An MOT for Your Appliances? Here’s What to Do…

 

 

An MOT for Your Appliances: Here’s What to Do…

From your coffee maker and the oven, to your fridge and the kitchen sink, you use your appliances more often than you think you do. In fact, it could probably be argued that you use them more than you do your car!

Cleaning and maintaining your appliances will preserve their lifespan – and your wallet, as replacing worn-down products can be pricey. Read on for our tips to make your appliances last for years.

Clean Often

To prevent the build-up of grime, food, and germs, clean your appliances at least weekly; for households larger than two people, and especially in homes with children, expect to clean more often.

Maybe you want to write off cleaning as a once-monthly, or even an annual event because you don’t have time, but not only can this be hazardous to your health, but it will chip away at your appliances’ lifespans. Why? Particularly for cooking appliances like microwaves or toasters, build-up of food can eventually become a fire hazard – and we’re sure you’re not keen on having a roaring fire in your kitchen.

Clean Well

What we think is clean sometimes isn’t! Food processors and blenders are culprits for shoddy cleaning jobs, since it can be difficult to really get under the blades to scrape off trapped food. We recommend taking the entire blender apart after use and scrubbing the inside with warm soapy water. Then, put everything back together, give the blender a run, and rinse the machine. Rinsing the blender while it runs ensures every hidden nook and cranny is reached.

Don’t Overload

This is mostly true for fridges. Overloading your fridge makes it harder for it to maintain a proper temperature, which can waste more energy, as well as money. To save on your electricity bills, vacuum the condenser coil of your fridge three to four times yearly; this will help your fridge stay colder. When it comes to dishwashers, overloading can prevent dishes from getting clean – and even if the dishes look clean, they may not always be that way. This isn’t so much a maintenance issue as it is a health issue, but still bear it in mind.

Check Inner Parts

It goes without saying that if the inner mechanisms of an appliance are broken, the appliance won’t work. By checking and fixing the inner parts of your appliances, you’re extending their lifespans. In gas ovens, check the rings regularly. A strong blue flame indicates a functioning range, while a yellow or orange flame means you need to clean the ring.

How do you keep your appliances looking and running like-new? Share with us in the comments below!

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Until next time…