A damaged home appliance such as a fridge or dishwasher is no good for anyone. Although it is important to clean your floors under these appliances, it is equally important to perform routine maintenance steps for longer service life. Here are a few tips to maintain your appliances in order to avoid any repair or replacement costs.

Range and Oven

Many if not all modern ovens come with a self-cleaning feature so use it exclusively and no other cleaning method. Contrarily, if your oven does not have this feature, use a manufacturer recommended cleanser for proper food safety. Apart from that, it is important to maintain hygiene by cleaning your stovetop regularly because baked on grease or food is unhygienic and can also become a fire hazard. If you use your cooking range extensively, it is important to inspect your exhaust filters at regular intervals, and use a vacuum attachment to clean the tight spaces behind your oven.

Refrigerator

Your refrigerator is equipped with special seals around the door aka gaskets, which if sticky or torn can let cool air escape and hot air in and damage your food. Use a cloth soaked in warm water combined with dish detergent to wipe down the gaskets, and then a towel to wipe them dry. Next ensure the refrigerator door closes tightly, and if it doesn’t you may need to adjust the latch or replace the gasket. With regards to the interior of the fridge, wash the drawers and racks with a food safe cleanser at least once a month. The condenser coils located at the bottom of the refrigerator need attention as well so use a vacuum cleaner attachment to clean them at least twice annually for pet hair or another types of dirt.

Dishwasher

Dishwashers that are used frequently are often cleaner than ones that aren’t so if you don’t use yours often, you will have to wipe it down at least once a month. Dishwasher detergent works great to clean interior surfaces of dishwashers combined with a damp cloth or sponge. The plastic coating on a dish rack tine may wear away causing it to corrode or rust, which gradually may affect your dishes. If you notice this issue, use a manufacturer recommended vinyl repair kit or recoat the tines to prevent further wear and tear.

The small holes in the arms or spray arm of your dishwasher may get clogged over time with paper; bits of food and even toothpicks so take the time to clean them periodically. Most dishwashers also have a filter that may need to be cleaned so check your owner’s manual for the right maintenance tips.

Dryer

If your dryer’s airflow is obstructed in any way, it could result in a potential fire hazard and can cause significant damage to your appliance. So it is vital to keep the filter lint-free before each time you use it. Wash it every couple months and get rid of any chemical residue that may impede airflow with detergent. Simultaneously, examine dryer exhaust duct lines, they should be metal, so if they are vinyl replace them with such to prevent fire hazards.

Washer

Research indicates that washing machine hose failures are one of them most common causes of damage in the home, they are estimated to result in $150 million in damages to North American homes each year. To reduce this damage, it is important to have your hoses inspected every couple years or so. If you notice any cracks or splits in the hoses, replace them immediately. But if you don’t notice any damage, consider replacing your hoses once every six years to prevent any risks.

It is extremely easy to replace washing machine hoses, but make sure you shut off any water supply before you do so. If you don’t have a shutoff near your washer, simply turn off the main valve and after replacing the hose, turn on the water supply and examine them for any leaks. You can buy washing machine hoses at your nearest home improvement stores for roughly $20.