When you purchase a new car, there is a good chance that you work hard to maintain it. You take it for regularly scheduled oil changes, rotate the tires, replace filters as needed, wash it, wax it, you name it. After all, you invested in your car and you want to make sure it remains reliable for years to come, right? Well, you invested quite a bit into your kitchen appliances, too. They may seem less needy than your new car, but that doesn’t mean they don’t need to be cared for, too. In fact, maintaining your appliances regularly can reduce the chance of having major appliance issues down the road, resulting in hefty repairs or the need for replacement. Take the time to routinely care for your appliances now and rest assured that your appliances will be around for a long time. Not sure where to start? Check out these 10 kitchen appliance maintenance tips: Refrigerator 1. Test Your Gasket. The rubber gasket that lines your refrigerator and freezer doors all the way around is there to make sure that the cold air stays in and the warm air stays out. Unfortunately, over time, though, these gaskets can lose their effectiveness, causing cold air to seep out – and resulting in your refrigerator to have to work harder. Place a dollar bill half in and half out of the refrigerator. Shut the door. Then, try to pull out the dollar. If you can’t, your gasket has a stronghold. If you can, you may need to replace this gasket. Make sure you try at various spots along the seal. 2. Clean Your Gasket. Again, because the gasket works as a seal to keep your refrigerator and freezer running properly, you want to make sure they are clean and free from debris. Why? Because even the smallest crumbs and other gunk that find their way into these grooves can cause the air leak out and the fridge to work at a less-than-optimal rate. 3. Clean Your Coils. Pull out your refrigerator so that you can access the back of it. Using a vacuum attachment, clean the coils to remove the dust and debris that has found its way onto your coils. As you return your refrigerator to its regular position, make sure to leave an inch or two of space for airflow. Range 4. Clean Your Drip Pans Regularly. Most stoves run into issues when food spills or drips and is allowed to bake onto the surface. Over time, this build-up can lead to more catastrophic damage. Remove your drip pans regularly and clean them with a de-greaser. For those that have a thick layer of baked-on drippings, soak these in hot, soapy water before using the de-greaser. As you replace the drip pans, review the burner terminals for signs of corrosion. Replace, if necessary. 5. Oven Cleaning. Just as the drippings can affect the functionality of the stove, it can also damage the oven. As it bakes, food often boils up and over the edges of your pans. And, it finds its way onto the racks, heating element, and the bottom of the oven itself. As you bake, so does this debris. Over time, it gets tougher to be able to remove. Clean your oven out regularly – and wipe up spills and overflows after they happen. 6. Check the Oven Gasket. Like the refrigerator, the oven door has a gasket that works to keep the heat in. Be sure to clean this gasket as food droppings, crumbs, and other debris can find their way into the grooves and resulting in a less-than-perfect sealed-tight oven. Keep your heat in by ensuring that your oven seal fits appropriately. Dishwasher 7. Check the Seal. Your dishwasher also has a seal around it to keep your kitchen and surrounding areas dry as your dishes get washed. The last thing you’d want is water pouring out of your dishwasher, flooding your kitchen. Therefore, regularly inspect and wipe down this seal so that it remains healthily intact and free from debris. 8. Look for Clogs. Pieces of food debris that remain on your dishes will find its ways off as the dishwasher works its magic. But, as the debris falls, it doesn’t always end up where intended. Every now and then a piece of food may fall into the spray arm, causing the water to halt. To make sure you are getting the cleanest from your dishwasher, check this spray arm routinely to make sure it is free and clear from any debris. Bonus Tip: Keep your dishwasher smelling fresh inside by washing once per week with 1 cup of vinegar inside the dishwasher. Toss it in an empty dishwasher, start it, and go. Microwave 9. Keep it Clean. It is easy to push aside your microwave when cleaning your kitchen – especially since it is often only used for convenience. But, nonetheless, it gets dirty. And, the more you use the microwave, the more and more this debris gets cooked onto the surface. To regularly clean your microwave, add water and a few lemon slices to a coffee mug or microwave-safe bowl. Heat it up in the microwave for about 5 minutes. Carefully remove. The steam created from this makes it a cinch to wipe down the inside of your microwave with a soft towel. And the lemon keeps it fresh! Range Hood 10. Clean Your Filters. The filters in your range hood are what keeps it working properly. But, when it is full of debris, grease, and so forth, the filter can’t do its job. Remove it and clean it routinely so that you can be sure you are only breathing the cleanest air in your kitchen. Whether you realize it or not, your kitchen appliances are there for you every day – making your life easier. By taking a few extra steps every now and then to ensure they are healthy and in working order, you are taking care of your investment so that they will be there for you for many years to come.
