Natural Tips for Cleaning your Appliances

Right now, cleanliness is on a lot of our minds. Many of us have found ourselves and our families hanging out at home more often, which means more mess and dirt and more time to notice it. We are also more conscious of the need to regularly disinfect the high-touch surfaces of our home. These include handles, buttons, and other parts of our appliances – refrigerators, dishwashers, ovens, microwaves, and washer/dryers.

Luckily, there’s no need to purchase pricey chemical cleaners – most appliances can be cleaned with natural ingredients found around the house! Always check the appliance manual for cleaning recommendations, as materials used to construct appliances vary widely and may not react well to certain cleaners. The tips below should work for many common appliances and brands.

Read on for our top tips for keeping your appliances clean. 

1. Make your own cleaning solution at home. A great way to save money and reduce waste is to make your own cleaning solutions at home. You can purchase glass spray bottles online and fill them with solutions made from things you probably already have. Great ingredients to use include:
   1. White vinegar – use undistilled for cleaning stainless steel surfaces, and mix with water for plastic or other surfaces. Do not use vinegar on waxy surfaces, granite, marble, cast iron, or aluminum.
   2. Hydrogen peroxide – this is a safe solution that can be used on most surfaces and a great natural sanitizer!
   3. Liquid castile soap – mix 1 tsp liquid castile soap with 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar, 3/4 cup hydrogen peroxide, 2 cups water, and 10-30 drops of your favorite essential oil to create an all-purpose household cleaner.
   4. Baking soda – great for deodorizing and jobs that require scrubbing. Mix with water or water and vinegar to desired consistency, then scrub away!
   5. Lemons, oranges, and essential oils – if you don’t like the smell of vinegar, add a pleasant aroma to homemade cleaning solutions with citrus fruits and essential oils.
2. Clean and sanitize your refrigerator. Use a water and vinegar solution to clean and scrub the inside of your refrigerator. Remove plastic drawers and put in the dishwasher or wash with warm soapy water in the sink. For a stainless steel exterior, use undistilled white vinegar and a soft cloth and wipe in the direction of the grain. For a plastic exterior, most household cleaners should do the trick. Pay special attention to door handles – these are probably touched daily by everyone in the house.
3. Get a sparkling clean oven. The best natural cleaner for a dirty oven interior is baking soda mixed with water. Mix 2 parts baking soda with 1 part water, wipe over dirty oven surfaces, and let sit for 20 minutes or more. Then, you should be able to wipe the surface clean. For tougher patches, leave the mixture on a little longer or use elbow grease to remove. Clean the outside of your oven the same as you would any other appliance – white vinegar and a soft cloth for stainless steel, all purpose cleaner for other materials. Pay special attention to buttons and knobs and be careful when cleaning electronic panels – a simple wipe with a cloth dampened (but not soaked) with vinegar should do the trick.
4. Un-gunk your microwave. Fill a microwave-safe bowl with 2 parts water and 1 part vinegar. Add lemon or orange slices if you want a nice aroma. Microwave the mixture for anywhere from 3-5 minutes to dislodge stuck on gunk. Then, you should be able to easily wipe the microwave clean.
5. Help your dishwasher do its job. Most dishwashers today have a catch filter under the bottom rack that collects food debris. Make sure to remove and clean out this filter about once a month – simply dump out any food debris and rinse the filter in your sink before replacing it. To deodorize and sanitize your dishwasher, place a dishwasher-safe dish of vinegar (1 cup should do the trick) on the top rack of an empty dishwasher and run it through a hot cycle. The vinegar will get in all the little nooks and crannies and, with the help of the hot water, remove dirt, grime, and odors.

At Diamond Appliance, we help people in St. Louis, Kansas City, St. Charles, and surrounding communities with expert refrigerator repair, dishwasher repair, oven repair, and other appliance-related issues. Proudly providing service on a variety of brands, including Amana appliance repair, Whirlpool appliance repair, KitchenAid appliance repair, and more. Give us a call with questions or to schedule your appointment today.