Keep your home appliances running smoothly with our top tips
Tuesday, 12 April 2011
Did you know that a dishwasher can save an average family up to three weeks at the kitchen sink every year? It might sound like a luxury item compared to other appliances, but for many time-pressed families the dishwasher is as essential to the running of their home as a washing machine or oven.
It makes sense to look after your machine so that you can ensure cleaner and more hygienic dishes. What's more, by taking care of your appliance you could save money on costly dishwasher repairs by preventing breakdowns from happening.
To ensure your kitchen runs smoothly, follow our top tips for a tip-top dishwasher:
1. Rinse excess food debris from crockery and cutlery under the kitchen tap before putting them in the dishwasher. This is especially important if you don't run the dishwasher every day, as it prevents unpleasant odours and stops food from drying on and becoming difficult to shift.
2. Don't load plastic items on the bottom rack as the heat of the water spraying up from the base of the dishwasher can damage them.
3. After every cycle, take the time to clean out the filters and any debris in the cutlery basket. Remove and rinse through. If they are blocked it will impair the machine's performance.
4. Check the water spray arm nozzles are free from blockages. If necessary remove the arms, using manufacturer's instructions, and rinse under running water.
5. Use a special dishwasher cleaner once a month to remove any grease and lime-scale deposits which can build up inside and reduce efficiency, especially if you have hard water.
6. To remove any black marks and mildew on the door seal, clean with a little bleach solution and a cloth.
7. Leave the machine door slightly ajar when not in use to allow the door seal to dry out and hinder the growth of bacteria.
8. Load plates and glasses so they aren't touching and put cutlery in the special basket, handles facing downwards. Make sure heavily soiled items are facing the source of the water spray.
9. Arrange sharp items so they are not likely to damage the door seal. Load sharp knives with the handles up.
10. You can buy dishwasher products separately or combined. The five, four and three in one tablets combine detergents, salts and rinse aid but the efficiency of these may vary in hard water areas. If your machine isn't performing as well as it should, dosing detergent, salt and rinse aid separately may be the answer. Check with the machine's manufacturers or ask an approved service engineer.
11. Don't always use the same high temperature programme. Get familiar with the delicates cycle, 50ºC - 55ºC or economy cycle programs instead. (But if you are using 3-in-1 tablets, check whether the eco-cycle is compatible with this).
12. If you are on Economy 7 electricity, you can set the machine to come on in the middle of the night when electricity is cheaper. If your dishwasher doesn't have an integral timer setting, buy a timer plug.
Remember, taking steps to care for your dishwasher on a daily basis could save you money in the long run by preventing unnecessary repairs.
Check your manufacturer's instructions if you are unsure how to operate your dishwasher. For example, if your dishwasher was made by Neff, make sure you refer to the Neff guidelines when using your machine, and always contact a Neff engineer if you think you do need any Neff repairs carried out.
Another seemingly luxury appliance is the tumble dryer, but statistics show that over 10 million houses in the UK use a tumble dryer on a regular basis. If you fall into this category, follow these tips to avoid costly dryer repairs:
1. Heat exchanger: It may be a time consuming and irritating task, but if you clean your heat exchanger the recommended 4 - 5 times a year, it will prevent it from getting blocked with fluff from your clothes. This is much easier - and cheaper, than arranging a professional dryer repair.
2. Water Reservoir: Each time you use your tumble dryer, ensure that you empty the water reservoir to ensure that it runs smoothly and efficiently. The less water held in your tumble dryer the better.
3. Lint Filters: These need to be changed every time you use your tumble dryer to ensure maximum efficiency.
By simply following these 3 key guidelines you should be able to protect your tumble dryer, and yourself, from costly dryer repairs.
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