How to Maintain Your Kitchen Appliances

You put a lot of effort into choosing your kitchen appliances, as well as a significant financial investment. Once you have installed the kitchen you love, it’s important to clean and maintain your appliances so that they’ll work properly for years.

The first step is to check the user’s manual when you bring a new appliance home, to determine the manufacturer’s recommendations for cleaning and maintenance. Some basic steps, however, will help keep any kitchen up and running.

Microwave Oven: It’s easy to forget about this kitchen workhorse, or to keep the outside clean without noticing that dirt is building up on the inside. On a regular basis, remove the glass tray from inside your microwave and wash it either by hand or in your dishwasher. Wipe the interior of the oven with a mild all-purpose cleaner. If dirt is stubborn, Pennywiseguides.com suggests that you place a microwave safe bowl containing 1 cup of water and ¼ cup of vinegar inside the microwave oven, and then boil it for 2-3 minutes. Then, before opening the oven, turn it off and leave the bowl inside for 15 minutes with the door closed. Once you remove the bowl, built-up dirt should be easier to wipe off.

Refrigerator: Your refrigerator was an expensive purchase, and you’ll want to be sure that it lasts and works properly, and remains as energy efficient as possible. Take these steps on a regular basis:

• Clean the condenser coils. Dusty condenser coils force a refrigerator to work harder, and make it less efficient. Use a vacuum or broom to remove dust from the coils every three months (monthly if you have pets). Depending on the model, coils are usually located behind or underneath the refrigerator. Coils located underneath can be accessed by removing the grill at the bottom front of the fridge. Pull the unit out from the wall to access coils located behind. When you buy your refrigerator from Atherton Appliance & Kitchens or BSC Culinary, we can point the coils out to you.
• Clean the drain hole and drip pan. Most refrigerators have a drain hole and drip pan to remove condensation. Your owner’s manual will include instructions for removing food particles and mineral deposits from the drain hole and scrubbing out the drain pan.
• Check and clean the gaskets. Gaskets on the refrigerator and freezer doors seal cool air in and keep warm air out. Check periodically for any spots that are cracked or otherwise damaged. One good test is to shut a dollar bill in the door, and see if you can pull it out easily (the seal should create resistance). You can clean the gasket with an all-purpose cleaner and then wipe dry. Replace any damaged gaskets.
• Change the water filter. If your refrigerator has an ice maker or water dispenser, it probably has a water filter that needs to be changed regularly. Check your owner’s manual for instructions on how, and how often, to replace your filter.
• Make sure your refrigerator is level. A refrigerator that is not level might not seal as tightly as it should when closed. You can use a carpenter’s level to check.

Dishwasher: You might think your dishwasher cleans itself whenever you wash a load of dishes. In fact, there are steps you should take on a regular basis to keep your dishwasher clean. eHow.com suggests that you check your dishwasher for scale, rust, mold, discoloration and food stains. Check your user manual to determine if your dishwasher has a filter that needs regular cleaning. For mold issues, add one tablespoon of bleach after emptying the contents of the dishwasher, and run a full cycle. This will remove any mold built up and leave your appliance sparkling clean. If discoloration and scale are a problem, add one half container of Orange Tang Drink Mix. The citric acid in the mixture helps to loosen up the hard water deposits as it removes and cleans the scale. Run a regular cycle.

To do an overall cleaning, place a coffee cup filled with vinegar in the dishwashing rack and run a full cycle. This is one of the easiest techniques for cleaning a dishwasher and preventing mineral deposits, and it works well as preventive care. You can also use baking soda.

Stovetop, Range, and Oven: Because there are such a wide variety of kitchen stovetops, ranges, and ovens, it’s important to check your user manual to determine the best way to clean and maintain the one you have chosen. Electric stovetops require different maintenance than gas stovetops, for example, and some ovens include self-cleaning options. One basic tip is to clean your stovetop after every use to prevent the build-up of dirt and oils that can prevent your appliance from operating properly. Because commercial oven cleaners are highly toxic, hometips.com recommends leaving a glass bowl with half a cup of ammonia standing in the oven overnight. Then wipe the walls clean with paper towels or newspapers.

Coffeemaker: Cleaning your coffeemaker regularly will not only protect your appliance, it will safeguard the taste of your coffee. eHow.com recommends that you mix one part white vinegar to two parts water in a full pot, and pour it into the reservoir of your coffee maker. Run the solution through, and then let the coffeemaker cool for 15-20 minutes. Clean the pot and then run two pots of cold water through the machine to rinse out the vinegar-water solution.

If you have smaller kitchen appliances, check the user manuals for care and maintenance instructions. Having clean, well-maintained appliances will help you maintain an efficient, long-lasting kitchen.