Residents
Owners
Tenants - especially first-time tenants - can have all sorts of worries living in a rental home or apartment. Aside from styling or decorating their new abode, renters have the responsibility of ensuring that their home appliances are clean and functioning.
Even though you don’t own the appliances in your rental home, you’re still responsible for them because you’re using them. But cleaning your home appliances can be tricky sometimes, and that’s why this guide is for you.
Cooking Range
Your cooking range is the common appliance in the kitchen that can gather too much grease and mess. There are two separate components in your cooking range: the oven and stovetop.
Nowadays, cooking ranges have a self-cleaning mode feature that increases the heat in the oven to burn the food debris inside. Ensure that you remove the racks before turning this feature on to avoid damage to the shelves and preserve their shine.
When it comes to the stovetop, cleaning isn’t that easy. For example, grease buildup on the burner grates requires thorough cleaning using water and liquid soap. White distilled vinegar mixed in water is also an excellent cleaning solution to clean the surface area and drip pans of your cooking range.
Microwave
Another kitchen appliance you have to clean is your microwave. Food residue and mess can gather inside, which can cause damage to the appliance. You must clean out the debris to keep your microwave as good as new.
You can fill water in a microwave-safe bowl and turn on the microwave until the water is boiling and generates steam to make it easier for you to wipe off the food residue inside. Adding a bit of lemon juice in the water is also an excellent idea since it creates a fragrant smell inside the microwave.
Refrigerator
Your refrigerator is a notorious appliance that accumulates spills and mess and produces foul odors. After all, the refrigerator is where you store your food and drinks. It only makes sense that it’s one of the appliances which is vulnerable to getting dirty.
Now, many folks use bleach to clean their refrigerators and eliminate unpleasant odors. The thing is that this is the wrong way to clean your refrigerator. While bleach is one of the most used cleaning solutions on the market, it’s a no-no to use when cleaning your ref because the odor and chemicals from the bleach can permeate your food and poison you.
When it comes to cleaning a refrigerator, you should keep it natural. The best cleaning solution is white distilled vinegar mixed with water. This mixture is the safest way to disinfect and eliminate the foul smell in your refrigerator.
Moreover, keep a container of baking soda inside the refrigerator to eliminate unpleasant odors. Before cleaning your refrigerator, remove all the food inside so you can clean the nooks and crannies properly and avoid food contamination.
Washing Machine and Dryer
Preventative measures are crucial to keep your washing machine and dryer clean. Using less laundry detergent is advisable because too much detergent can damage your appliance. Yes, it can clean your clothes, but adding extra detergent can create its own sort of mess.
The machine requires more work to wash out the extra soap, and this might cause damage to the appliance. You must avoid damaging your washing machine because, once it malfunctions, its repair can be costly. Also, spending your evening in the laundry shop can be a waste of your time.
When keeping your dryer clean, you should focus on its lint filter. Cleaning the lint filter will prevent clogging and getting lint on your clothes.
Dishwasher
A dishwasher is the most convenient way to clean your dishes instead of hand-washing them. This appliance doesn’t only clean your used plates and glasses but also sanitizes and dries them. However, it's crucial to keep your dishwasher clean to do its job.
You can go the natural route when cleaning your dishwasher. You can have the white distilled vinegar and water solution when cleaning it. There are also products available on the market that can help clean your dishwasher. These products are the best when it comes to eliminating food residue that is stuck on the machine filter.
Make sure to clean the dishwasher filter regularly to prevent clogging and minimize the chance of having a foul odor.
Takeaway
Cleaning the appliances in your rental home or apartment is a must. Always remember that a clean environment is conducive to healthy living. Also, dirty appliances are unsightly and can ruin the aesthetics of your living space. When you don’t take care of your home appliances, they can also be damaged and malfunction over time. Hence, make it your responsibility to clean your home appliances regularly.
