5 game-changing home appliance cleaning hacks for CNY

Out with the old and in with the new —  it's that time of the year again when we give our homes a deep clean and declutter!

It's not just the obvious items like sofas and floors that need sprucing up either. All too often, homeowners forget to clean and maintain their home appliances, shared Bosch homecare expert Jaclyn Tay, who's also the Head of Customer Service at BSH Home Appliances.

“Even though they look nice on the outside, it’s important the inside is cleaned every now and then to preserve their longevity,” said Tay. Not only that, you'll need to know how to do it in the best way possible, so you don't end up damaging the appliance. 

If you've been putting off your annual spring clean due to a busy schedule, now is as good a time as ever to get down to it.

We asked Tay for some tips on how to keep your home appliances sparkling for the Chinese New Year, and have it done in double-quick time:

1. What's that smell in the fridge?

Over time, bacteria from food can cause your fridge to build an unpleasant odour. Rid your fridge of any funky smells by emptying it out and tossing leftovers and expired items. Then, give it a good scrub using a solution made from water and white vinegar. 

2. Natural degreaser for the oven

Not only does lemon essential oil boast health benefits, but it also acts as a natural degreaser. If you're feeling frustrated with grease and grime on your oven, why not create this all-natural concoction?

Just mix one cup water, one cup vinegar and 10 drops of lemon essential oil in a bottle before spraying the solution onto stains. Then, simply wipe clean.

For more stubborn stains, swap the vinegar mixture for degreasers that are sold on the market — it breaks up even the toughest grease for easy removal.

3. Keep your toaster squeaky clean

Toasters are tricky appliances to clean. With their narrow openings and hard-to-reach areas, it can seem impossible to get every crumb out.

For a deep clean, unplug the toaster and empty the crumb tray.

Turn your toaster upside down, give it a gentle shake to dislodge any crumbs inside and use a slim toothbrush to flick away crumbs from the coils.

Lastly, wipe down the exterior with a damp microfibre cloth. Voila! Good as new.

4. Speed up the clothes-drying process

Want to wear your favourite shirt but can't wait for it to dry? We've all been there! Speed up the process by throwing a dry towel into your dryer.

The towel will help to absorb the excess moisture and shorten your wait. Take it a step further and save even more time on ironing by tossing in a few ice cubes on high heat.

When the ice melts, steam is released, which helps to smoothen out any wrinkles!

5. Clean the blades of your food processor without even touching it

Sharp blades can be scary as you can hurt yourself if you aren't careful. Thankfully, you don't even have to touch it to clean it!

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Attach the bowl back to the food processor after emptying it and give it a few quick pulses. Any remaining puree on the blade will be flung to the side of the bowl.

Scoop out the puree before adding warm soapy water to the bowl. Give it another whizz to clean the blades and finish off with a final rinse.

ALSO READ: You've been peeling hard-boiled eggs, trimming toenails and doing these things wrongly all your life

candicecai@asiaone.com