Wearing out and breaking down is common with appliances. Even if they're generally built for years of use, they don't last forever. However, neglect and misuse can hasten the rate at which they'll become useless and constant repairs are costly and inconvenient. Broken ovens and clothes dryers can be avoided if you take good care of the things you use around the house.
Avoid these bad habits so that you'll extend the lifespan of your appliances:
1) Never leave sharp objects and coins in your clothes pockets.
Loose coins can find their way into a washing machine's inner drum and it's one part that's not easy to replace. The damage could also lead to other damages like leaks and pulled clothes. Always check pockets before loading anything in the machine.
2) Never overload your washing machine.
While it's tempting to do it, especially when you have a pile of laundry to finish, overloading the machine could stress its bearing and suspension. Eventually, the machine will stop working properly. Follow the manual's suggestions for load size so that you won't need to call a repairman to fix this problem.
3) Never use hot water to clean the kitchen sink.
If you run hot water in the sink drain or the garbage disposal, it will only melt away grease, fat and oil that will harden up later and clog it. Use only cold water so that you also avoid introducing any mechanical damage. If you'd like to clean your drain, do so with baking soda and vinegar, according to Real Simple.
4) Never fill up your freezer, never empty it out either.
While an empty, but working freezer is a waste of energy, filling freezers to the last cubic space will block and restrict the flow of cold air. It will also force your condenser to work double time, thus speeding up its wear. Maximize your freezer's space the right way with proper organization by using baskets, caddies and shelving, according to Bob Villa.
5) Never let spills in the oven set and don't use soap and water.
If there are spills in your oven, it's best to clean them up as soon as you're done with cooking or baking so as not to damage the heating coils. Racks need to be removed, soaked and washed. Instead of soap and water, use baking soda to clean the insides, according to Martha Stewart.
