Life without home appliances is unimaginable as they make the daily tasks a breeze. Just think how challenging running your home may become without your refrigerator, dishwasher, and washer and dryer. Your refrigerator enables you to store supplies and semi-cooked meals, making it easy to feed your family every day. Likewise, a dishwasher saves you loads of time and effort for scrubbing the dirty dishes. Your washer and dryer ensure clean and fresh clothes for your family. 

Investing in these essential appliances makes life easy, even if you have to spend a bit on them. Not surprisingly, American homeowners are more than willing to have the latest ones for their homes. While you want your appliances to last forever, they have a definite lifespan just like any machine or device. Being regular with their maintenance and care is crucial, but you can do more to extend the lifespan of your home appliances. Here are some expert tips to make them last for years. 

Deep clean your refrigerator from inside 

Regular cleaning of your fridge and freezer requires a lot of work. You have to invest in frequent deep cleaning to keep the appliance running like new. Shut the refrigerator off every month and remove its shelves. Apply a cleaning solution to its inner walls and shelves. Rinse with water and wipe with a clean cloth. Let the fridge and freezer dry before putting back the shelves and turning them on again. Remember to remove the leftovers and expired items from the refrigerator every week. Leaving them behind can lead to the growth of bacteria in the fridge. You may even notice a foul odor inside the appliance.

Clean from the outside

Besides regular deep cleaning of the interior, keep the refrigerator clean from the outside as well. Give attention to the condenser coils because they cannot cool off properly when dirt accumulates in them. The food may rot inside due to improper cooling. Even worse, you may end up with big energy bills as the fridge has to work harder to maintain its temperature. Cleaning the condenser coils is easy, so make sure you do it regularly. Turn the device off and clean the coils with a damp cloth with soap. You can also use a condenser coil brush to remove the dirt and deposits. 

Defrost Your Freezer

When it comes to prolonging the lifespan of your refrigerator, the freezer deserves extra attention. You have to do a tad more for an older model that is not frost-free. You will have to defrost it thoroughly at least a couple of times a year. If it seems to have more than half an inch of frost, defrost right away. Switch the appliance off to melt the frost naturally. You use a plastic or wooden scraper to remove the frost altogether. But remember not to use knives and other sharp tools as they can ruin your freezer. 

Invest in regular maintenance and timely repair

It is easy to overlook the regular maintenance of your home appliances until you encounter a problem. However, preventive maintenance and timely repair can save you from massive expenses and replacement costs. American homeowners are more conscious these days, as they want to maintain their devices to make them last. If you are in Reston, find reston appliance repair specialists you can rely on. You will not have to deal with the last-minute hassles if a device breaks down unexpectedly. Likewise, you can call them for regular maintenance checks to extend the life of your expensive appliances. 

Be kind to your dishwasher

A dishwasher can be a savior in the kitchen as it saves time for everyday washing and eliminates stress when guests are around. But you must be kind to your dishwasher to prolong its life. Load it properly and ensure nothing sticks out or jams the door. Careless loading can damage the appliance and lead to expensive repairs. Scraping off the plates before putting them in the dishwasher is also a good idea. Food debris can stress out your machine and clog its pumps. Be vigilant about large bits of food before loading the dishes. You need not rinse them, only clearing away excess food or sauce is enough. 

Avoid overloading your washing machine

Just like your dishwasher, your washing machine deserves all the kindness you can give. It is tempting to put in an entire load of dirty clothes at once, but steer clear of the habit. Filling the machine past the fill line exerts strain on the machine. The motor, tub bearings, and all other parts have to work harder to run. While you may not encounter a problem immediately, the practice shortens the life of your machine. Moreover, your clothes will not be as clean as possible. Be sure to check the owner’s manual instructions and load accordingly. Watch out for banging sounds as they indicate overloading. 

Ensure a good circulation of the dryer

A dryer makes life a lot easier in the cold and wet weather when you cannot depend on the sun to dry your clothes. It dries them up in minutes, and you need not worry about the mess of laundry in your house. But you have to ensure good circulation to make it last. Your dryer has to work harder if you neglect to change its lint screen. It can overheat the appliance and potentially cause a fire. Annual cleaning of the exhaust system is another good way to extend its life. Moreover, it prevents clogging and maintains good performance over the years. 

Home appliances enable you to do your daily tasks easily, so you must do your bit to keep them performing well. Moreover, it prolongs the life of these appliances and saves you from the expense and trouble of replacing them. Thankfully, you need to take only some simple measures to keep your devices running optimally. Follow this simple checklist and call experts when there is a problem. Never overlook minor issues because they can lead to major problems before you imagine.