Save $100s
You can shave hundreds off your annual utility bills by making household helpers more efficient with these DIY tricks
Boost a dishwasher with “dirty” plates
Hold off on rinsing gunky plates before loading them into the dishwasher, urges Danny Lipford, host of Today’s Homeowner. Dishwasher soap is designed to adhere to food particles, so dirty dishes are easier to clean. “Not rinsing them first actually makes your dishwasher 10% more efficient,” he says. “Plus, the machine uses less water than cleaning dishes manually, saving you over $ 40 per year.”
Keep a washer humming with a triple rinse
Over time, detergent builds up on the inner workings of your washing machine, forcing it to work harder and slowing it down, says Lipford. A simple fix: Run three empty hot water cycles every three months. In the first, add 1⁄ cup bleach; in 4 the second, use 1⁄ cup white 4 vinegar; and in the third, nothing. The first two cycles clean out the gunk, while the third rinses the disinfectants.
Protect your stove with the right flame
Match the size of your burner’s flame to the size of your pot: “You lose 40% of the heat if the flame extends beyond the bottom of the pot,” says Lipford. Not only does that waste energy, much of that excess heat is absorbed back into your stove, where it can eventually damage electrical components.
Make your fridge run smoothly with a “fresh” seal
Your fridge’s motor not only works to keep food cold, it also removes humidity to prevent food spoilage. “The biggest contributor to humidity is a faulty door seal,” reveals Lipford. To diagnose a leaky seal, just place a dollar bill in the door and close it. If you can easily tug out the bill, the seal may need a “facelift.” Simply wipe it down with a little soap and water to remove any crumbs and dirt, then apply a layer of Vaseline to rejuvenate a brittle seal and make it airtight.
Extend a microwave’s life with a lemon steam
Spatters inside the microwave make it work harder, which can wear it down over time. “Microwaves heat up all the food you put in it, including stuff stuck to the walls,” says Lipford. The fix: Fill a bowl with 1⁄ cup
2 water and the juice of one lemon and heat for three minutes to loosen debris, then wipe. Says Lipford, “This can extend the life of your microwave by five years!”