The sun is shining, the plants are blooming, and it’s warm out: spring is here! Which means time for spring cleaning. You’ve dusted and have reorganized clutter, but don’t forget to give your home appliances a much needed spring cleaning too…especially if you last deep cleaned your oven or stove around holiday season.
Here are some helpful tricks and tips that will not only make your appliances squeaky clean, but will help them run more efficiently too. And for whenever your appliances need repairs, reach out to us at 970.773.1000, or visit our site here to schedule an appointment.
Stove Cleaning Tips
With every meal you cook on your stove, there’s bound to be grime left behind. Left uncleaned, the accumulating residue negatively affects how well your stove heats up food, and can shorten the lifespan of the appliance. Before cleaning, always make sure your stove top and oven are off and are completely cool. If your stove or oven needs repair, click here to schedule an appointment.
Use Hot Water, White Vinegar, Baking Soda, etc.
Conventional stove tops (those with coils) are notorious for grime buildup. To clean, here are several methods: remove the coils and scrub them with hot water, salt and baking soda, or with baking soda or lemon. The latter method is especially great for removing gunk off the glass surface of your stove.
Soak Drip Pans
Remove the drip pans under the coils and soak in hot water and soap, or apply traditional oven cleaner: seal up the drip pans in plastic bags and leave overnight. In the morning, give the drip pans a thorough rinse and wash with hot water and soap, before re-installing them back onto the stove top.
Use a Single-Edged Scraper for Tough Buildup
Glass stove tops are popular as they’re easier to clean, but as with any stove top, especially tough buildup can still occur. If cleaning solutions such as baking soda and lemon did not work, use a single-edged scraper, available at hardware stores, to remove grime. Soak the problem area first, then gently begin scraping away at the gunk, positioning the blade at a 30-40 degree angle. Wipe the glass cooktop once the debris is removed.
Oven Cleaning Hacks
If your oven has a self cleaning setting, be sure to use it. If not, a basic solution of water and vinegar is a great non-chemical way to clean the oven’s interior. As always, be sure the oven is off and completely cool when cleaning.
Soak Knobs in Warm Water
While you’ll clean the inside of an oven, don’t forget the oven knobs, as these are likely to be greasy. Remove and soak in warm water and soap, dry, and place them back.
Soak Oven Racks in the Bathtub
Oven racks are often neglected in cleaning due to their awkward size and shape. To clean, soak them in the bathtub. First, line the tub with towels to prevent scratching. Fill with water, fully submerge the oven racks, then drop in a dishwashing tablet. Ideally, let soak overnight. Remove, rinse, and dry with a cloth, then place back in oven. Don’t forget to rinse the tub.
Refrigerator Cleaning Tricks
Even if you’re always on top of throwing out old and expired food, fridges can still get grimy from crumbs,and from Tupperware and other items being pushed to the far back. To get a deep clean, first remove everything from the fridge, and then clean section by section.
Remove and Soak Any Shelves
If you can do so, remove any shelves within the fridge, such as crisper drawers. You might be surprised at the amount grime that gets hidden behind any drawers. Soak with water and soap, give them a thorough scrubbing, let dry, and place back once the fridge’s inside is cleaned.
Spray the Inside with a Water and Vinegar Solution
Spray down soiled areas and let soak, then use a cloth to wipe down. Pay special attention to the bottom of the fridge, usually where crisper drawers sit, as grime often accumulates there.
Swap Out Ice to Remove Odor
Ice can absorb smells from nearby food, so if your fridge and freezer are smelling funky, throw out any ice. For a pleasant smelling fridge, place a piece of crumpled newspaper on each shelf, and apply a drop of vanilla extract.