Our appliances do a lot of work for us, including cleaning our clothes and dishes. Did you know that even those cleaning appliances need a good cleaning themselves from time to time? Know what to clean and how often with this handy guide to cleaning appliances.
Washing Machine
Your washing machine can build up bacteria like e. coli and viruses like rotavirus and norovirus so it’s important to clean your washing machine to prevent spreading this bacteria through your clothes. Cleaning this appliance is easy! Run an empty cycle on the hottest setting and add a cup of bleach about once a week, depending on how often you do laundry.
Dishwasher
Mold and fungi tend to grow in the seals of your dishwasher. Wipe down the seals weekly with a disinfecting wipe or mild bleach solution (1 part bleach to 9 parts water). To clean the inside, run a cycle on the hottest temperature with a cup of baking soda and a cup of vinegar inside. This will disinfect and deodorize your dishwasher.
Refrigerator
Your refrigerator should be wiped down and sanitized inside weekly. Many foods can harbor dangerous listeria including veggies, cold cuts, eggs, cheeses, processed meats like hot dogs and more. It’s important to sanitize weekly to prevent other foods from picking up this harmful bacteria. The handle of your fridge should be wiped down daily with a disinfecting wipe to keep germs from building up.
Stove
Clean the top of your stove after each use. Give the front of your stove a wipe down weekly. The oven should be cleaned about every three months, depending on how often you use it. To clean the oven, remove the racks and run the self-cleaning feature. Once the self-cleaning cycle is done, dirt and grime should wipe away easily with a damp cloth or sponge.
Microwave
The germiest part of your microwave is the handle. Clean down the handle with a disinfecting wipe after each use to keep it from building up germs. Clean the inside as soon as there are splatters or debris inside your microwave. A simple way to clean it is to cut up a lemon and put it in a microwaveable dish with four cups of water. Run the microwave until it boils, about three to five minutes. The steam will loosen any stuck on gunk and you can wipe it away with a damp cloth or sponge.
Humidifier
Your humidifier can harbor dangerous legionella bacteria. It’s important to clean humidifiers once a week with a soapy bleach solution and scrub with a brush to kill any germs and rinse thoroughly.
Our appliances do so much for us – reheat our food, keep our food cold, wash our clothes and so much more. Keep your appliances working great and germ free with this guide to cleaning appliances. You’ll have a cleaner home and your appliances will do their best job for you.
