Appliance Tips

Basic maintenance and service info to help your home appliances last longer

Washers
Dryers
Ranges
Microwave Ovens
Refrigerators
Dishwashers

check water hoses periodically for weakness or bulging & replace if necessary. "no burst" stainless hoses are available
if easily accessible, turn taps off when not in use & when on vacation
try not to "over soap" the wash load - it can lead to problems, odours, and scum build-up inside the machine (our local water is relatively soft so we need less than the recommended amount of detergent)
all detergents work better with warmer water - when your fabrics allow it, use warm or hot water
remember, front-loader machines require "HE" grade low sudsing detergents - if you can see lots of suds you are probably using too much
front-loader washers - clean and dry the rubber door seal after each use to prevent smells and mildew from forming

clean lint screen after every load & periodically wash the screen to avoid clogging
ensure your dryer vent to the exterior is clear, as short & straight as possible and not kinked or crushed
periodic disassembly of machine is advised to clean out lint build-up

when pre-heating the oven, let the heat cycle on and off at least 2-3 times or approx. 20 minutes to achieve more accurate temperatures
avoid putting aluminum foil under the oven element - this can shorten its life
can you see any abnormally bright spots on the element? this could mean a burn-out is imminent

keep the interior & door seal area as clean as possible - grease and spillage can lead to arcing damage in the cavity
keep the cooling vents clean and free of dust

the condenser coils should be vacuumed clean - either behind the kickplate or at the rear wall of the fridge about twice per year - this helps the fridge run more efficiently
most refrigerators run best with their controls set around mid-range
keep the door gaskets & sealing face of your fridge clean with warm soapy water - sticky build-up can cause gaskets to tear
the freezer should be kept at least half full of food to maintain even temperatures

for best results, use a good quality detergent - all detergents will work better with hotter water - use the water heating cycle & run hot water to the sink before starting the machine
do not pre-wash dishes by hand, just scrape solids off the plates
a periodic cleaning/maintenance cycle will help keep interior and filters clean - with your dishwasher empty, run a full cycle with citric acid crystals in the soap compartment



									Appliance Tips Basic maintenance and service info to help your home appliances last longer Washers Dryers Ranges Microwave Ovens Refrigerators Dishwashers check water hoses periodically for weakness or bulging & replace if necessary. "no burst" stainless hoses are available if easily accessible, turn taps off when not in use & when on vacation try not to "over soap" the wash load - it can lead to problems, odours, and scum build-up inside the machine (our local water is relatively soft so we need less than the recommended amount of detergent) all detergents work better with warmer water - when your fabrics allow it, use warm or hot water remember, front-loader machines require "HE" grade low sudsing detergents - if you can see lots of suds you are probably using too much front-loader washers - clean and dry the rubber door seal after each use to prevent smells and mildew from forming clean lint screen after every load & periodically wash the screen to avoid clogging ensure your dryer vent to the exterior is clear, as short & straight as possible and not kinked or crushed periodic disassembly of machine is advised to clean out lint build-up when pre-heating the oven, let the heat cycle on and off at least 2-3 times or approx. 20 minutes to achieve more accurate temperatures avoid putting aluminum foil under the oven element - this can shorten its life can you see any abnormally bright spots on the element? this could mean a burn-out is imminent keep the interior & door seal area as clean as possible - grease and spillage can lead to arcing damage in the cavity keep the cooling vents clean and free of dust the condenser coils should be vacuumed clean - either behind the kickplate or at the rear wall of the fridge about twice per year - this helps the fridge run more efficiently most refrigerators run best with their controls set around mid-range keep the door gaskets & sealing face of your fridge clean with warm soapy water - sticky build-up can cause gaskets to tear the freezer should be kept at least half full of food to maintain even temperatures for best results, use a good quality detergent - all detergents will work better with hotter water - use the water heating cycle & run hot water to the sink before starting the machine do not pre-wash dishes by hand, just scrape solids off the plates a periodic cleaning/maintenance cycle will help keep interior and filters clean - with your dishwasher empty, run a full cycle with citric acid crystals in the soap compartment