Home Appliance Maintenance: How to Service Your Washer & Other Essential Appliances

Home appliances are lifesavers when it comes to daily household chores. They help you work faster and generally make your life easier. But without proper maintenance they’re bound to malfunction.

This article will show you how to maintain your home appliances and prevent unexpected breakdowns!

How to Maintain Home Appliances 

Knowing where to start is the first step to maintaining your home appliances. We’ve made a list of some major home appliances and how you can maintain them.

1. Washer

Washers are essential appliances in many households, and a sudden breakdown can be a huge inconvenience. Issues may arise from little things like overusing detergents or a general lack of servicing. 

Here are some tips for maintaining your washer: 

• Do not leave heavy stuff on the top of the washer.
• If the washer does not have an automatic detergent dispenser, avoid adding too much detergent for each wash
• Arrange to clean your washing machine regularly — the exterior part, the filter, and the detergent drawer. 
• Clean the washer’s gasket weekly. The gasket is that rubber seal at the door of your washing machine.
• Operate your washer only as directed in the manual. 

2. Refrigerator

No one wants to come home to a hot refrigerator. Your refrigerator needs care to stay cool. To maintain your refrigerator;

• Clean up food spills as soon as you notice them.
• Do not leave spoilt food in the fridge.
• Ensure that your fridge is at the proper temperature. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends 40°F (4°C) or below.
• Use a soft, small brush to clean the door seal once a month. After cleaning, ensure that you fix it back in place tightly.
• Clean the condenser coils at least once a year to remove dust buildup.

3. Whole House Water Filter

Whole house water filters are excellent at providing clean water. But without maintenance, sediments tend to pile up on the main filter and reduce their effectiveness. Here’s how you can stop this from happening:

• Clean the filter system: Cleaning the filter system helps you clear off sediments. Remove the filter housing and take out the cartridge, then rinse the filter housing thoroughly. After rinsing, put the cartridge back into the housing and soak in an acid solution (preferably muriatic or oxalic acid). After about 15 minutes, remove the filter from the solution and rinse with clean water. Since a whole house water filter also transports drinking water, ensure that you rinse thoroughly to prevent drinking water with chemicals. Finally, assemble the components back together after they’ve dried. 
• Change the filter cartridge: To keep your whole house filter in good condition, change the filter cartridge when due. Filter cartridges have a life span, and they will not work effectively once that time has elapsed. Most filter systems also have a control unit that displays when the filter needs replacement. Replacement needs vary from filter to filter.  
• Shut off the water system: If you will not be in your home for some time (say a month), it’s best to turn off your main water supply valve. This will prevent water from running through the filter without use. 
• Routine check: Make routine checks on the filter system to correct minor issues. Pay attention to the O-rings and ensure that there are no leaks. 

Some whole house water filter systems are easier to maintain than others. The SpringWell whole house filter is easy to use and requires minimum maintenance. If you use a reverse osmosis system, ensure that you get professional help to have it serviced at least once a year. 

4. Dishwasher

Like every other home appliance, your dishwasher needs maintenance. Here’s how you can keep it in good shape for a long time: 

• Arrange to clean the dishwasher at least once a month, paying special attention to tiny spaces like between the door seal.
• Clean the dishwasher filter weekly. 
• Ensure that you use your dishwasher at least once a week.

5. Water Heater 

Water heaters make hot water available to you whenever you need it. An average water heater can last up to 12 years with proper maintenance. To keep your water heater running: 

• Do a quick drain service twice a year. Drain out the water in the heater to release particles that may have settled in, then refill with clean water. 
• Check the temperature-pressure relief valve every six months. Replace the valve if sediment buildup prevents it from releasing water when you open it. 
• Set the heater thermostat to 120°.

6. Microwave

The microwave only asks that you clean it regularly. Clean the outside to remove dust buildup and the inside to remove food spills and other residues. 

Here are other things to keep in mind:

• Ensure that the microwave door is closed each time you use it. 
• Use only containers marked ‘microwave safe’ for reheating food in your microwave. Metal containers are a no-no. 

7. Cooker

Whether it’s a gas or electric cooker, these tips are important for maintaining your cooker: 

• Clean the cooker’s surface every day to remove food spills.
• Use mild cleansing solutions. Regular dish soap is enough to clean your cooker.
• Avoid scrubbing with a hard sponge or brush. Use soft materials only.
• Deep clean your cooker at least twice a year.

8. Sinks and Faucets 

Faucets (or taps) deliver water to specific places in your home, and they are mostly accompanied by sinks to accommodate the water. 

They make it easier to fetch drinking water, wash hands, or do the dishes depending on their location at home. You can maintain your sinks and faucets by cleaning them daily using a damp cloth and cleanser. Other important things to do are: 

• Softening your water. Using hard water will leave mineral deposits on sinks, discoloring them in no time. 
• Clean faucet aerators once or twice a year. 
• Cleaning the sink drain with a non-abrasive cleaner.

Living without home appliances is unimaginable — we cannot do without many of them. If you don’t want to spend lots of cash on replacements, maintain your appliances with the simple steps highlighted above. Whether it’s a washer, filter, heater, or microwave, regular cleaning is crucial to maintaining your home appliances!