The refrigerator, more fondly known as the fridge, is a necessary part of the household. It is the place where all your foods are kept fresh and your drinks cool as ice, which it produces as well. Can you imagine life without it? Most probably, you will choose to spend on it instead of a roof installation job. Without it, you will most likely be throwing a lot of leftover food, because they would go rancid when left at unfavorable temperatures. Having a hot environment could introduce bacteria, which would cause them to spoil. On that thought, you would also have to pick your consumables carefully. You will have to give up dairy products, as these need to be stored in cold temperatures.
Since the fridge takes care of a lot of things for you, how should you return the favor? Just give it some tender loving care, and it will serve you for a long time. Here is a guide so you can do just that.
Study Your Fridge
There are different specifications for refrigerators; some are more power-efficient than others. You can choose from a range of sizes. Some are easier to maintain, like inverter types that do not have any condensation on the walls of its freezer. Some are also more expensive than others. That said, if you are limited on that front, you should not expect to get one that has the best features. You have to work around whatever limitations it may have.
Proper Loading
The general rule is that you should give your refrigerator ample space for it to work effectively. Just because it has extra space does not mean that you have to fill it. Air circulation is the main factor in its functionality. If you have everything jammed in there, you might not cool down your food. The same goes for the freezer. It is nice to have some breathing room so the cold temperature could move and reach every item inside. Getting it full is not only counterproductive, but it could also make it work harder, which will lead to higher power consumption.
Defrosting
As mentioned earlier, there are refrigerators out there that do not form condensation inside them. These would no longer need to be defrosted. But if you do not have that kind of fridge, you have to give it a rest now and then. The only visible sign you have to look out for is the formation of ice on the walls. These would thicken over time, and you know you have to defrost the thing if you are having a hard time closing its door. All you have to do is empty its contents, turn it off, then unplug it. Wait for a few hours or until the ice has melted. If you need to break huge chunks, make sure that you only use the included plastic scraper. Metal objects like knives could cause some damage if you get scratches on the freezer’s walls. Clean and wipe it dry before turning it back on.
Cleaning Up
There might be times when you spill some food or drink inside your fridge, and it would mess up its interior. When this happens, you can get a dry paper towel and wipe off the spillage. You can perform major cleaning on it while you are waiting to finish its defrosting process. Right before you turn it on, you can grab a wet cloth or sponge and add in a little soap; even dishwashing liquid would do. You then use that to wipe off the walls, racks, and other containers inside it. Dry everything off with paper towels or a clean cloth.
The refrigerator may be stationary equipment, but it plays a crucial role in your household, which has a lot to do with preserving food. It is reasonably simple to operate. You open the door, and you put your food or drink in, and that is it. But caring for it is more nuanced. If you learn how to do that for your fridge, that will bring you in some savings you did not know were there.