Pesach is an ideal time to
do some routine maintenance on your appliances.
But keep in mind - cleaning with excessive amounts of water can damage your appliances. You're best off with a damp cloth and non-abrasive cleanser. USE, DON'T ABUSE.
Fridge: Clean the condenser coils (usually located underneath or behind the fridge), either with a vacuum or a special condenser brush.
If the fridge has a removable drip tray, now is a good time to rinse it out
Clean the gaskets with a cotton swab. If the gasket is sticky a little soapy water will clean it
Washer: Clean the water inlet filters. Clean the lint filter if the machine has one. Clean the build-up inside the machine by running a load with a vinegar solution
Dryer: Clean the vent pipe. If the vent pipe is falling apart, now is the ideal to replace it. If you can, clean out lint build-up inside the dryer with a vacuum
Stove: Remember, stoves are very often complicated electronic mechanisms. Excessive water can damage the electronics. As well, parts such as burners, etc were not designed to sit in water and corrosion can result
If your stove/oven is gas, be extra cautious when cleaning
Always disconnect the electricity before cleaning with water
Careful not to scrub away painted surfaces and markings
Natural Oven Cleaner Recipe:
Oven cleaning stinks. It is time consuming and the chemicals that are used in most conventional oven cleaners are toxic! Try switching to cleaning with more natural methods…
This tip is so easy, cheap and natural! Natural Oven Cleaning:
Your oven occasionally (or regularly) gets burnt on food on the bottom, splattered food on the sides, or dried food stuck on the rack. Self cleaning causes heavy wear & tear on the oven. (Many ovens experience problems after using the self-cleaning cycle, as the high heat may cause fuses or elements to burn out more quickly. There are also some concerns about substances released into the air from the high heat of the self cleaning cycle.) Many of the oven cleaning products contain ingredients that you don't want around the food you're cooking for your family.
Baking Soda Natural Oven Cleaning: Though it seems like a simple fix, baking soda is really effective and makes the daunting task of oven cleaning a little easier. To get a shining oven is spray the whole oven down with a water bottle so that it is damp, and pour on a thick layer or baking soda, especially on the bottom, until there is about 1/4 inch layer of baking soda paste on the bottom. If any of the baking soda is still dry, I mist it with the water bottle. Then, leave the baking soda there for a few hours (with the oven off, unless you want to see some amateur special effects… NOT RECOMMENDED!) After a few hours simply wipe up the paste with a cloth and all the grime comes with it. For really baked on grime, this may take a couple applications, but it always works and it is 100% natural! It's important to make sure that the baking soda residue has been completely removed before using the oven as any remaining baking soda may smoke if left in contact with the heating element.
Avi Goldstein is the Manager of Goldstein & Berger Ltd. American Appliance specialists in Jerusalem.
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