You don’t know what you don’t know until it’s time to know it. As a homeowner since 1989, I am on my second round of homeownership. My former house was a 30-year run. As the original owner, when something needed service, I had it serviced. When something broke, I had it fixed. That house was well built and well maintained.

In my current house, I am questioning everything. It is well built but I am the third owner. Not knowing its history or how well maintained it has been over the years is a mystery and a concern.

Let’s cover a few areas of the home that need regular maintenance. The furnace and the central air conditioning system should be serviced at least twice a year for the start and the close of the season. It’s best to be on a service contract with a reputable company. They will send you reminders. The filters need to be replaced regularly. Have the proper filters on hand for replacement at time of service.

The washer and dryer came with my current house and are a good brand and work fine. For months I wondered why the dryer’s lint filter did not rest nestled into the compartment. I ordered a replacement, but it still did not fit properly. I looked inside the compartment and it was filled deep with lint. There I was picking and vacuuming as far as I could reach. Layers of lint, hair and nastiness measuring approximately four cups (yuck!!) were removed. It is best to have a dryer vent service to clean out the entire flow system. Goodness knows what is going on that I can’t see. This will be part of my deep spring cleaning.

The washing machine can have detergent build up and mildew issues. It is suggested the machine should be cleaned at least once a month and since most people don’t know this, it too will be added to the task list.

 

How to Clean a Front-Loading Washing Machine

You will need: ¼ cup baking soda, 2 cups white vinegar, all-purpose cleaning spray, scrubbing sponge and a cleaning cloth or paper towels.

Wipe down all exterior surfaces with cleaning spray. Open all doors, drawers to wipe down. Combine ¼ cup water and ¼ cup baking soda and pour into the detergent tray. Set the cycle for large load on hottest setting. After cycle completes, find the release button to remove detergent tray. Wash thoroughly. Spray rubber seal with vinegar and let it sit for a few minutes Wipe down folds of the seal with paper towels or cleaning cloth to remove any mildew or trapped hair. Wipe till cloths are clean.

The baking soda detergent will clean the inside of machine. For extra cleaning, pour a few cups of vinegar inside while spinning the drum then scrub down with sponge. Once detergent tray is clean and replaced, you can pour a cup of vinegar in the tray and run a low cycle.

Stay tuned for more tips for Spring cleaning and home maintenance in future columns. Got an idea? Please share.

 

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