How Do You “Maintenance” an Appliance?

You might be surprised just how effective regular cleanings can be at improving the efficiency and longevity of your appliances. Here are some examples.

Garbage disposals . Allowing food and grease to build up in your garbage disposal can impair the movement of the blades and eventually even wear out the motor. There are a number of home remedies for cleaning your garbage disposal, including grinding ice or citrus peels to clean the blades and clearing the drain line with a mixture of baking soda, vinegar, and hot water.

Washers and dryers . Everyone knows that dryers have lint traps that must be cleaned between each use, but did you know that many washers have lint traps as well? If the lint traps are not cleaned regularly, lint can end up clogging pipes and blowers, which may eventually cause your machine to stop working. In dryers, excess lint can even lead to fire.

Dishwashers . Obviously, if you want your dishwasher to sanitize your dishes, the unit itself must be kept clean and free of mold or mildew. Additionally, you should take care to keep the drain area regulator and water level float clean. A jammed water level float can prevent the dishwasher from filling with enough water to properly wash the dishes, while a clogged drain can prevent dirty water from draining completely before the rinse cycle.

Refrigerators . Refrigerators and freezers use condenser coils to keep their chambers cold. When these coils become dirty or the fan serving them becomes clogged, your appliance’s cooling ability will decrease dramatically, require more time and power to reach low temperatures. You can keep your condenser coils functioning their best by routinely vacuuming the fan and condenser coils with a hose attachment to remove lint, dust, and pet hair.

As appliances age, parts will fail, no matter how clean you keep them. In many cases, a parts failure can cause quite a bit of damage. For example, a burst hose on your washing machine could flood your laundry room, and a cracked refrigerator seal could cause all your food to spoil. To prevent such disasters, you should consider having your appliances serviced regularly. That way, a technician can catch potential problems before a parts failure occurs.