Your garbage disposal works hard getting rid of all kinds of organic material. Sometimes, though, some of that material remains and eventually, a nasty smell starts emanating from the garbage disposal. If you’re dealing with this situation, there are a number of strategies you can use to clean your garbage disposal and eliminate the odor.

Hot Water and Dishwashing Liquid

This method is the most basic, and if used regularly, it can prevent any nasty smells developing in your garbage disposal. Simply put a plug in the drain and fill the sink half full with hot water, then add a couple of squirts of dishwashing liquid. Swish it around, and pull the plug. Turn the disposal on as well so it sucks the soapy water into the mechanism quickly. The dishwashing liquid will disintegrate any built-up grease and the speed with which it goes through the gears will dislodge food particles.

Baking Soda and Vinegar

You may have heard that baking soda and vinegar, separately and in combination, can clean almost anything. That’s true for your garbage disposal too. Pour ½ cup of baking soda down your disposal, followed by ½ cup of white vinegar. It will bubble and fizz. That’s good; it means it’s working to break down the organic debris. Vinegar is a natural deodorizer and also kills bacteria. Let it do its work for about 10 to 15 minutes, then turn on the garbage disposal and run hot water down it. You should be aware, though, that because vinegar is acidic, if you use this method too often, it can damage the rubber parts of your disposal.

Ice Cubes And Kosher Salt

Throw a couple of handfuls of ice cubes down down your garbage disposal as it is running, and follow it up with a handful of kosher salt (or any kind of large flaked salt). Shards from the ice cubes being ground up can dislodge any stuck-on foods, and the salt will scrub the sides of the disposal’s upper tank.

Ice Cubes And Lemon/Lime Wedges

This is a variation of the ice cubes and kosher salt method. Put the ice cubes down the disposal first, and then throw in a cut up lemon or lime. The ice cubes do the dislodging work, and the lemon or lime wedges serve several purposes. They deodorize the disposal and give your whole kitchen a fresh smell. Also the citrus oil will coat the inside plate and rubber elements of your disposal helping to prevent future odor issues.

Preventative Maintenance

You can prevent organic material building up on your garbage disposal blades and the tank becoming dirty by using your garbage disposal properly. A lot of people turn it off as soon as the sound of the grinding stops. There could still be a great deal of smaller particles in the works and if the grinding stops, they stay there and harden onto the garbage disposal surfaces. If that happens every time you use your disposal, a nasty smell is almost inevitable. Instead, run your disposal about 10 – 15 seconds after the initial sound of grinding ends, and once you turn it off, continue running the water for another minute. That way, any particles are completely ground up, and your water heater is flushed too.

If none of these tips on how to clean your garbage disposal eliminate the odor, then you should call the professionals at Dave’s Appliance. It may be necessary to disassemble and clean each part, or it could indicate some other problem.

The post Garbage Disposal Smell? Here’s What to Do appeared first on Dave's Appliance Service.

Your dishwasher does more than clean your dishes; it is an important part of maintaining your family’s health. One way it does that is by draining away wastewater through the air gap. When your air gap leaks, it indicates a problem. The last thing you want is for wastewater, with the bacteria it contains, to flow back into your dishwasher. You need to eliminate that air gap leak. In this post we’ll look at several ways of dealing with a dishwasher air gap leak.

New Garbage Disposal

If you have just had a garbage disposal installed, and suddenly your dishwasher is backing up all over the place, the likely culprit is the small insert where the hose connects to your garbage disposal. This knock-out insert should be removed at installation, but sometimes it isn’t. Obviously with nowhere to go, the wastewater goes everywhere. Simply disconnect the hose, hold a screwdriver against the insert and tap the end of the screwdriver with a hammer until the insert is pushed into the disposal tank. Once this blockage is removed, your dishwasher air gap should work perfectly.

Clogs

The most likely cause of a dishwasher air gap leaking is a clog. Most of the time, you can make this dishwasher repair yourself. First remove the metal casing from the air gap and then take off the plastic top. Depending on your make of dishwasher, this plastic top may unscrew or it may lift off after pinching the sides. Once you have access to the air gap itself, check if you can see any material clogging any part of the air gap. If so, simply remove it with tweezers.

Blowing Clog Away

If no obvious clog is visible, try blowing the clog away. Simply place a roll of paper towels over the air gap and blow hard through your end of the tube. You’ll be able to tell how significant the clog is from the air resistance. Hopefully, a couple of powerful blasts will dislodge any clog. Finally, pour hot water down the air gap to deal with any greasy particles. If you can’t get any air movement or a clog is still present, you may need to snake it out.

Snaking Clog Out

Just like snaking other plumbing features, you can eliminate a clog in your air gap by forcing a tool through the pipe. Traditional snakes are too big, though, so you’ll need to use something else. A long bottle brush works well, or a length of cable. Push the tool through the larger hole at the bottom of the air gap outlet and work it back and forth as you progress. Be careful not to exert too much force as you could puncture the tube, creating an entirely different problem. Watch the drain in the sink or garbage disposal, and when you see the end of the tool emerge there, you know you’ve dislodged the clog.

Vacuuming Clog

Another strategy when your dishwasher is clogged is to vacuum the clog away. Take your wet/dry shop vac and put the hose end on the air gap outlet. Be sure the switch is turned to suction. Fill the sink or disposal area with hot water, then turn on the shop vac. The force of the suction should dislodge the clog. Allow about a gallon of water to run through after the clog is cleared, about 30 – 40 seconds.

Keeping your air gap in good working order is important for your dishwasher’s proper function, and more importantly, for your family’s health. If you have concerns about your dishwasher air gap leaking that you’re not comfortable dealing with, call the expert’s at Dave’s Appliance.

The post Dishwasher Air Gap Leaking? Here’s How To Fix It appeared first on Dave's Appliance Service.

Trying to find the best laundry detergent?

Naturally, you want your clothes to come out of the washing machine stain-free and smelling great, but there are a lot of laundry detergents to choose from. Do you need to spend more to get the results you want, or is the dollar store version just as good as top-of-the-line brands?

Here, we break down some of the best laundry detergent options:

Stain-Fighting

If your top concern is getting stains out of your clothes—especially if you keep forgetting to use a pre-wash stain treatment—then you’ll probably want to stick with the Percil brand. Their stain-fighting ability gets top marks from Consumer Reports, and the odor-removing variety can get the funk out of the gym clothes your kid kept in his locker all semester. However, if you have sporty kids—and a lot of grass stains—Tide Plus Ultra Stain Release is the best at fighting grass stains.

Great Scents

Some people don’t have to worry too much about stains, but they want their clothes to smell great. If you’re in this category, The Spruce recommends Gain detergent. It offers a variety of scents, and the laundry comes out heavily scented. If you pair this detergent with a stain-fighting spray, you’ll have a winning combination.

Affordability

Strong performers like Percil and Tide tend to be on the expensive side. You can get a great deal by matching up coupons with store sales, but sometimes you want a detergent that’s got an everyday affordable price. For this, look to the store brands coming out of the popular bulk stores. Consumer Reports recommends Member’s Mark Ultimate Clean (the Sam’s Club brand) as a great all-around value. They also recommend Costco’s Kirkland brand for those looking for gentle detergents for babies or people with sensitive skin.

As you think about the best laundry detergent for your family, don’t forget to look at the requirements of your washing machine. Some detergents are designed for use in only high-efficiency washers, while others should only be used in the traditional styles.

If you need help with your laundry, ask your kids to pitch in, but if you need help with the washing machine, call on Sarah’s Appliance Repair.

The post What Is the Best Laundry Detergent to Use? appeared first on Appliance Repair New Mexico.

You love your glass stovetop but you
are afraid to use too much elbow grease to get it clean. We know that
it can seem fragile – and it is. But there are tips that can help
you effectively clean your glass stovetop more easily than you think.

Start by Getting Rid of Large Food Particles

First and foremost, wait until your
cooktop has cooled down and then use a soft cloth to wipe off the
large food particles and liquids that come off easily. While you do
need to wait for it to no longer be hot, you want to get to it as
soon as possible after that to prevent food and liquids from
sticking.

Get the Right Cleaning Supplies and Soak Your
Cloths

Once you have gotten rid of larger
pieces of food and liquids, take some time to gather the cleaning
supplies you need. We recommend a microfiber cloth, dish sponge,
baking soda, rubber gloves, a bowl of hot water with dish soap mixed
in, and dry cloths. Then put the clean cloths into the hot water with
dish soap and let them soak. While they are asking, you can grab your
baking soda and sprinkle the top of the glass stovetop.

Layer the Cloths on the Stovetop and Let Them Sit

Once the cloths have had a chance to
soak, take them out and wring about half of the liquid out. Then
unfold each one of them and place it right on top of the stovetop.
Let the hot water, cloths, and baking soda work their magic for 15
minutes. If you have a very messy stovetop then you may want to let
it sit for half an hour.

Remove the Rags and Wipe Away the Residue

After you have
waited the appropriate amount of time, remove the rags from your
stovetop. Then wipe away the baking soda and particles. The
easiest way to do this is to start at the top of your stovetop and
move down. Then grab your sponge and wipe away any remaining debris.
Use another dry towel to get rid of moisture.

Is it Time to Replace Your Stovetop?

It may be that your stovetop is not
just dirty – it’s old. Even if you keep it as clean as you can
and clean it deeply every week, eventually it will begin to show
signs of wear and tear. This can be a sign that it is time to replace
the entire unit. If that is the case, or to find out if there are
repairs that can be made, contact American Appliance Repair at 800-640-9934 at your
earliest convenience.

The post Learn How to Clean Your Glass Top Stove Without Worry of Damaging it or Scratching It appeared first on American Appliance Repair.

Dishwasher noises mean there is a problem with your appliance. According to dishwasher repair professionals, the dishwasher will make a myriad of noises that have different meanings. These noises include:

Grinding noises

Grinding noises are due to different reasons. A light grinding can be due to the running of the dishwasher motor, and you have nothing to worry about when you hear it.

If you immediately hear loud grinding noises, your unit might be having problems with the plastic blades of the drain impeller.

The appliance uses the blades to break up larger food particles. When things get stuck there, they make grinding noises.

If there is nothing stuck in the blades and you can still hear the noises, the noise might be coming from the water inlet valve. The valve will make the noises when there is not enough water getting into the dishwasher.

Inspect the dishwasher for clogs and replace the problematic parts.

Banging noises

Can you hear non-rhythmic banging inside the dishwasher? Contact a plumber to help you with the diagnosis of the problem.

You will have banging noises when the spray arms are hitting the dishes. You will hear a banging sound, but since the spray arms are rotating in a circle, the bang sound will have a unique rhythm to it.

If this is the case with you, simply readjust the dishes. On the other hand, if the noises aren’t rhythmic, you may be having a water hammer.

When you have a water hammer, the valves of the dishwasher close, forcing the water behind it to rattle the pipe, leading to a banging noise.

The plumbing professional you hire will find out the cause of the water pressure and install an adjuster to ensure that you don’t burst a pipe.

Did you recently install a dishwasher? A banging sound will come about when the drain line thumps against the wall or cabinets during the operation. You need to readjust the dishwasher, and the noises will go away.

Buzzing

Buzzing sounds are sounds of water as its being forced down the drain or food disposal. In most cases, when you hear these sounds, you have nothing to worry about even if the sounds are loud. This is because they can get too noisy when there is a lot of food to get rid of.

Humming noises

It’s normal for the dishwasher to hum during normal operation, but if you hear humming sounds that are louder than normal or high-pitched, investigate the dishwasher fan or motor.

If the humming is coming about during a drying cycle, the fan is most likely the culprit as the motor isn’t in use. On the other hand, if it occurs during any other cycle, the motor might be damaged.

You need to hire an appliance technician to troubleshoot the appliance and fix the problematic area.

Rattling

Rattling noises are due to the dishes that you put in the appliance. You might be having a loose fork somewhere, plates touching each other, a cup being jostled by water, or any other issue.

If the noises aren’t from the dishes, they are most likely from a faulty motor. You can tell where the noises are coming from by running an empty wash cycle. If you can still hear the rattling noises, they might be coming from the faulty motor.

When inspecting the motor, also take a look at the drain and filter for any solid objects that might be causing the noises.

Sometimes the noises are due to a water hammer in the pipes. You will have to hire a plumber to prevent serious damage to your plumbing.

Clicking noises

Just like humming noises, clicking noises are regular operating noises from the dishwasher. While this is the case, sometimes, the sounds can be brought about by tiny objects such as a seed bouncing around.

If you recently repaired your dishwasher, for example, replacing the O-ring, you might be having clicking sounds when the ring isn’t seating properly.

Telltale signs that the clicking is due to the recent repairs is rhythmic clicking. Before you hire an appliance repair Northern VA professional, take a look at the part you recently replaced.

The post appeared first on Express Appliance Repair

If you are dealing with issues with
your washing machine, it can seem hopeless. You may be tired of the
inconvenience but feel confident it is something you can fix without
the need to call for washing
machine maintenance or repair. Keep reading for a few ideas on
quick fixes, then contact American Appliance Repair at 800-640-9934 if you need
additional help.

A Leaking Washing Machine

If you have a washing machine leak in
the front or back, it may mean that there is a failure in a seal or
that one of the containers is not correctly balanced. In the event
the leak is coming from the front of the washer, it is likely an
issue with the seal of the door. If the leak is coming from the back,
then it may be an issue with the water line connections. If the leak
is coming from underneath the machine or somewhere else, it may be
that there is an internal connection problem within the housing of
the washer.

The best way to fix this issue depends
largely on where the leak is coming from. Before calling your local
appliance repair company there are a few things you can try.
First, if the leak is coming from the back of the washer then you can
try to tighten your water line connections. Just find the connections
at the wall and try to tighten them. If the were noticeably loose
then this could be the issue.

A Washing Machine That Smells Bad – Even When
Nothing is in It

It is more common than it should be for
high efficiency, front-loading washing machines to develop a bad,
sour smell over time. This is caused by the thick rubber seals
necessary to keep water from leaking while your washer is working.
These seals fold over tightly and water can puddle in them. This then
encourages mildew growth and can cause bad smells in the washer –
even when nothing is inside it.

The good news about this issue is that
there is actually nothing wrong with your washer – it is just damp
and mildew has been allowed to grow. The solution is fairly simple:
Kill the mildew and find ways to increase airflow so the problem does
not persist.

There are a few
ways you can kill the mildew. One, you can run the washer empty with
white vinegar and borax granules in place of detergent. Vinegar works
to kill funguses and mildew, while the borax kills organic spores
that create the smell.

If this problem persists then you will
need to clean it often. If it seems to happen every quickly, then
there may be something wrong with your seal. At this point you can
contact your local appliance repair company to get help repairing
your unit. American Appliance Repair can be reached at 800-640-9934.

The post Quick Fixes to Common Washing Machine Issues Homeowners Deal With appeared first on American Appliance Repair.

Your refrigerator was full of activity during the festive season. As the New Year begins, you need to keep it organized for you to keep it functioning efficiently. How do you do it? Here are expert tips given by appliance repair professionals:

Start with a clean slate

Start everything on a clean slate. This calls for you to toss out any expired products that you aren’t using.

With all the hands that were going in and out of the appliance and the accidental spills during the season, the chances are that there is a lot of dirt in the appliance.

Before you do anything, clean the unit. A simple wet cloth and soap are enough. Regardless of the stains, avoid using abrasive products as they will damage the appliance.

Leftovers on the top shelf

You should designate the upper shelves for pre-cooked foods, packaged foods, drinks, and leftovers. The cool thing with these foods is that they are already cooked, so you don’t have to worry about them spilling from their packages hence compromising the foods you place below.

For you to have an easy time telling what is in your appliance, transfer the foods from the delivery containers into a glass or BPA-free plastic storage.

Having the foods in clear containers also prevents you from forgetting about the foods.

Place fruits and vegetables in bins

You should have specially designated containers for fruits and vegetables. The containers should keep the contents as fresh as possible. While it’s tempting to prepare the foods ahead, avoid chopping the ingredients until too close to the time you will be using them.

If you slice and dice the vegetables too early, they can easily go bad.

Store the fruits and vegetables in their whole form and at the right humidity levels to keep them nice and crisp.

Watch what you place in the door

The fridge door is often warm, so you should be cautious of the items you put there.

The best items to put in the door are milk or fresh juices. These are highly perishable, and the best place to store them is towards the bottom and in the back of the appliance where the fridge is the coldest.

You can place butter and soft cheeses in the door as you don’t have to keep them too cold.

When it comes to eggs, keep them at an area with the most consistent temperature. This is on the middle shelf of the fridge.

Do you have deli meats? Keep them in their designated meat bin.

Store the bottles neatly

If you struggle finding enough space in your fridge due to all the drinking bottles and containers in your appliance, you can improve the look of your appliance by stacking the water bottles in a pyramid shape to make them easy to grab.

Transfer things such as juice and iced tea to tall, slim, grass carafes to make the fridge neater.

Don’t buy more than you need

When you are looking to give your fridge a new look, it’s easy to buy more things than you even need. As you might guess, this results in overstocking the appliance.

You should note that an overstocked fridge doesn’t do its work properly, which means that it doesn’t keep the items cold and fresh.

When the fridge is too packed, the cool air doesn’t circulate properly; hence the food items spoil faster.

One of the best ways of avoiding buying more than you need is to have a notepad or chalkboard nearby to keep a tally of what’s in the fridge, so you don’t buy what you already have.

Move what needs to be eaten at the front

If you are like other homeowners, you have food that you need to eat sooner than the other. Whether it’s leftover yogurt, don’t run the risk of having to throw it away simply because you forgot about it.

Go through the fridge once a day and move the foods that need to be eaten soon to the front of the appliance.

Refrigerator repair Springfield professionals recommend that you mark the container with the date you opened the food, so you don’t have to wonder whether it’s still good.

The post appeared first on Express Appliance Repair

If you turned on your dishwasher, walked away, and came back to find that it never finished its cycle, it may be just a fluke occurrence. However, if it happens regularly then it may be time to have your dishwasher repaired. Continue readying to learn some of the reasons a dishwasher may stop in the middle of a cycle and then contact American Appliance Repair at 800-640-9934 to learn more.

Your Dishwasher May Have Blown a Fuse

If your dishwasher will not start after
having stopped prematurely, then the issue could be a blown fuse in
your fuse box. If you see that there are indicator lights still
working on your dishwasher, then there is power to the appliance and
this is not the issue. If they are not on and the dishwasher does not
seem to have power, then check your fuse box to see if one has blown.

There May Be an Issue with the Door Latch of Your
Dishwasher

In the event the microswitch on your
dishwasher is faulty, it may prevent your dishwasher from working
correctly. This is a safety feature to ensure that your unit does not
run with the door wide open. If the latch has broken in the middle of
the cycle, then the entire appliance will stop working. Your
dishwasher can close snuggly but unless the latch works it will not
matter.

It Could Be a Faulty Electronic Control Board

Think of the control board as the
brains of your appliance. It is designed to last for the entirety of
your unit but something can go wrong with it. If this happens, there
many different symptoms that can occur – including the machine
cutting out in the middle of a cycle. However, if this is the issue
then you will likely notice that there are many other issues with the
unit.

There May Be an Issue with Your Pump and Motor

Your dishwasher requires water and
enough water pressure to run in the first place. If you do not have
enough water pressure, then it will not work. Check this by turning
on water to your faucet. If you find that there is not water at all,
due to an outage or other issue, then this is likely the reason your
dishwasher stopped in the middle of its cycle.

More likely, there may be an issue with the pump or motor that prevents enough water from being produced and a malfunction results. This can cause it to shut off. This is something you will need help from the appliance company for. Call American Appliance Repair at 800-640-9934 for help.

The post Has Your Dishwasher Stopped Mid-Cycle? These Reasons Could Be to Blame appeared first on American Appliance Repair.

Refrigerators work hard to keep the food cold and safe. Unfortunately, many kitchen owners don’t do much to love them back. According to appliance repair professionals, this results in the appliances breaking down more often.

They also consume a lot of energy. Do you want your refrigerator to run efficiently? Put these tips into action:

Keep it away from hot appliances

It’s common to have ovens, dishwashers, and other heat-producing appliances at home. The heat produced by these appliances makes the refrigerator work harder to maintain its cool temperature. As you might guess, this leads to a high electricity bill.

To prevent the appliance from working too hard, put the fridge as far away from the heat-producing devices as much as possible. If you have a large kitchen, put the refrigerator at a designated area.

Fill it up

Some clueless homeowners have the notion that the refrigerator functions better with fewer items, but this isn’t the case. You should note that the more stuff the fridge has, the more efficient it runs.

If you don’t have a lot of food to store in the fridge, fill pitchers with tap water and place them in the excess spaces in the refrigerator.

Replace the rubber seal on the door

Also known as a gasket, the rubber seal protects the fridge from unwanted warm air from getting into the refrigerator. The opening and closing of the door wear out the gaskets, and it’s only a matter of time before you have to replace them.

When the rubber seal wears out completely, warm air from the outside enters the fridge, which triggers it to work even harder, which translates to high energy bills at the end of the month.

To keep warm air from entering the fridge, replace the worn-out rubber seals.

Clean it up

In addition to cleaning the insides of the appliance, you also should pay attention to the outside and especially the back of the unit. Pull the refrigerator away from the wall and get rid of dirt and grime from the coils.

If you have a modern appliance, the coils will be behind the grille. Dust and vacuum the exposed coils. You also should clean the area where the refrigerator stays. The beauty of cleaning the fridge is that you don’t need to hire a professional to help you out. You can easily do it by yourself.

Keep the fridge closed

The longer you keep the fridge open, the more the hot air gets in which triggers the refrigerator to work too hard than it should. For you to prevent a lot of hot air from getting into the fridge, keep it closed most of the time.

Most people spend a lot of time on the fridge door when they can’t remember what they are looking for. For you to reduce the amount of time you keep the door open, know what you are precisely looking for.

This way, you will be sticking your hand straight into what you want and close the fridge door.

Cool off the leftovers

If you have leftover food, don’t put it straight into the fridge while still hot. This is because it can dramatically increase the refrigerator temperature, making the compressor work too hard to cool the refrigerator.

A simple act as letting the food cool down first can go a long way at taking the strain off the fridge. By cooling the food, you reduce the amount of heat you add to the interior of the appliance; hence it doesn’t work hard to cool the food.

To prevent residual heat from escaping from the appliance, store the food in protective wrapping or Tupperware before placing it in the refrigerator.

Keep the refrigerator organised

Keeping the fridge organized makes it easy for people to find things they are looking for; hence you spend less time on the door.

If your fridge is overstocked, get rid of the excess items. Have you placed large bread items, serving dishes, and food boxes on the top shelf? Remove them from there.

Refrigerator repair Springfield professionals report that large objects at the top of the fridge trap heat inside the unit, forcing the compressor to work harder than it should, which translates to a high energy bill.

To reduce your cooling costs, get rid of these items.

The post appeared first on Express Appliance Repair

Happy Holidays from all of us at Sarah’s Appliance Repair!

Most kids are now officially on Winter Break. If you’re looking for some local events to attend in these final days leading up to Christmas to help keep them busy, here are a few family-friendly holiday events going on in Albuquerque this week:

River of Lights

The largest walk-through light show in New Mexico!

Where: ABQ BioPark Botanical Garden

Dates: Nov 30-Dec 30

Time: 6-9:30pm

Cost: $14 for adults (age 13+), $7 for children (ages 3-12), Free for babies & toddlers (3 and under)

More info: City of Albuquerque

Trolley of Lights

A 75-minute trolley ride through the Christmas tree and decorations of Old Town Plaza, Rio Grande Blvd, and the Village of Los Ranchos de Albuquerque.

Where: ABQ Trolley Co. at Hotel Albuquerque

Time: 6pm

Dates: Dec 15-28

Cost: $15-25/person

More info: Albuquerque Tourism & Sightseeing Factory

Bugg Lights

Christmas treats, music, and more than 300,000 lights on display in addition to multiple natives and over 100 Christmas trees.

Where: Belen Harvey House Museum

Dates: Now thru Jan 4th

Time: 5-9pm

Cost: Free

More info: Bugg Lights Christmas Display

Mariachi Christmas

A festive show full of dancing, folk music, and holiday cheer!

Where: Popejoy Hall

Dates: Dec 22nd

Time: 3pm

Cost: Varies depending on seat choice

More info: Popejoy Hall

We want to express our gratitude to each and every one of you. We are grateful for the opportunity to know you and that you have entrusted your appliance repair services to our care. It’s been an amazing year because of you!

The post Holiday Events in Albuquerque appeared first on Appliance Repair New Mexico.