Because so many holidays are celebrated during the winter, your appliances, such as your stove, your dishwasher, your garbage disposal, and even your fridge, get quite a workout. One of the most disheartening things to happen is if one of them dies when you’re in the middle of a holiday party. The good news is that there are simple and easy things you can do to help your appliances work reliably throughout the season.
Have the Oven Clean Itself
If your oven has a self-clean function, now is the time to use it. How it does this is simple. When you put it on self-clean mode the oven locks its door and heats up to over 800 degrees for between 90 minutes and three hours. The heat reduces spills to ash which you can then easily wipe away. The door will unlock after the cleaning cycle is over. Make sure to read your owner’s manual to have your oven self-clean safely.
Clean Your Stove’s Exhaust Filter
The exhaust filter in the vent hood above your stove can get filthy in a short period of time if you cook regularly. Remove the filters and then soak them in a bath of vinegar, baking soda, and hot water. Rinse them, dry them, and then put them back.
Check the Oven Temperature
The temperature of your oven can be off by a surprising amount, and this can affect the outcome of a meal for the worse. Few things are more embarrassing than a Christmas turkey that’s half done even though you thought you were following the directions on how to cook it. Hang an oven thermometer on the middle rack and then preheat the oven to a temperature such as 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Let it sit for at least 20 minutes and read the thermometer. You may need to do this for one and a half to two hours, checking the thermometer at 20-minute intervals. Write down the thermometer temperatures then divide their sum by the number of readings. The final result should be around the temperature you set the oven to.
Clean the Dishwasher
Pour about a cup of white vinegar in a Pyrex bowl, and then run your dishwasher on the hot water cycle. Afterwards, sprinkle about a third of a cup of baking soda around the edges of the appliance and turn on the hot water cycle again. This leaves the dishwasher sparkling clean.
Learn More About How to Care for Your Appliances in Winter
These and other easy maintenance tips can help your appliances survive the busy winter season. They’ll also give you peace of mind. For more tips, don’t hesitate to call our appliance service experts at JS Appliance Repair Service of Orlando.
