3 TRICKS TO MAINTAIN YOUR FRIDGE

The fridge is likely the mostly used appliance in the kitchen beside the fact that it is also the largest energy consumer. Are you afraid that it is on the fritz? Is it running smoothly? Properly maintaining g your fridge will not only reduce your energy consumption but it will also extend its life span giving you those years of service you deserve. So what should you be doing to ensure your fridge stays longer and works perfectly? Here are three simple tricks to help you prevent fridge breakdown and also keep it at its best. With these tricks, fridge meltdown can be avoided even before it happens;

1. Keep The Interior Clean

Every week, use a piece of cloth damped in warm water to remove and wipe down any spills and crumbs from the wall and shelves. Make the job easier by using an all purpose cleaner as they remove sticky spills and stains a lot faster. Use the cleaner to also wipe down the handles and the door. To ensure that the interior remains clean also, use airtight containers to pack food in the fridge. These containers do not only keep the food fresh but also seals in odors ensuring that the fridge smells fresh and clean. In case an item is loosely packaged or are likely to leak, place the item on a plate prior to putting in the fridge. For units that are made of stainless steel, there are special cleaning solutions and wipes particularity designed to wipe off fingerprint marks and dirt. Perhaps a point to note when wiping, follow the pattern or grain of the stainless steel to ensure thorough cleaning.

2. Clean The Gasket- Rubber Door Seal Or Replace It When Needed

The rubber seal that outlines the freezer and refrigerator door is what is known as the gasket. The gasket is an important part of a fridge as without it warm air would be getting into the fridge.It is often the overlooked part when cleaning the fridge. Periodically clean it using a universal cleaner. The gasket also with time can wear out and its ability to keep out warm air reduces. This is a common occurrence,however when this happens warm air would be entering the freezer or refrigerator interfering with the overall fridge’s cooling mechanism. As a result more energy will be used which in turn will raise your power bills. The good news is gaskets aren’t expensive and are easy to replace hence consider replacing them whenever needed.

3. Defrost

It is always good to defrost your fridge once in a while. For manual defrost freezers/refrigerators, clear all the food from both the compartments, unplug the fridge or turn off the thermostat to let all the frost melt. After all the frost has melted down completely, turn the thermostat on or plug in the fridge, wait till the operating temperature has been reached then restock it. Do this every time you notice your fridge’s walls have been thickened with frost to up to one and half inch. For self-defrosting freezers/refrigerators, you do not need to do anything. After every 6-8 hours, your fridge will automatically heat up slighlty melting all the build up frost. The resulting water will drain at the bottom. Even though the drained water evaporates, it is advisable to clean the bottom periodically to prevent bacterial growth and bad oduors. Use warm water and some detergent to clean. A fridge that runs properly not only saves you money on your energy consumption but also saves you energy and time that you would have otherwise used to repair it in case it were to develop any complication due to lack of proper maintenance. Keep your fridge running efficiently and smoothly with these three Fridge Repair Winnipeg tricks!