If some of your appliances are looking tired and changing them isn’t in your budget, there are a couple of inexpensive methods which you can use to give them a facelift while also making them more energy-efficient. In this article, we’re going to concentrate on refreshing your refrigerator and dishwasher, however these tips are useful for nearly any large appliance you have in your home.
Starting with the refrigerator. Odds are it may need a scrub from top to bottom along with a defrost if it’s an older model. Completely remove all of the food and scrub the whole surface inside and outside with a decent cleaner that’s safe to use around food. Make certain you clean every part of the appliance until it is sparkling. If you have a common refrigerator, you might have the ability to find replacement shelves which make it easier to keep the food. Before have finished with the cleaning process, there are two more steps you will need to take
Take an old toothbrush and dip it inside your cleaner. Locate the rubber gasket on the inside of the doorway and start scrubbing. It’s probably pretty gunky unless of course you’ve been cleaning it regularly. If your refrigerator is old, you should replace the gasket. This makes your appliance more energy efficient. These gaskets are available at any home improvement store. It is best to either measure the old gasket or take a section along to the store with you to ensure you are purchasing the correct product. Replace both gaskets and shut the door.
Once you have replaced the gasket and closed the door scrub the outside of the door until it is as sparkling as the inside. Now, it is time to decide what to do next. You can either leave the appliance as it is or use a method which will make it look like you have spent a couple thousand dollars on a new appliance. Get some stainless steel contact paper – yes, contact paper, and carefully put it on your door. You will want to make certain that there are no broken or crooked edges. Cover the entire appliance with the contact paper smoothing out any bubbles as you do. The contact paper which is made just for these sort of diy projects can be found in most home improvement stores and online stores.
Now, lets look at the dishwasher. Repeat exactly the same processes as above, ensuring it’s totally clean. You may also add exactly the same contact paper for this appliance to ensure matching home appliances. You may want to replace the gasket in the dishwasher if it’s old and worn-out. These wear out pretty quickly because the area inside is really hot and damp. Again, you will be saving cash on energy costs by making the effort to replace the gasket.
Make sure that you simply stick to the correct care instructions for the recently contact-papered home appliances. Most include special instructions, but you can use a damp cloth with dish cleaning soap to wash it. Make sure the cloth isn’t too wet.
Your kitchen will now look like new and you’ve only spent a couple of hours along with a couple dollars!
