I spoke with a friend yesterday who told me that before she saw my Facebook post on cleaning dishwasher filters (below is the before-and-after), she wasn’t aware that dishwashers had filters or that they needed to be cleaned periodically. However, recently, she noticed a terrible smell coming from her dishwasher. Having an older model, she couldn’t find anything to twist or pop off to locate her filter. Her husband unscrewed a panel that was screwed in, and, sure enough, she found a giant clump of hair, old food particles, and slimy gunk.
Most of us didn’t grow up being taught that each appliance we own has a filter that needs to be cleaned. I know I didn’t! In fact, since becoming a house cleaner, I taught my mother how to locate and clean her own dishwasher’s filter.
So, what else needs periodic cleaning (besides your clothes dryer – I think we all know about that one)? Your clothes washer, your toaster, your refrigerator, your vacuum cleaner – really, pick an appliance, and it probably needs some love every now and then. Refer to your user manual or an online guide to find the filters and crevices of your individual appliance. Some, like my friend’s old dishwasher, are unique, and it’s better to refer to a manual than end up with a broken appliance!
What if you’ve lived your entire life without this knowledge and things are going fine? Congratulations! However, regular cleaning of your appliances will ensure you get the longest life possible out of your purchase. Cleaning will also keep away mysterious smells (like my friend had in her dishwasher). Cleaning will prevent fires (hi, dryer lint). Cleaning will ensure that the water cleaning your dishes and clothes is actually…clean!
Click the link for Affresh Dishwasher Cleaning tablets – I love these to keep the dishwasher stench at bay! They’re so easy to use and safe for your appliance.
Do you have any crazy appliance filter stories? Maybe your clothes smelled like mildew every time you washed them? Maybe your vacuum hose got so clogged, it burned out the engine? Drop them below!
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