Caring for appliances and other handy gadgets.
Appliances, both large and small, can cost a homeowner a pretty penny. When you are investing money in appliances around the house, you want to make sure they last and stay clean.
The Lawhead Team would like to share some tips to keeping your appliances clean and help you save money in the long run. Happy Home Improvement!
If your home is like most, it’s filled with appliances. From big workhorses like washers and dryers to small conveniences like blenders and toasters, modern machines do our dirty work so we can have time for leisure and enjoying the finer things in life.
But these handy time-savers can end up wasting time — and money — if they’re not properly cared for. Here are some hints for keeping your appliances in top condition. Follow them to extend the life of your appliance and improve its performance.
To keep appliances shiny, wipe them with lukewarm sudsy water. Rinse with clear water and dry with a soft cloth to remove water spots. Apply a creamy appliance wax twice a year (more often if you really have that kind of time).
Handy Gadgets
- A soft cloth moistened with rubbing alcohol is all that is needed to keep the chrome on your appliances shiny.
- It is easy to get rust off of kitchen chrome. Just wrap your finger in aluminum foil, shiny side out, and rub until the rust disappears. Then wipe with a damp cloth and dry.
Stovetop and Oven
- To keep your range top looking new, wipe after each use, BEFORE the cooktop cools off. Grease and grime will come off more easily.
- To adjust your oven’s temperature control, pull off the knob and look on its underside. Loosen the screw and adjust the disk. A notch usually represents 10 degrees.
Microwave
- Never use metal tools to clean your microwave oven. They can cause serious damage.
- To deodorize the microwave, wipe the walls down with a solution of 4 tablespoons baking soda to one quart of warm water.
Refrigerator
- To get rid of that sticky greasy dust on top of the refrigerator, clean with a commercial heavy duty all-purpose cleaner. Let the cleaner sit on the fridge for a while. Wipe clean and follow with a coating of appliance wax to make cleanup easier the next time.
- Fixing a sagging door on a refrigerator is not too difficult. Loosen the hinge screws at the top of the door using a nut driver. Lift the door into position and tighten the screws again.
- To remove permanent marker from the front of your fridge use lighter fluid. Clean thoroughly and rinse completely.
Coffee Maker
- If you use a drip coffeemaker regularly you need to clean it regularly, too. Run a cycle using equal parts water and white vinegar. To rinse, run a cycle or two with clean water.
Blender
- Cleaning your blender is a snap when you partly fill it with warm water and a capful of hand-dishwashing liquid. Churn for a few seconds then rinse and let air dry.
- If your blender has a push button that doesn’t work, get a can of cleaner from an appliance parts store. With the blender unplugged, spray a little cleaner on each side of the button and let it seep in. Then press the button a few times.
Garbage Disposal
- Here is an oldie, but a goodie…eliminate odor from your garbage disposal by feeding it lemon, orange, or grapefruit rinds.
Toaster
- Blowing compressed air into the toaster is the best way to clean it thoroughly.
Dishwasher
- Yellow or brown stains inside your dishwasher indicate a high iron content in your water. To remove the stains, let the washer fill, add a half cup of citrus acid crystals and finish the cycle.
- If there is a chalky deposit in your dishwasher use one cup of white vinegar instead of the citrus acid crystals.
Washer & Dryer
- Regular use of a washing machine can cause it to become unlevel. To check if the machine is level, let it fill halfway and stop it. The water should be even with a row of holes. If it is not, you can level it the same way you do a refrigerator.
- If clothes are coming out of the washer torn or snagged wrap a stocking around your hand and run it inside the wash tub. When you find the sharp edge or rough spot, smooth it with fine sandpaper.
- To prevent buildup in the dryer’s vent duct, clean in thoroughly once a year. Remove it and shake it out. Then push through a wadded up rag. Reseal the joints with new duct tape when you reattach the hose.
Mixer
- If the beaters on your hand mixer are tough to remove, put a drop of light household oil in each beater’s sleeve.
Iron
- If your steam iron isn’t steaming there is probably a mineral deposits in the vent holes. Solve this problem by sticking a straightened paper clip into each hole (when the iron is cool and not plugged in).
- Do not use regular tap water in the iron; catch rain water or defrost the ice crystals in your freezer instead.
