Tips for Periodic Appliance Checkups
Maintaining Your Major AppliancesHere are some tips to maintaining, cleaning, and inspecting your washing machine and clothes dryer. You can save time and money by following this advice, and avoid breakdowns, or hazardous situations.Washing Machine It's a good idea to periodically check and replace the fill hoses on your washing machine. If you have rubber hoses, you should consider replacing them with braided stainless steel hoses. It is recommended that you replace your washer hoses every 3-5 years. While you are back there, take a look at the electrical connection. The plug needs to be firmly in place, the cord connection to the washer should have a restraint, and should not evidence any corrosion or burn marks. Also, you should periodically clean the inside of your outer washer tub. Whirlpool makes a cleaner called Affresh for this purpose. There are also a variety of home remedies including using combinations of bleach, vinegar, and/or baking soda. You can discover these cleaning remedies online, or just look on the aisles of your grocery store for washer cleaning products. If you have a front loading washer, pay special attention to cleaning the front gasket, especially at the bottom where it's possible for moisture to settle and mold to grow.Automatic DryerMake a habit of cleaning the lint filter in your dryer once a week. It's also very important to regularly clean the dryer vent. If you're lucky you'll have a short direct vent pipe to the outside that you can clean with a vacuum