Laundry Appliances – Laundry Room Maintenance and Safety

The laundry room is often one of the busiest rooms in the house, especially if you have a large family. It can seem like you never reach the bottom of the dirty laundry pile. With all the constant activity, maintenance of your laundry room appliances is often overlooked. However, neglecting regular maintenance can impact the performance and lifespan of your laundry appliances. If one of your appliances malfunctions, the result could range anywhere from a minor inconvenience to major damage. This could even create a safety hazard for your home and family.

Let’s take a look at some of the things you can do to keep the laundry room safe and running smoothly.

Keep Laundry Appliances Clean 

This is important maintenance for both your washer and your dryer.

The Washer

Although some newer models have self-cleaning cycles, many older models don’t. To help ensure that your washer is operating at peak performance, you need to clean it regularly. 

The best way to do this is to run it without laundry and use the hot water setting. Once the washer stops, leave the lid or door open to allow it to dry. This will help to prevent mold or mildew from developing.

There are also numerous products on the market currently for cleaning your washing machine. These should be used according to the directions and only if recommended by the manufacturer. Cleaning your washer by either method should be done once a month.

Some washers have lint or dirt traps. If you’re unsure whether your washer has one, check your owner’s manual. Once you’ve determined that your machine has a lint trap, it should be cleaned regularly, at least after every few loads

The Dryer

While not cleaning your washer can reduce its lifespan and leave your clothing smelling funny, not cleaning your dryer can create a much bigger hazard. Cleaning out the lint trap after every load is your first line of defense. 

However, no matter how diligent you are, some lint and debris will manage to bypass the lint trap. This can build up in your dryer vent hose and in the dryer itself. The build-up combined with the heat of the dryer can result in a dryer fire. There are thousands of dryer fires every year. You can check to make sure your exterior vent is clear and replace the exhaust hose periodically to eliminate the lint that gets trapped in its kinks and crevices.  The best defense against a dryer fire is to have your dryer and the vent professionally cleaned.

More Maintenance Tips for Your Laundry Appliances

Remove LaundryWhen the Washer Stops

It happens. You throw in a load of laundry and set off to take care of other tasks around the house. Before you know it, hours have passed, and your wet laundry is still in the washer. Not only will this cause your laundry to develop an unpleasant odor, but it will also promote the growth of mold and mildew. Remove your laundry as soon as the washer stops. This will keep your laundry smelling clean and prevent the build-up of mold and mildew in your washer.

Inspect Hoses Periodically

If asked when was the last time their washer hoses were checked, most homeowners would say they can’t remember. The truth is unless there is a problem, many washer hoses are never touched after the washer is installed. Over time the hoses can deteriorate and crack, resulting in a flood. Water damage to your home can be extensive and expensive. Inspecting the hoses periodically and either replacing them yourself or having them replaced can prevent that from happening.

Level Laundry Appliances 

To operate properly, both your washer and dryer must be level. There may not be any obvious signs that your dryer isn’t level. If your washer isn’t level, it will be noisy during the spin cycle. If either of your laundry appliances is on uneven ground, neglecting to level them will cause unnecessary wear and tear and ultimately shorten their lifespan. 

Need Professional Laundry Appliance Maintenance?

If your laundry appliances aren’t performing the way they should or you aren’t a confident DIYer, give the professionals at Jersey Coast Appliance a call. In addition to inspecting, identifying, and repairing any laundry room appliance issues you’re experiencing, we also provide professional dryer and vent cleanouts to prevent fires, keeping your home and family safe. Did you know that October is Fire Safety month? It’s the perfect time to schedule your dryer and vent cleanout. Contact us for all your appliance needs – from sales and installation to service, we’ve got you covered.