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Mr. Appliance Blog: Appliance Cleaning tips that can prevent the need for repairs

It’s easy to take your kitchen and laundry room appliances for granted, but if you neglect them, you might end up with a premature appliance repair on your hands. Fortunately, a little cleaning goes a long way.

It’s easy to take your kitchen and laundry room appliances for granted, but if you neglect them, you might end up with a premature appliance repair on your hands. Fortunately, a little cleaning goes a long way. Here’s how to maintain some of the major appliances in your home to help prevent repairs in the future.

Refrigerator & Freezer Cleaning Tips to Avoid Repair

  • Clean the refrigerator coils: This is the most important maintenance tip for avoiding fridge and freezer repairs. Over time, the coils collect dirt, hair, grease, grime, and other debris that reduces refrigeration efficiency and eventually causes the appliance to overheat and break down. To access the coils, remove the grill from the bottom or back of the fridge, depending on your appliance’s design. Then, vacuum the coils with the brush attachment to remove any buildup.
  • Clean the door gasket: A grimy gasket creates air leaks in the door seal, causing the fridge to run longer and wear out sooner. Over time, the gasket may become so grimy that it glues the door shut, causing the gasket to tear when you yank the door open. To clean the refrigerator door gasket, simply wipe it with a damp sponge. Avoid using detergents, which can damage the gasket.

Dishwasher Cleaning Tips to Avoid Repair

  • Clean dishes before loading them: Some dishwashers advertise the ability to clean even the grimiest dishes, but food particles can gum up moving parts and become stuck in crevices. Rinsing away food particles first helps prolong the appliance’s life.
  • Use a dishwasher cleaning product: Every three to six months, run an empty cycle with a dishwasher cleaner to remove calcium deposits. This prevents the sprayer arm from becoming clogged, so you don’t have to worry about repairing it prematurely.
  • Clean the dishwasher screen: Some models have a filtering screen under the bottom spray arm. Clean this regularly to prevent trapped food particles from degrading into a sludge that blocks water flow and eventually requires a repair to get your dishwasher working again.

Microwave Cleaning Tips to Avoid Repair

  • Clean the inside to remove food particles: Splatters on the inside of the microwave seem harmless, but over time, they can turn rock-hard and even burn the walls of this small appliance. Clean out the microwave with all-purpose cleaner regularly to prevent the need for premature repairs and replacement.

Stove & Oven Cleaning Tips to Avoid Repair

  • Don’t place aluminum foil on the bottom of the oven: You might think this trick makes future appliance cleaning easier, but it can block airflow and interfere with the heating element, which can cause oven failure or make recalibration necessary. Instead, just stay on top of regular oven cleaning to keep the inside looking good.
  • Clean knobs and switches carefully: If you usually spray the controls directly with a household cleaner, break this habit. The liquid could get behind the knobs and switches and short out the control panel. Instead, spray a rag with liquid cleaner and then rub the controls to prevent shorting.

Dryer Cleaning Tips to Avoid Repair

  • Clean the lint filter: A clogged dryer lint filter makes your clothes dry slowly and forces the appliance to work harder. If the thermal fuse blows, you’ll need to schedule appliance repair. Prevent this by cleaning the filter before every load.

Call Mr. Appliance® When You Need Appliance Repair

Even the best appliance cleaning routine can’t stop all repairs. When your laundry room appliances or kitchen appliances need a little TLC, let Mr. Appliance handle the job. Give us a call today to schedule the services you need!





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