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How To Clean a Dishwasher
A dishwasher is something one uses on a daily basis. It is easy to just assume that since it cleans dishes, it will not get dirty. The opposite is true. You must check if your dishwasher is clean, and more so frequently, to make sure that you are not using dishes that are not suitable for your health.
Cleaning Your Dishwasher
Here’s how to clean a dishwasher. First of all, make sure that you have the proper cleaning agents. The most common one is baking soda and vinegar. Most people prefer this because it is cheap and readily available at any home marts. Mix an amount of baking soda with water and clean the sides of the dishwasher using a sponge. You can add a little vinegar to the baking soda to make it easier to remove the grease from the dishwasher.
Clean the Inside of the Dishwasher
The next step will be cleaning the inside of the dishwasher. To do this, you will need to remove the dish racks and clean them in the sink. Use vinegar and baking soda in this process too. Some little bits of food may be stuck in the racks. You can use a toothpick to get rid of those.
Since you have removed the dish racks, the spinning holes are left open. Clean this using water. Run the water through the holes so that you can flush out the food particles in the holes. If there are any remaining food particles, use a wooden stick to remove them. It is important to avoid using metallic objects to remove the particles because you can damage the holes.
The edges are usually left out when the dishes are being washed. As such, they may be covered in grease and feel sticky. Take a sponge or a damp cloth and dip it in a new mixture of vinegar and baking soda and clean the edges. Make sure that you rub the sponge or cloth repetitively until all the stickiness is gone.
Cleaning The Filter
After this is done, check the filter for any dirt. Clean this with running water to make sure that all the dirt gets out. You can also scrub it a little with a toothbrush to remove the stubborn dirt particles. Always remember to check the dishwasher for rust stains. There are specialized rust removers that you can buy for this purpose. Sometimes the rust may be on the dish racks. If the rust remover does not work, then it is important to replace the racks with new ones.
Cleaning the Base of the Dishwasher
The next step on how to clean a dishwasher is to clean the floor of the dishwasher. Food particles often accumulate around this area and may even begin to smell. Ensure that you check the filter for any particles left and clean them out. After you’ve done this, take a small brush and clean the base of the dishwasher.
When this is done you can put all the parts back and run hot water to finalize the cleaning process. You can wash all the parts of the dishwasher with hot water that has lemon in it to give it a good scent.
Electric Stove Repair - Troubleshooting Guide
If you are in need of electric stove repair, this troubleshooting guide should help you. Review these common problems and the likely causes.
Why is my electric stove not turning on?
You may be experiencing problems with getting electricity to it. This could be caused by the unit not being plugged in properly or at all.
If you have just moved into a place, the outlet may not be working. It is also possible at any time that the circuit breaker was tripped or that you have a blown fuse.
Why aren't my coils heating up?
If the lights on your range work or one or more of the coils is working properly, you have a different problem than if you are not seeing any part of the unit turning on.
You may have an internal ignition switch that is faulty.
The coil element itself may not be plugged in properly. This can cause a loose connection or none at all. Something may also be stuck between the element and the stove.
It is possible that the burner has been damaged. If something heavy was dropped on it or something cold came in contact with it while it was hot, it could have caused it to break even if there are no visible signs of damage.
If you have not used this burner before, it is also possible that the element used in that spot is not the right one for the appliance.
Why do I see sparks when I turn on the stove?
Dangerous sparks can be caused by several things. The element itself may have experienced damage from extreme temperatures or weight. It may not be compatible with your appliance.
Your stove top may have loose wires or connections somewhere. The problem may be directly related to the coil element that is sparking or that is triggered by that element being turned on.
Why are the lights not turning on that show my burners are hot?
The small indicator lights that let you know when your burners have been turned on or are still hot might have a burned out bulb.
You may also have a faulty control switch inside of the stove.
Why can't I adjust the temperature for one of my burners?
This frustrating problem generally results in a burner going to high heat and staying there, no matter where you set the knob.
It is most likely caused by a faulty internal ignition switch.
Why do the coils move around when I put a pot or pan on them?
This is a problem that is generally caused by not having the right tray beneath the coil. Not only do these trays keep food from leaking into your stove, they also secure the coil. You may also have a coil that is not the right size for the burner, allowing it to wiggle when touched.
These electric stove repair troubles can be repaired once you have determined what is causing the problem.
How To Fix a Garbage Disposal
Learning how to fix your garbage disposal will not require much of your time. There are a few common problems that are fixed in just a few minutes. Jams, clogs and overloads all have fairly simple remedies.
Replacing a disposal will involve more work. Before you decide that your disposal is history, try to repair it and save yourself some money. Below you will find a 'Garbage Disposal Troubleshooting' section that will direct you to the information you need to make your repair.
In other parts of the world they are less common. Garbage disposals have been around since the 1940's and like most appliances have developed over time. Fears that ground up food waste is bad for sewer systems have mostly been quelled. In fact there is some support for the idea that beneficial bacteria are created by the food scraps.
A garbage disposal is both a plumbing and an electrical device. Therefore, repairs can involve both of these disciplines. Jams and clogs are you most common ailment.
How To Fix Your Garbage Disposal – Finding Help
Below you will find some common problems. There is a brief description and a link that will lead you to additional information. Our evaluation sections of the pages will help you to decide if you want to make the repair. The "What Can You Save?" and "How Hard Could It Be?" sections give you a quick overview of the repair. This will help you decide if it is using good judgment to make the repair yourself.
The "Check the Simple Things First" section will clue you in to easy fixes to check for. Many times something easy will eliminate a problem without the aggravation of an involved repair. In an effort to warn you about what you are in for, there is the "What Can Go Wrong" section. Forewarned is forearmed as they say. Knowing what to watch out for is always helpful.
Troubleshooting Garbage Disposal Problems
Repairing Garbage Disposals
This article has some general information on common repairs. It tells you what to check for when the disposal will not start. It also has information on how to deal with other garbage disposal problems.
Jammed Garbage Disposal
The garbage disposal is stuck and will not turn. It makes a loud electrical sound when you turn on the switch. This happens when something hard lodges itself between the cutting blades. There are a couple of ways to deal with this problem. See the articles 'Fixing a Stuck Garbage Disposal', 'Removing Objects From a Garbage Disposal' and 'Using a Disposal Allen Wrench' for.
Garbage Disposal Clogs
This might be the most common problem with a disposal. Clogs will cause the water not to drain, even if the unit still turns. Follow this link to see what you need to do.
Although it may seem that way, a garbage disposal will not grind up everything that can fit in the drain. Some items will jam the disposal. Repeated attempts to start it may trip the reset and not allow it to turn on at all. There are some simple solutions for dealing with this problem.
Garbage Disposal Odors
A smelly garbage disposal is not a fun problem. Removing odors is not that hard and there are several ways that you can accomplish it. Follow this link for more information.
Fixing a Garbage Disposal Summary
After you have reviewed the articles noted above you will be equipped to deal with all of the issues that can cause a garbage disposal not to work properly. With a few tools you should be able to solve your problems.
Clogs and jams are the two winners when it comes to number of occurrences. That is why there are specific articles for each. A general discussion is found in the article on repairing garbage disposals.
Gas Stove Troubleshooting Guide
If you own a gas powered range, you need a gas stove troubleshooting guide to assist you in diagnosing problems with your appliance so that you can repair it. This one covers the most common troubles and likely causes.
Why can I not get the pilot light to come on or it goes out quickly when I do?
The opening for your pilot light may be dirty, reducing the amount of gas that flows to it.
In some cases, the amount of gas may be insufficient to keep it lit due to being adjusted too low.
If the room has high air flow from open windows or your heating and cooling system, the pilot light may get blown out from it.
Why can't I get the burner to light?
It is possible that your pilot light is not lit, which will prevent the burners from lighting when you turn them on.
The holes on the burner may be clogged from cleaning it or food spills that were not properly wiped down.
In the case of a stove with an electric ignitor, you may have electrical issues. The unit may have become unplugged from the wall.
Other possible reasons an electrical ignitor is malfunctioning could be that the outlet is not working. You may have a blown fuse or a tripped circuit. Additionally, the ignitor may not be working anymore.
Why is the flame low, even when I adjust the setting to high?
This might be caused by the openings in your burner being caked up with food or cleaning debris.
An insufficient amount of gas or air reaching the burner is another reason that this can happen. The hose delivering gas to the burner may be dirty or your air shutter might be improperly adjusted.
Why is my gas burner making noise when I turn it on?
Loud sounds from the burner are an indicator of air or gas flow troubles. The air shutter may be the culprit or you could have troubles in the lines themselves.
Why do I smell gas coming from the range?
This might be due to an unlit pilot flame. If there is no fire, the unit will continue to release small amounts of gas into the air.
One or more of your burners may not be shut off completely even though the flame is out. If the unit also has an oven, the gas may be coming from there as well.
If your gas lines have even a small amount of damage, the gas will leak into your kitchen or where the damage is located. No matter the cause, this is a very serious matter that needs to be repaired immediately.
Why do I hear a clicking sound when my gas stove is on?
This is normal in most gas stoves and is due to the appliance making natural adjustments.
These gas stove troubleshooting questions are the most common. Determine the cause of your problem so that you can repair it.
Ice Maker Not Making Ice
It can be tough to deal with an ice maker not making ice, especially since there are quite a few issues that could be causing this. Here you can find a few solutions to common issues people face. By reading through these you can more than likely get your ice maker back into working condition.
Realize that if you have a new ice maker, there may be a few problems that can easily be fixed. One common issue people have is that they think it will work right after it is plugged in. This is generally not the case, you have to wait for the temperature to drop and then the cycle of ice making will start. Waiting for about a day is a good idea, and if that doesn't work there may be other issues.
You have to be sure that your freezer is the right temperature when using your ice maker. If it's set to a setting that's a little too warm, then you're going to have to wait longer for the ice to form or it may just fail to form at all. To fix this it's just a matter of setting the freezer to a cooler temperature until you find the right setting.
Sometimes, if you don't have a lot of food or any at all in your freezer, it could make the ice take longer to form. If you are constantly emptying or barely using the freezer then you may want to fill it with ice packs or anything that will fill the area to keep it more cool. Then ice production will be faster and more easy to get started.
Ice makers that don't get used often may be having issues because when the pressure builds up from the cubes and their weight, it can make them fuse together. When they clump up, that blocks them from coming out if the clumps are too large. To stop this you should throw out any clumped up ice and try checking on the bin more often to clear it out.
Always look to see when you're not getting ice if the feeler arm is in the the lower position and isn't being blocked by anything. If you're not using this kind of an ice maker, then see if the paddle is blocked in some way under your ice maker. Each model is a little different usually, so check to see if any part is being blocked.
Some ice makers have a filter that can get loaded with sediment from the water that goes through it and from other sources. Also look to see if you have enough water pressure because if it's not between 40 to 120 psi, you may find that ice cubes aren't formed right if they are formed at all. To check your water pressure you can have the water dispense into a measuring cup for a time of 20 seconds. If the water isn't more than 13.5 ounces, it's probably not producing enough in the way of pressure.
Learning about how an ice maker not making ice can be repaired is always good because you never know when this issue could occur. Frustration can now be avoided because your problem will more than likely be cared for after going through this advice and trying it out!