Cleaning Tips to Help Prevent Repair Issues

Dishwasher Issues

• Scrape Your Dishes Fully Before Loading: In the past rinsing dishes was advisable to get a thorough clean, but these days sensor technology provides the optimum wash conditions without the hassle of rinsing. Unfortunately, this doesn’t mean that you can just throw your dishes into the dishwasher and hope for the best. Unless you scrape your dishes properly, food particles can become stuck in the crevices inside your dishwasher and start to gum up the works.
• Clean Your Dishwasher Regularly: How can you expect your dishes to be clean if they are being washed inside a dirty appliance. There are a number of cleaning products on the market, or you can make your own cleaning solution to address this issue. Regular cleaning not only keeps your dishwasher sanitized, but it can also remove any calcium deposits that could clog the sprayer arm. This is particularly important if you live in a hard water area, as scale can build-up around the heating element, forcing the machine to work harder for longer, compromising efficiency and encouraging a cascade failure.
• Clean Your Screen: Some dishwasher models have a filter screen located under the bottom spray arm. This is designed to trap any food particles, but without regular cleaning, these particles can degrade and create a sludge that will block water flow, eventually causing a repair problem.

Refrigerator Cleaning

• Clean the Coils: This is perhaps the most crucial maintenance tip to avoid refrigerator repairs. Refrigerator coils can collect hair, dirt, grease, and grime over time that reduces efficiency and will eventually cause overheating and breakdown. The coils can be accessed by removing the grill at the back or bottom of your unit. You can then use a brush attachment on your vacuum cleaner to remove any debris.
• Clean Your Door Gasket: The gasket around your refrigerator door is essential to create a seal, but if it gets grimy it can allow an air leak to develop. Even a minor air leak will force your refrigerator to run for longer and cause increased wear. If the gasket is especially grimy, it may cause the door to be glued shut, so when you pull the door open it tears. Cleaning is very simple; you just need to wipe with a damp cloth or sponge, avoiding detergents that could damage the gasket.

Ovens & Stoves

• Avoid Aluminum Foil: Many homeowners try to make cleaning easier by lining the bottom of their oven with aluminum foil. Unfortunately, this will block airflow and could interfere with the operation of the heating element. This creates a need for recalibration or even cause an oven failure. Instead, try to wipe down the oven cavity regularly to remove any spills before they bake solid.
• Carefully Clean Switches and Knobs: Although it can be tempting to spray detergent on your oven or stove controls, this is a bad habit that can create a repair issue. Liquid household cleaners can get behind the switches and knobs and short out your control panel. Instead, use a cloth sprayed with liquid cleaner and carefully clean to prevent any shorting.

Maintain Your Dryer

• Clean Your Lint Filter: A clogged filter can not only make your clothes dry more slowly, but it forces your dryer to work harder. If left unchecked, you could blow your thermal fuse, which means you’ll need to schedule an appliance repair. This can be easily prevented by cleaning your filter before each load.

There is a number of cleaning and maintenance tasks that can ensure your appliances work correctly and avoid repair issues developing. For practical advice and guidance, you can rely on a professional home appliance repair technician to help you.

For help with all your appliance maintenance and repair issues, be sure to speak to a professional appliance repair service.