TIPS TO MAKE A NEW YEAR’S APPLIANCE CLEANING ROUTINE
The holidays are fun but they do make your appliances work overtime.
Whether you hosted only a few friends or had a big turkey dinner with your extended family, it may be likely that you did a lot more cooking and cleaning than you did in November. This means that your appliances also had to work a lot harder. There is no better time than the new year to give your appliances a proper and thorough cleaning.
Most people clean the exterior of their dishwasher and their cooktop but tend to stop there. The reality is you need an appliance care product to really clean your appliances and to make sure they are performing as intended. This way, they’ll be ready to tackle everyday duties and your next big family dinner.
Start With Kitchen Appliance Care
First, assess your kitchen as it is often the dirtiest area of any home. Its surfaces regularly come in contact with food, hands and utensils. These surfaces attract a lot of germs and are often the starting point for grease and other substances to travel around your home. After the holidays, your kitchen appliances most likely need a lot of cleaning and care.
Once January hits, it’s a good time to deep clean your range, dishwasher, and the areas around these appliances. Affresh® products get the job done while caring for the appliances you rely upon every day. Routine appliance cleaning and care can help keep your appliances looking and working like new.
Cleaning Tips for Ranges and Cooktops
The holidays can take a lot of out of your range and/or cooktop. Most traditional holiday recipes require these appliances and can leave behind sticky residues, stubborn grease and tough baked-on stains.
You will most likely need a sponge and stove cleaner, and be prepared for some soaking to remove dried-on foods.
Read More: How to Clean a Glass Stove
Most modern ovens are equipped with a self-cleaning option. This feature or mode utilizes high heat or steam to loosen or lift cooked-on residue from the bottom of your oven’s interior. This is incredibly useful as it means you don’t have to use any elbow grease or spend a lot of time scrubbing.
Once the cleaning cycle is done, all you have to do is wait for the oven to completely cool down and then just wipe away any ash that remains.
CLEANING TIPS FOR REFRIGERATORS
A refrigerator really makes you work hard to clean it, but it’s worth it. In every home, the fridge is vulnerable to germs on the inside and outside surfaces. Since you use it to store leftovers, fruits, vegetables, dairy, and other perishable items, you should regularly and thoroughly clean it. Many experts recommend cleaning it every 3 to 4 months.
Each refrigerator is different but the process to deep clean one is pretty much the same:
• Shut off your refrigerator’s power
• Remove all food items and place them in coolers so that nothing spoils.
• Remove each shelf
• Wash each shelf in warm, soapy water and then dry it completely
• Carefully wipe clean the rubber seal around the interior of the fridge’s door
• Wipe clean each inside wall and the floor with warm, soapy water
• Replace your refrigerator’s water filter (if applicable)
• Return the clean shelves
• Plug the refrigerator back in
• Wipe clean the exterior to remove grime, fingerprints and stains using a microfiber cloth and soapy water or a specialized cleaner like a stainless steel appliance cleaner.
DISHWASHER CLEANING TIPS
Water, food residue, and detergent can gather in your dishwasher and this isn’t a good thing. During the holidays, you might up your dishwasher usage to multiple times per day.
While some dishwashers are built with self-cleaning functions, there’s a misconception that dishwashers simply clean themselves as they perform a wash cycle. This is not true. Over time, dishwashers can experience a buildup of bacteria, limescale, and various residues that can layer themselves on filters or deep inside crevices.
Most dishwashers need a manual clean but it’s also recommended to run a full cleaning cycle every month. Specialized dishwasher cleaning tablets are key for this appliance care process as they can help clear away limescale and mineral buildup that is the result of hard water.
Most importantly, these tablets will do the job whether or not you have dishes in your appliance. All you have to do is insert the tablet, and set your cleaning cycle. That’s it!
Read More: How to Clean a Dishwasher
Cleaning Routine for your Laundry Room
The holidays can do a number on your laundry room. Once the holidays are over, you should reassess and reorganize this area to make sure your favourite outfits are being cared for and properly stored. You should also take some time to clean your laundry appliances so you can help avoid odours, buildup, and more.
Cleaning Tips for Washing Machines
After washing all your dirty tablecloths, comforters, sheets, and clothes, your washer will definitely need a break.
Despite what you might have heard, washers are not self-cleaning. Both top load and front load washers should be cleaned monthly or every 30 cycles, whichever comes first.
A self-clean cycle along with bleach can disinfect your washing machine. Yet, most manufacturers recommend using washing machine cleaning tablets as part of your appliance care routine. These tablets are designed with time-release ingredients that are formulated to deep clean your laundry appliance. Lastly, don’t forget to wipe down the outside of the machine with a damp rag.
Read more: How to Clean Your Washer
Cleaning Tips for Dryers
For your dryer, start by cleaning its lint trap after every cycle. This is important as excessive dryer lint can impact your appliance’s ability to dry clothes while also being a serious fire hazard. You want to carefully clean your dryer vent (the metal tube that connects your dryer to the wall) every year.
If you can’t access your dryer vent, you should contact a professional.
Once the lint is removed, you should inspect both the lint screen and the dryer drum to see if there is any residue left from the fabric softener or dryer sheets. Both can result in a transparent film on dryer surfaces, so you need to wipe clean the inside of the dryer drum with a damp cloth and mild cleanser.
Make sure you leave the door open so that it can air dry. Once you’re done, wipe clean the outside of your dryer with warm water and a microfiber cloth or disposable machine cleaning wipes.
Add affresh® To Your Appliance Cleaning Routine
Keeping your appliances clean is a vital part of their routine maintenance. Affresh brand has a family of products that can help you keep your kitchen and laundry appliances looking great and performing as needed. Explore our appliance cleaners to find the right product for your needs.
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