It is easy to take for granted just how much our home appliances propel our daily routines. From keeping our produce garden-fresh to ridding our clothes of dirt and other unsavory stains, our kitchen and laundry appliances provide our families with the care they need to thrive and be healthy. It is therefore imperative that we do our part in prolonging the life and efficiency of these underrated MVPs of the household.
You don’t have to wait until your appliances smell bad or stop working properly to engage in home appliance care. Beyond restoring their shine, maintenance of home appliances entails removing grime that slows performance, which, in turn, ensures they last longer.
To that end, your friends in the business at Spencer’s TV & Appliance have the appliance maintenance tips you need to routinely clean your machines. Check them out!
Appliance Maintenance Tips
It’s not enough to just take a damp microfiber cloth over your smudged stainless steel and call it a day. While quickly tending to spills and splatters keeps your kitchen looking spick-and-span, performing heavy-duty cleaning at regular intervals allows your appliances to rise from the ashes with replenished strength and energy to perform their best.
In terms of deep cleaning, it is recommended that you tackle the following appliances at these intervals:
- Refrigerators should be cleaned at least once every three months.
- Dishwashers should be cleaned at least once a month.
- Cooktops, ranges, and wall ovens should be cleaned at least once every three months. If your cooktop or stove has gas burners, clean these at least once a month.
- Washers and should be cleaned at least once a month.
- Dryers should be cleaned at least once every three months.
Now, here are some of our specialized appliance maintenance tips for kitchen and laundry appliances.
How to Maintain Your Refrigerator
Increase your refrigerator’s efficiency by up to 30 percent with these pointers:
- Make sure your refrigerator is located away from sunlight or other heat sources to keep your appliance from having to work harder to maintain a chilly internal temperature.
- Remove any ice buildup to improve your unit’s airflow and maintain an icy internal temperature.
- Make sure the door is always closed completely to prevent cold air from escaping.
- Disinfect handles and water-dispenser controls (as applicable) daily to eliminate bacteria.
- Audit your refrigerator once a week to check for food that needs to be tossed to prevent the growth of mold and mildew.
- When deep cleaning your refrigerator, empty your appliance completely of food, shelves, and bins. Next, mix a solution of one teaspoon of liquid dishwashing soap and one quart of hot water, and use a clean sponge to wipe down the interior. Lastly, wipe down soapy surfaces with a clean, dry cloth.
How to Maintain Your Dishwasher
Lest you prefer to stand over your sink and scrub your dinnerware yourself, here are our appliance maintenance tips so your dishwasher can continue tackling the dirty work:
- Be mindful of the racks when you load your dishwasher to avoid damaging them, as they are expensive to replace.
- On a weekly basis, inspect the condition of the door seal; if there is any dirt or water buildup, clean the gasket to avoid mold growth.
- When deep cleaning your empty dishwasher, first, remove the bottom rack and clean the drain strainer and detergent dispenser of any debris with a soft-bristled brush. Replace the bottom rack. Next, fill a glass bowl with one cup of distilled white vinegar to place on the top rack. Run a hot water wash cycle but skip the drying cycle. After that, open your appliance and sprinkle in one cup of baking soda along the bottom, and run another hot water cycle.
- Alternatively, instead of using a DIY solution of vinegar and baking soda for your monthly cleaning, you may run a rinse-only cycle with a probiotic dishwasher cleaner. Use as directed.
How to Maintain Your Cooktop, Range, and Oven
Whether you have a cooktop-and-wall-oven combo or a two-in-one kitchen range, we’ve got a list of maintenance tips to ensure they can properly cook and bake your family favorites for years to come (and stay looking great!)
Cooktop or Range
- For gas ranges, be sure to invest in a good ventilation system for optimal energy efficiency.
- To prevent permanent damage to your smoothtop or burner stove, wipe up spills and splatters immediately.
- To remove hardened food, be sure to use a plastic spatula.
- When deep cleaning either a smoothtop and burner stove, use mild dishwashing soap, hot water, and a clean sponge. Avoid using harsh cleaners or metal scrubbers that can blemish the finish. If the stove has metal drip pans or grids over gas burners, soak them in a mixture of kitchen degreaser and hot water for half an hour before scrubbing them clean with steel wool.
Oven or Range
- The best time to clean an oven is after a big cooking marathon (e.g., the holiday season)—not before.
- When deep cleaning your oven, make a paste of baking soda and water to remove greasy splatters. You may choose to invest in a commercial oven cleaner for stubborn, baked-on messes.
- If your oven is self-cleaning, run it per the manufacturer’s instructions. Be cautioned, though: Using the self-cleaning cycle more than once a month takes a lot of energy and can cause your utility expenses to climb.
How to Maintain Your Washer and Dryer
Sometimes, there’s nothing better than a fresh, warm sweater straight out of the dryer. To keep your clothes, towels, and home furnishings soft and bacteria-free, take heed to our home appliance tips for washers and dryers:
Washer
- Occasionally check the water-line connection to ensure there’s no leakage. While you’re at it, assess the drain line, too.
- Avoid overloading your washing machine; if your appliance is packed, it adds more strain to their system to circle your clothes around, using more energy.
- By the same token, avoid underloading your machine, too. Not only is it a waste of energy, but washing small loads can also lead to off-balance cycles in the future.
- When deep cleaning your empty washer, add one quart of chlorine bleach and run a hot wash cycle with an extra rinse cycle.
Dryer
- Avoid overloading your clothes dryer; if your appliance is packed, it adds more strain to their system to circle your clothes around, using more energy.
- Clean your duct line at least once a year.
- To keep your dryer running efficiently, always clean your lint filter after every load.
- When deep cleaning your empty dryer, use liquid detergent, hot water, and a clean sponge to remove the chemical residue that clings to the filter and restricts airflow.
Let Us Help You
Part of home appliance care is to make sure repairs are taken care of when issues arise. Our customer service doesn’t stop at the purchase, delivery and/or installation of a major household appliance. If a fix is needed, you can rest assured our specially trained service technicians are readily available to handle your appliance service needs, whether in or out of warranty.
If you have any questions regarding appliance maintenance—or any of our top-rated products—be sure to contact your friends in the business at Spencer’s TV & Appliance. We are proud to have served the Phoenix area for over 47 years. Call or visit any of our 10 locations today!