We rely on our appliances each and every day. From the trusty dishwasher that prevents you needing to spend hours at the kitchen sink, to your fridge and freezer that allows you to visit the grocery store once a week and enjoy your favorite treats anytime, our appliances are designed to make our lives easier. Unfortunately, many people neglect their appliances with the assumption that they will simply keep running. In fact, you can extend the lifespan of your appliances and potentially save yourself some costly repair bills by following this essential appliance maintenance checklist.

Check Hoses for Damage

Any water using appliance including your dishwasher and washing machine will be hooked up to your plumbing system with hoses. These hoses not only supply clean water for the wash cycle, but carry away dirty water safely from your kitchen or laundry room. Unfortunately, these hoses can be vulnerable to cracking over time, particularly if your appliance moves during a wash cycle or you move it to clean around and under it. So, it is a good idea to periodically check your hoses to see if they have become brittle, look like they are about to crack or have already become damaged. If you do see any signs of damage, you’ll need to replace the hoses, but this is a simple task; you can buy replacement hoses online or from your local hardware store.

Be on the lookout for musty smells under your kitchen sink or around your laundry room, as this may be an indication of a cracked hose that is very slowly leaking. The smell may be due to mildew or rotten wood where the water has caused damage.

Deodorize Your Dishwasher

Dishwashers can quickly become coated with grime and grease from your dirty dishes, particularly if you often run it while operating a lot of other appliances. If your water heater is inefficient or small, a member of your family is taking a bath, and you’re doing a load of laundry while you’re running your dishwasher, the water may not be hot enough. So, to keep your dishes sparkling clean and freshen up the smell of your dishwasher, you’ll need to deodorize it periodically.

It is possible to purchase dishwasher cleaning products, but you can achieve the same effect by putting two cups of white vinegar in your dishwasher once a month. Place the vinegar in a dishwasher safe bowl in one of the racks and run a hot cycle.

Clean Your Dishwasher Drain Basket

Another cause of a smelly dishwasher and dirty dishes is a dirty drain basket. The drain basket is located in the bottom of the dishwasher, and it is designed to catch bits of food debris that are too big to be washed down the drain. Each month, check the drain basket for clogged debris and empty it. You can use an old toothbrush to clean the mesh before rinsing in hot water and vinegar.

Clean Your Garbage Disposal

Many of us put things down a garbage disposal and give it very little more thought. While your disposal may be efficient at grinding up food waste, but it is inevitable that traces will linger, resulting in bad smells. Cleaning your garbage disposal is a relatively simple task that will only take a few minutes, but it can make a massive difference.

Pour a cup of baking soda into the drain and follow it with a cup of white vinegar. This will start bubbling, so leave it for a minute or two before running hot water down the drain. After a minute, switch to cold water and put a cup of ice down the disposal. This will help to clear any stubborn particles that may be stuck on the blades.

If you’re unsure your appliances can cope with your everyday needs and are thinking about upgrading, you can explore your options with our online collection of premium home appliances, or speak to a home appliance expert for a more specialist service.