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  • Cleaning Appliances
  • From "DIY Home Repair & Remodeling"
    episode DIR-145
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    Figure A

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    Figure B

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    Figure C

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    Oven cleaner also does a good job of removing tar and pitch from circular-saw blades.

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    Figure D

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    Figure E

    Keep your household appliances clean to keep them from breaking down.

    Start by cleaning your washing machine. First, clean out the area underneath the lid with a damp cloth (figure A). If your bleach-dispenser cup (figure B) is removable, take it out to clean it. Otherwise, clean it as deeply as you can; you may want to use a pipe cleaner. Clean the molded area of the washing machine door with a toothbrush.

    Always clean the lint filter on your dryer before drying a load of clothes (figure C). If the filter is full, it'll take longer to dry your clothes and use more energy. If lint gets stuck on the filter, wash it off with soap and water. If the exhaust hose on your dryer fills up with lint, clean or replace it.

    You can conserve energy by keeping the coils on your refrigerator clean. On older models the coils are in back; on newer models the coils are underneath the refrigerator. Clean the outside of your refrigerator with a mild solution of ammonia and water. You can slow the buildup of dust on the surface by applying furniture polish.

    Clean the exterior of your stove with soap and water. Clean the interior with an oven cleaner.

    Television screens generate a lot of static electricity, which attracts dust. You can reduce the static on your TV screen by wiping it with a fabric-softener sheet (figure D).

    Keep your computer keyboard in good working order by cleaning it with canned air (figure E). Canned air is also good for cleaning stereo components and other electronics.

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