Use And Care

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

Summer Can Be Tough on Your RefrigeratorThe kids are home from school. It's hot outside, and they're in and out of the refrigerator all day long. Why? The refrigerator has the same contents now that it did fifteen minutes ago. Then they keep the door open while they stare inside. What are they doing - taking inventory? When they finally close the door, teenagers seem to think they need to be especially forceful in slamming appliance doors shut. What does this mean for your refrigerator? Every time your refrigerator door is opened cold air goes out, and the interior temperature of the refrigerator goes up. Your refrigerator must run longer to reach and maintain the proper temperature. Repeated opening and closing of refrigerator doors, causes wear on the hinges and of course, the latch itself. It all adds up to more energy usage, more wear and tear, and shorter refrigerator life.What can you do?Set a good example yourself.Make rules. Set times that the kids aren't allowed in the kitchen, or at least not allowed in the fridge.Set out some fruit and snacks so they don't need to open the refrigerator.Here are some tips to maintaining your refrigerator in the summer: If your refrigerator has coils that need cleaning, be sure to keep them clean by brushing the dust off the coils. You may need a special brush to reach the coils. If so, visit your local appliance parts company, or order online from the refrigerator manufacturer. Many refrigerators have a

4 Fabrics to Keep Away From Fabric Softener Shared from Good Housekeeping Most of us think fabric softeners are good for ALL fabrics. Not so. Though we all know fabric softeners will...well, make fabrics soft. Perhaps, we're not aware that fabric softener should not be used on all materials. Here's a list from *Good Housekeeping: 1. Microfiber I just love microfiber, but I had no idea that using fabric softener when microfiber is in the wash could remove the effectiveness and the durability of the microfibers. 2. Athletic Sportswear Evidently, athletic gear frequently has "wicking technology" that will absorb sweat when you are exercising and help keep you cool. However, the coating that fabric softener leaves on your athletic wear will not allow "wicking" to occur, thus eliminating the absorption and cooling benefit of your athletic clothing. 3. Flame-Retardant Clothing Kids' sleepwear is required by law to be flame-resistant, but washing flame-resistant sleepwear with fabric softener actually makes them MORE flammable. 4. Towels How nice is it to dry off with a nice, warm soft towel? Nice, huh? But, when you use liquid fabric softener and dryer sheets, you'll be reducing the moisture absorption factor of terry cloth (and similar fluffy fabrics). Appreciate this content? Want to see more like this? Leave a comment below, and subscribe to this blog. For the best availability and lowest prices on major appliances and plumbing fixtures, contact Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center. *list is from GH, text is original.

Appliance Operation Tips from UAKCWe regularly use this blog to provide tips on how to save money on appliance purchases. See blogs below:Two Viking Range Events Will Save You MoneyLuxury Appliances on a BudgetHow to Get Free AppliancesHowever, today we're offering 5 tips on saving money on the operation of your appliances. Clean appliances operate more efficiently. A dirty gasket on your refrigerator can create air gaps and let cool air escape, causing the refrigerator to run more. Clogged up ports in your dishwasher spray arms make dishwasher run longer to get dishes clean. If possible run appliances during off peak hours to save on electricity. Many appliances have delay timers that allow users to set start and stop times. Use energy saving cycles. It's not enough just having a light wash, a vacation mode, or a cold water cycle on an appliance. In order to actually save energy/money appliance owners must select and utilize these cycles when appropriate. Clean filters regularly. Range hoods, dishwashers, refrigerators, and dryers, all may have filters that need to be either cleaned or replaced periodically so that they can operate properly and efficiently. Wash full loads in the dishwasher and washing machine. It takes as much water and electricity to run a complete cycle whether the appliance is full or half-full.Of course, when buying a new appliance from Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center (UAKC) look for an Energy Star appliance. An Energy Star dishwasher, for example, will use 41% less energy than the federal