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Operating Your Appliances |
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It’s important to take care of appliances in order to get the most use out of them. The following tips should help you use and care for household appliances and, hopefully, prevent any major damage to them.
Garbage Disposal: This appliance can be the greatest help during mealtime clean-up, but small mistakes can lead to pricey repairs. When using the disposal, run cold water and keep it running for 30 seconds after the grinding finishes to flush everything down the pipes; this helps drain all food, which if left, can cause odor. If odors develop, grinding lemon peels can help. Most small amounts of food waste can be put in the disposal, but the following items should never be put in:
• Non-food items
• Bones
• Coffee grounds
• Fruit pits or other hard to chop items
• Large chunks of vegetables (corn cobs/husks)
• GREASE. Instead of draining it, pour it into a container, refrigerate until solid and dispose of it in the trash
Another thing you should be mindful of is the amount of food you are putting into the disposal; you should add only about a cup of food at a time to allow for water to mix and dilute the solids.
Refrigerator: You should clean your refrigerator weekly or as spills occur. Make sure the gasket, which is the rubber seal around the door, is clean so as to keep cold air inside the refrigerator. Also, vacuuming the coils behind the appliance will help it run more efficiently.
Plumbing Problems: The rule of thumb with toilets is to not flush anything that didn’t come directly from your body besides toilet paper. Flushing absorbent materials (especially anything cotton-based) can lead to blockages and cause messy overflows. Never flush the following items:
• Diapers
• Sanitary napkins or tampons
• Cotton swabs and dental floss
• Paper towels
If the toilet clogs, you can use a plunger to try to unplug it. If you cannot solve the problem on your own, call a trusted plumber as soon as possible.
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