When it comes to maintaining a home, many people will concur that the kitchen is one of the most difficult rooms to keep clean. This is usually because the abundance of food preparation and cooking can quickly cause a mess. Add a pile of unwashed plates to the equation and you have a bacteria hotspot!
Regularly cleaning your kitchen appliances is essential as it kills any bacteria that could potentially cause illness. Machines that store food, especially ovens, can become a breeding ground for harmful bugs so it’s essential to deep clean your appliances at least once a month.
In this guide, we’ve shared the four most popular kitchen appliances that should be cleaned regularly, along with some simple DIY tips that you can use to kill any bacteria within the machine:
How to clean a washing machine
Despite a washing machine being used to clean clothes, it does need some TLC itself – and regularly too. This is because the warm, wet environment encourages bacteria from your clothes to grow within the appliance and could be the reason for smelly post-wash clothes.
You can clean your washing machine at home by removing the detergent dispenser from the appliance and soaking it in warm, soapy water. After an hour or so, give it a good scrub with a clean cloth to remove any black residue which has been left behind.
You can also run a hot cycle and add a cup of white vinegar inside the unit to kill any bacteria within the drum. Once the cycle has completed, allow the inside to air-dry before using it again.
How to clean a dishwasher
You should also clean a dishwasher regularly to remove dirt, bacteria and leftover food that has collected within the appliance.
Remove the rack from your dishwasher and ensure that the drain is clear. Then, insert the same white vinegar solution inside the unit and run a hot cycle. When you hear the machine finish, empty the appliance and add a cup of baking soda to the bottom rack. Run the cycle for a second time and allow to air-dry to finish your deep clean.
How to clean a tumble dryer
Another kitchen appliance that you should clean regularly is the tumble dryer. Again, this can become a breeding ground for bacteria due to the hot environment, but cleaning can be started by emptying the lint filters.
You could also unscrew the back panel of the appliance and vacuum around this area to remove cotton from the clothes that has broken down. Before doing this, turn the tumble dryer off at the mains and allow the appliance time to cool.
How to clean an oven
Over time, stains inside an oven can be difficult to remove. This usually happens if the appliance isn’t cleaned regularly. However, these stains can be removed by adding a heat-proof bowl of water on the middle rack of the appliance and heating for 30 minutes.
The steam that is generated will loosen the stains meaning that when the oven cools, you’re able to use a damp cloth to get rid of the stubborn marks.
As you can see, you don’t have to spend hours cleaning your kitchen appliances. In fact, adopting a regular cleaning routine will limit the need to conduct a deep and thorough clean.
If you have cleaned your appliance but it’s still working ineffectively, it could signal a fault. In this case, you may need to contact an domestic appliance repairs specialist to inspect and make repairs, to be sure of a fully-efficient machine.