Take care of your fridge and it won’t leave you!
Maintain your refrigerator to save money on energy. Proper maintenance will also allow you to extend the life of your refrigerator, so you won’t have to spend money on an appliance replacement.
We tend to think of the fridge as a useful fixture in our kitchens that will always be there when we need it. But a refrigerator is an appliance, like any other, that needs regular care to keep it running smoothly. You wouldn’t let your car go for years without any maintenance would you? While a refrigerator is not quite as complicated as a car, it does require some attention now and then.
Here are some simple tips to help you care for your refrigerator.
One of the most important things you can do for your refrigerator is to clean it regularly. I’m not talking about cleaning out the left overs before they can become science experiments, although that is important, too. The cleaning that will make the most impact of the life of your refrigerator and its energy usage needs to be done outside of the refrigerator.
Unplug it and have someone help you turn it around or move it away from the wall. Please be careful, and always have a helper. You don’t want it to tip and fall on you!
Brush and vacuum the coils. You will be amazed at how much dust collects here. This step should be done every six months or so. With clean coils, your fridge won’t have to work so hard.
Check the gaskets, those pieces of rubber that line the door or doors of your refrigerator. Here is a quick tip: Place a dollar bill against the door seal and close the door. Then pull on the dollar. If it comes out easily, then you need to replace the door gasket. You can get a new gasket from most appliance and home improvement stores.
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Happy National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day!