Appliance Tips, Defrosting the Fridge, Cleaning the Kettle, Cleaning an Iron

Defrosting the Fridge

This is very important if you have a fridge with a built in deep-freeze compartment and not so if you have a frost-fee fridge. You know that feeling when you’re desperately trying to get to that last little ice cream lying in the back of the compartment and end up wrecking the ice compartment’s door because it won’t open?

When more than 10 mm of ice has accumulated it’s time to defrost. If the fridge has a defrost setting, engage it, or simply switch off the fridge. Some fridges can take up to 24 hours to defrost completely; consult the manufacturer’s instruction manual. Empty out the entire fridge — including those biology projects that have started their own little colony in the back. You can wrap everything you wish to keep in several layers of newspaper or keep it cold in a cool box. If the fridge has a drip spout place a tray underneath. Cover the surrounding area with lots of newspaper. Do not attempt to break off chunks of ice with an ice pick! You WILL nick the wall of the fridge, we’ll bet money on it.

Keep the door open and leave it for a couple of hours. If you are pressed for time and things aren’t happening as expediently as you would like, place a few bowls of boiling water in the fridge. We’ve even caught a friend in front of the fridge, blow dryer in hand. We are in no way recommending this as it’s dangerous (you may slip and accidentally electrocute yourself) and it’s not good for the fridge. Use a spatula to scrape away slush and sponges to soak up excess water. Wash all the shelves and loose bits in hot, soapy water while the fridge is defrosting. Once the fridge is completely defrosted, wipe it clean and dry the inside of both the fridge and the deep-freeze compartment completely — any remaining water will cause surface ice to form faster than usual.

Cleaning the Kettle

If you notice some foreign bits floating around in your coffee, it’s not necessarily the milk that has gone off. It may be evidence of scaling which often forms around the kettle’s element and needs to be removed. Dissolve one tablespoon of bicarbonate of soda in hot water and leave it in the kettle overnight. Rinse, fill the kettle with water and boil at least twice, changing the water each time, before using it again. This treatment will not only make your coffee more palatable; it will also prolong the life of your kettle and ensure that the element functions more effectively.

Cleaning an Iron

Because of all the gunk in our water, deposits often build up clogging the steam vents in your iron. Clean out the holes with one end of a paperclip. Fill the iron with a mixture of water and vinegar. Place it on a grilling rack over a heatproof surface, such as a baking tray. Set it on its steaming function until all the water has been steamed through. Repeat this process until the mixture steams out clean. Also use the spray a couple of times to force the cleaning mixture through the spray nozzle. Turn the iron on its highest temparature setting and leave for a few more minutes, Switch off and leave to cool.

To clean the bottom of the iron, simply use a sponge and liquid detergent. When more severe cleaning is necessary, use a damp cloth or soft scouring brush dipped in bicarbonate of soda. Clean thoroughly before using the iron on clothing. You can also buy a special iron cleaner which is applied to a hot iron. This cleans the bottom only, not the inside, vents, nozzles and so on.

General Maintenance Tips

• Freezers don’t cope well with too much fresh food that needs freezing all at the same time, at least not more than 1,5 kg of it. Place the food in contact with the walls of the freezer, preferably those containing the refrigerant tubes.
• Once something has gone off, take it out of the fridge and throw it away. This is much easier and less painful than scraping off the remains of you don’t quite know what a few weeks later.
• Clean tumble-drier and washing-machine filters regularly.
• Clean your vacuum cleaner filter regularly; it should be very easy to inspect.
• Don’t allow water to remain in pipes of wet and dry vacuum cleaners or your house will smell like someone died there a week ago, every time you vacuum.
• Clean the toaster by regularly shaking out crumbs on the lawn — you’ll be the birds’ best friend and avoid burnt-smelling toast.

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