8 Products Worth Buying To Make Your Appliances Last Longer
Written by
Jennifer Taylor
Edited by
Zuri Anderson
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Quality appliances aren’t cheap, so you need to take care of them. Handling them gently is a start, but it’s possible you could be doing more to keep them up and running longer.
You might not even realize certain products exist to deep clean and/or safeguard your appliances, so prepare to be enlightened.
Here’s a look at eight products to buy now that can extend the useful life of common household appliances.Â
Plus find out which appliances frugal homeowners avoid buying.
Affresh Washing Machine Cleaner
- Price: $11.29 at Target
Designed to help remove odor-causing residue and grim, septic-safe Affresh Washing Machine Cleaner is intended for monthly use — or every 30 cycles.
Each box contains five EPA-safe, time-release tablets that work to clean all washing machines, including high-efficiency models.
Everbilt Dryer Vent Cleaning Kit
- Price: $26.40 at Home Depot
Remove dangerous lint build-up with the Everbilt Dryer Vent Cleaning Kit. In addition to helping extend the life of your dryer, it can also help reduce drying time for greater efficiency.
Each kit includes a 4-inch diameter brush head and six 2-foot flexible rods that can extend the brush up to a length of 12 feet.
Cascade Platinum Dishwasher Cleaner
- Price: $5.49 at Target
Eliminate odors, while removing limestone buildup and grease from your dishwasher with Cascade Platinum Dishwasher Cleaner. Intended for monthly use, each box contains three single-use tablets that clean your empty dishwasher for you – no scrubbing involved.Â
Baking Soda and Vinegar for Oven Cleaning
The safety and efficacy of using the self-cleaning function on your oven is debatable. If you’d rather skip that step, you can clean your oven manually using baking soda and vinegar.
Mix one-half cup of baking soda with water until a thick paste forms, according to MarthaStewart.com. Apply the paste evenly over the interior of the oven — skipping heating elements and other delicate areas — let it sit for several hours before filling a spray bottle with white vinegar and spraying the interior surfaces, creating a foaming reaction.
When the foam decreases, use a sponge or brush to gently scrub the interior of the oven. Then use a damp microfiber cloth to wipe and dry the oven.
Air Filters
- Price: $12.96 to $13.97 at Home Depot
Generally speaking, the air filter in your HVAC unit should be changed approximately every three months. Failing to do so will inhibit its ability to filter the air properly, which can ultimately cause the unit to fail early.
Air filters come in a variety of sizes, so check your existing one to get the right size before purchasing. You’ll also want to choose the correct filtration level for your home — i.e., pleated versus non-pleated — to ensure the filter can best serve your home.
Surge Protector
- Price: $14.88 at Home Depot
Power surges and electrical fluctuations can damage the internal components of your television, so plug it into a surge protector.
This can also be a good idea for many other electrical appliances, such as computers and laptops, home theater systems, modems and routers and others with a digital display screen — i.e., microwaves, dishwashers and refrigerators.
Endust Duster
- Price: $13.80 on Amazon
A messy keyboard is unsightly, but it can also keep your computer from working properly. Food or other items can trigger the keyboard to stick or fall below the surface, causing it to stop working entirely.
Easy to use, Endust Duster sprays your keyboard with a powerful burst of air, removing dust, dirt and grime. Moisture-free, this compressed-gas duster comes with an extension straw to help you clean even the smallest points of entry.
Editor’s note: Prices are accurate as of Dec. 27, 2024. Prices and availability may vary by location.
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