Category: Everything Else

Most kitchens have a cooker hood/ extractor fan fitted but a large percentage are not functioning properly due to a lack of basic maintenance.

A cooker hood is primarily designed to dissipate any odors that are caused while food is being cooked. It can also help remove any airborne grease that may be created during the cooking process. This is essentially an uncomplicated system and usually cooker hood problems are restricted to issues concerning the motor, main control board, or the lighting system. Ensuring proper cooker hood maintenance is probably the best way to make sure that your appliance performs at maximum capacity without any problems. Generally speaking, there are very few cooker hood problems that are actually related to component failures. Most complaints including the ever popular complaint – “My cooker does not extract quickly enough” are usually related to cooker hood maintenance and installation issues. There are however a few issues that can crop up from time to time. Read more…

Another great cleaning product for around the home is baking soda, better known as a cooking ingredient this could be your secret weapon.

The need for natural household cleaners has never been greater. There is a growing awareness among most people for the need to choose cleaning products that are free from harmful chemicals. Natural, organic products that do not cause harm to the environment are a particularly attractive option for most homes. Baking soda is one such product. Read more…

Each and every year millions of pounds are spent on various household cleaning products, there are so many to choose from and it can be difficult to know which to select.  Cleaning with vinegar is cheap and effective and probably already in your cupboard.

Quite possibly the greatest advantage in cleaning with vinegar is the fact that this is a safe, non-toxic product. When compared to the multitude of expensive commercial cleaners and their chemical compounds, 100% white vinegar (or white distilled vinegar)can prove to be a cheaper and eco-friendlier option. It is the ideal household cleanser and is proven to be effective in dealing with a wide range of stains and is powerful enough to dissipate infestations of bacteria, germs, and mold.

Distilled vinegar is essentially a form of dilute acetic acid (5% – 8%) with a low pH of 2.4.It is perfectly safe, even for consumption, and is found to have a number of laboratory,medicinal, and cleaning applications. As a cleaning agent, vinegar is highly effective dueto its acidic nature that allows it to dissolve even the hardest of mineral residues. Read more..

Cleaning an oven can be a very boring and time consuming task but if you want to avoid nasty smells in your kitchen then it is an unavoidable task.

Have you ever decided to bake a delicious meal or dessert but have instead been left wondering – ‘why does my oven smell’? Well, the purpose of this article is to try and shed some light on this rather unsettling occurrence. For the purpose of clarity, let’s get one common misconception out of the way – these odors are not normally related to the functioning of your appliance. If you closely analyze the construction of the standard kitchen oven, it should be patently obvious that there are no odor-causing materials present. In fact, the most common material likely to be found in an oven is fiber glass compound, which is used extensively to provide insulation within the appliance. There are occasions when this material may undergo some form of discoloration, but there is no evidence whatsoever that suggests this material is liable to produce any type of odor. Read more…

Most washing machines come with a function to clean the appliance automatically, but many people just do not use it.

A washing machine maintenance wash or service wash is one the cornerstones of a perfectly running cleaning appliance. In fact, this is probably the singular issue on which both machine manufacturers as well as detergent manufacturers are in complete accord over. Officially, the recommendation is that this specific wash program should be run at least once a month. This figure, however, depends on the frequency with which you tend to use the appliance. (If you tend to use your washing machine intensively, it far more advisable to shorten the duration between successive service washes.) Read more

If there is a bad smell in your kitchen and you are finding it difficult to identify the cause then it could be coming from your dishwasher.

A smelly dishwasher can cause intense aggravation and can have a negative impact on your entire kitchen.  People do not expect a cleaning appliance to be the source of a bad odor and are often caught unawares in such a situation. It is important to remember that the simple care and maintenance of your dishwasher is the most effective deterrent against bad smells.

The root cause for the development of bad odors from a dishwasher is neglect. Most people simply don’t take the time to remove excess food from serving dishes and plates or rinsing them before placing in the dishwasher. Inevitably this leads to bits of food getting trapped in the corners of your washing appliance where they may remain over an extended length of time. Along with these food deposits, grease residue can also accrue within the nooks and corners of your dishwasher. From this point, it is just a matter of time before bacterial growth starts to develop around these festering food particles. The chemical reaction produced when bacteria acts on trapped food particles and grease is responsible for the release of gases. The bad smell from your dishwasher is essentially a physical indication that such gases are being produced. This bad odor is easily transferable, and can easily be passed on to all dishes that are being washed in your appliance. Read more..

If you own a ceramic hob you may be unsure about the best cleaning products and techniques to use to ensure longevity of your appliance.

Finding the right ceramic hob cleaners that can help you maintain that gorgeous sleek finish of your cooking appliance may not always seem like the most straightforward task. Thanks in part to its ultra modern design and the sheen of its construction materials, any stains or marks are instantly visible and can be a real eyesore.

More seriously though, it is important to be aware that there are specific types of stains and spills that can cause permanent damage to the glass ceramic surfaces of such appliances. Maintenance and prevention are therefore critical aspects in preserving the appearance and functional integrity of your cooker.

A stinky fridge can make your house smell bad and also put you off your dinner

Repulsive refrigerator smells can prove to be exasperating and tiresome to deal with. As hard as you try to get rid of visible stains and spills within your fridge, you are still left with a nasty, lingering odor. What makes these odors difficult to deal with is the fact that the plastic interiors of the fridge are odor absorbent, which complicates the removal of bad smells from the fridge. However, the right techniques can help you get rid of these odors quickly and efficiently. Before you deal with bad odor removal, it is necessary to understand why these odors are caused and what you can do to prevent them. Read more

Mildew on a washing machine door seal is common and unsightly, removing it can be difficult and time consuming but is worth doing.

One of the primary reasons for outbreaks of mildew and mould on washing machine door seal is the growing popularity of low heat washing programs. Most people tend to select wash programs at around 40 degrees centigrade (104 F). In many, cases this may drop as far as 30 degrees (86 F). While it may be true that the low heat wash is a considerable energy saver, it may not be such as great idea in terms of hygiene. These low temperatures coupled with trapped moisture makes the area behind the machine door seal an ideal propagation ground for bacteria and mould. If mould is allowed to develop here unchecked, it will release a musty odor that can be quite unpleasant. If you reach under the washing machine door seal and run your hand across the rubber, it is possible to feel the black sludge that has developed there. This is indicative of mould or mildew. Read more

A badly maintained cooker could let you down at any moment, but over the Christmas period would be the worst possible time.  If you need spare parts over the festive period then it is likely you are going to find it difficult to get them delivered between Christmas and new year.  Basic maintenance of your cooker and oven will help reduce the risk of failure at this important time.

Over the years, the basic design of ovens and cookers has remained the same and this can help most people identify common cooker faults. Of course, there are various innovations and features that have been added. However, the principles that govern the functioning of these appliances are essentially the same. The salient exceptions are the types of ovens that utilize some form of microwave technology, and are beyond the scope of this article. Read more