on your machine. Mould loves this film coating and will begin to grow within it. Use the minimum required detergent and try to find gentler detergents whenever possible.

Gentle detergents are not the same thing as fabric-softening detergents (often, they’re the exact opposite); you’re looking for something without harsh ingredients. All-natural options or soap nuts make excellent washer-friendly choices.

Clean Filters

Your air conditioner, dehumidifier, vacuum, humidifier, and air filter all contain filters inside of them. Anything that moves air through itself has a filter.

Pet fur, human hair, lint, and dust can clog this filter, hindering its optimal performance. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions and clean out these filters on the regular (one per month) and be sure to replace the filter according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.

When cleaning filters, it’s a good idea to do the work outside or on the deck if you’re able, as sometimes the air will become thick with dust while you work.

Rubber Feet For Quiet

Many appliances like washers, dryers, and dishwashers can get a little noisy. One of the easiest ways to reduce the noise is by seeking out rubber anti-vibration feet.

You can order these inexpensive tools online and place them on the legs or corners of your appliance yourself. This drastically reduces the sounds associated with running appliances.

The above list should give you a good idea of a few ways you can keep your appliances functioning for years to come. Maintain and care for various kinds of appliances at home, even if they aren’t listed here. Make sure to research the manufacturer’s instructions and follow them.

Thank you for reading!