Tuesday, May 26, 2015

10 DIY Maintenence Tips : Part 2

We all have that fear. Your washing machine breaks in the middle of a cycle, flooding your laundry room. Your refrigerator shuts down after you just restocked with groceries. Or your oven stops working just before a large holiday meal. What many people don't realize is that these and other major appliance malfunctions can be avoided with just a little TLC.
There are simple appliance maintenance tasks that you can do on your own, with little investment (time or money) and no prior experience. Here are the last five of ten easy DIY tips for maintaining your appliances.

6. Fix rusty dish rack tines. Rust on the tines of your dishwasher racks can adhere to and ruin your dishes and silverware. To solve this issue, purchase a tine repair kit, and use a sealant to adhere the replacement tips over any rusty or chipped tines. Let dry for at least 24 hours before running the dishwasher.

7. Clean and deodorize your garbage disposal. Turn the disposal off and look down the drain for any large, stuck items. Use tongs or another tool--not your hands--to remove blockages. Pour a mixture of ice cubes and salt, or vinegar down the drain. Run cold water over it for 10 seconds, and turn on the unit. To remove odors, place a handful of citrus peels in the disposal, run cold water, and turn it on.

8. Clean your dryer exhaust. Lint in the dryer exhaust not only reduces appliance efficiency, it is a fire hazard. To clean, loosen the clamp and pull the exhaust off the back of the dryer. Remove large clumps of lint from the tubing and the hole in the back with your hands, or if you can't reach, gently scrape with a straightened coat hanger. Vacuum and reattach.

9. Inspect washing machine hoses. Most washing machine floods are caused by leaks in the hose. Check the hoses that connect to the back panel on your washing machine for any cracks, leaks, or weak spots on the hoses. If you find any deformities, replace the hose. And at minimum, replace the hoses every five years.


10. Clean your air conditioner filter. Clogged or dirty filters restrict air flow, reducing energy efficiency as well as the appliance's lifespan. As a result, filters should be cleaned every two to four weeks. To clean the filter, remove the front panel of the unit. If a reusable filter is in place, vacuum it to remove as much dirt as possible. Disposable filters can simply be replaced.

Follow these quick and easy repair tips to keep your appliances running like new.

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

10 DIY Maintenance Tips : Part 1

We all have that fear. Your washing machine breaks in the middle of a cycle, flooding your laundry room. Your refrigerator shuts down after you just restocked with groceries. Or your oven stops working just before a large holiday meal. What many people don't realize is that these and other major appliance malfunctions can be avoided with just a little TLC.
There are simple appliance maintenance tasks that you can do on your own, with little investment (time or money) and no prior experience. Here are the first five of ten easy DIY tips for maintaining your appliances.
1. Verify your oven door has a tight seal. Without a proper seal, your oven can lose more than 20 percent of its heat. The result is that food takes longer to cook or cooks unevenly. To check the seal's condition, open the oven door and locate the rubber or fiberglass gasket around the perimeter of the door. Feel for any broken, torn, or deformed areas, and close the door to see if you can find any leaks. If you do, replace the seal.

2. Clean or replace dirty range hood or downdraft vent filters. Wash metal-mesh grease filters by hand in soapy water, or run them through the dishwasher. Charcoal or paper filters should not be washed. Replace them instead.

3. Clean stove-top drip bowls. Remove drip bowls from underneath your burner elements and pre-soak them in a cleaning solution for five minutes. Then hand wash and replace. Remember to clean drip bowls immediately after spills. If spills burn into the bowls, you might need to replace them.

4. Clean coils in your refrigerator. Dirt, dust, and pet hair can clog up refrigerator coils, restricting air flow and causing the refrigerator to work harder to keep cool. Once or twice a year, use a handheld vacuum to clean the coils and suck up any loose particles. The location of refrigerator coils varies by model, but most can be found either behind the kick plate (the front panel near the floor) or at the rear of the fridge.


5. Change your refrigerator water filterFilters that don't efficiently remove contaminants and impurities could expose you to harmful water. Instructions for changing the filter vary by model, but most are as easy as turning the filter a quarter inch and popping it out or locking it in place. Perform this simple task every three to six months, depending on water usage.


Follow these quick and easy repair tips to keep your appliances running like new. Stay tuned for the rest of the list on our next blog post. 

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

15 Dishwashing Mistakes You are Probably Making


1.Washing them by hand

            Dirty dishes need hot water (140 degrees, much hotter than you can stand to touch) to be sanitized. Most dishwashers are also more efficient, using less water than you would to soak, scrub and rinse each dish by hand. So if you've got a dishwasher, USE IT.

2. Pre-scrubbing too much

            Rinsing away big, dried-on chunks is one thing. Scrubbing the plate spotless before you put it in the rack is another. Dishwashing detergent "needs somewhere to go — and if your dishes are free of gunk, the enzymes in the soap will just whirl around the inside of the dishwasher," explains Care2. "Over time, this can damage your dishes."

3. Using the wrong detergent

            Did you know that liquid dish washing detergent can clog up dishwasher parts and pipes? It's also likely to leave a film on your dishes even after the cycle is complete. For best results, use powdered detergent but don't use too much.

4. Use homemade detergents

            Homemade detergents are all the rage, and though they've got fewer chemicals and can save you money, they should be used with caution. Depending on what’s in your recipe, leave a white film on dishes, damage your dishwasher and/or dishes, and void your dishwasher's warranty.

5. Loading up knives, graters, and peelers

            Too many rounds in the dishwasher, and these utensils will become dull and useless. Washing them by hand after each use will help them keep their edge.

6. Overloading the racks     
    
            It can be tempting to show off your Tetris skills, but filling every nook and cranny of the dishwasher is usually a shortcut to rewashing. Try to work with the rack spacing, not against it, and you'll get better results.

7. Not facing bowls towards the waterjets

            Bowls always go on the top rack. Those in the rear should face forward; those in front should face the backward, so water can get in and do its job.

8. Running the dishwasher half full

            You may just want the dirty dishes out of your face. But running a dishwasher half full just wastes water and puts your dishes as risk of breakage because there's too much room for things to fly around.

9. Putting the wrong things on the bottom rack

            If you drink out of it, it should never end up on the bottom shelf of your dishwasher. Same thing goes for any plastic storage containers. The only thing on the bottom shelf should be pots, pans, large bowls, and sturdy plates.

10. Washing things that aren’t “dishwasher safe”

            "Wood splits and cracks when exposed to dishwasher temperatures, humidity, and water. Delicate glassware can break in a dishwasher, making for a big mess to clean up. Some metals like cast-iron and copper are not meant to be washed in the dishwasher and can become damaged as well as cause damage to other dishes," explains About.com. Basically, if it doesn't say "dishwasher safe" it's not.

11. Leaving knife points up

            Doing this is a surefire way to stab yourself when unloading the dishwasher later. Think safety first, and always load your sharp knives point down.

12. Putting glasses over the tines on the top rack

            Just getting them on the top rack isn't enough. "Glasses should go on the top rack between the tines, not over them, so they don’t rattle or come out with tine marks," explains Real Simple.

13. Not cleaning the dishwasher itself

            Despite using soap and hot water all the time, dishwashers can still get dirty. And a dirty dishwasher is going to do a crappy job of cleaning your dishes. A simple solution of baking soda and vinegar will fix things right up.

14. Forgetting about the food trap


            What's that? You have no idea what I'm talking about? The food trap is located under the spray arm at the bottom of your dishwasher, and it needs to be checked and cleaned at least once a week.


15. Separating your silverware

            Sorting forks, knives, and spoons into their own separate compartments might soothe your inner love of organization, but it's not the best way to get clean cutlery. Spoons and forks should be mixed together, with some placed business-end up, some down, to keep them from nesting. Butter knives should be blade side down (just like all your other knives).

Happy dish-washing!

Tuesday, May 5, 2015

The Organized Fridge


An organized fridge is important when trying to extend the life of your food.
Here's a handy little graph that will help you out!


1). Keep Your Cool
Set the temperature to 40°F (5°C) or below - any warmer and you risk growing harmful food bacteria.

2). Are Your Drawers Humid?
Check humidity settings on produce crispers and deli drawers. Each needs to be the correct setting to maintain optimal freshness.

3). Love Your Leftovers
Store leftovers for up to 4 days in clear glass containers. Seeing what foods are left over helps you eat them sooner.

4). Never Mix
Don't mix fruits, vegetables, and meat in the same crisper - contamination leads to spoilage and food waste.

5). Door Prize
Don't place your milk or quick-to-expire perishables in your fridge doors where temperatures can fluctuate. Store milk in a safe zone, on a middle shelf.

6). Bottoms Up
Store raw meat and seafood on the bottom shelf to prevent drips from contaminating food below. Wrap meat products properly.

7). Declutter Crowds
Air needs to circulate around food to keep it cool. An overly crowded fridge can create warm or cold spots, which leads to spoilage.

8). Keep it Whole
Don't slice food until you're ready to consume it, unless you're freezing all of it. Chopped meat, fruit, and vegetables spoil faster than whole items.

9). Fridge Rotation
Before every grocery trip, move older foods hiding in the back of your fridge forward - you'll see what's in stock.

10). Keep It Clean
Wipe spills and messes when they're new to keep your fridge clean and tidy. Remove expired items to save space for fresh leftovers and foods you'll want to eat.