15 tips to help prolong the “life” of household appliances

Furniture, bed sheets, dishes and other items are an important part of our homes. It can degrade over time or get damaged without proper care. Luckily, there are some tricks to prolong their lifespan.

Bright Side has compiled some useful and practical tips that can help you prolong the life of your home appliances.

1. Treat upholstery stains as soon as you notice them

Anyone who has these chairs at home knows they look great, but are prone to yellowing when used to sit and eat. They also accumulate a lot of dust, which can deteriorate over time. Therefore, it is important that as soon as stains appear, you have to deal with them immediately.

Cleaning this chair is very simple. Fill the basin with warm water, add dish soap. Use a microfiber cloth, dip it in the mixed solution and wipe it until the stain disappears.

2. Put the leather armchair out of direct sunlight

To keep leather armchairs in good condition, they should ideally be placed in a place out of direct sunlight. This is to prevent discoloration. In addition, it is equally important to try to clean the chair regularly. You just need to use a cloth to wipe off the dust.

Also, consider vacuuming to remove food debris or other things left in the nooks and crannies. If something falls on it, you don’t need to rub it with a cloth, just use a dry towel to clean it.

3. Brushed velvet chairs and armchairs

This type of furniture gives your home a unique style. Velvet is really a very resistant material. But like any other material, it needs maintenance to keep it in excellent condition. Cleaning several times a month with a special cloth brush can be of great help.

Another good tip is that you should avoid placing heavy objects on this material for a long time. Finally, try not to place such furniture too close to the walls to avoid damage.

4. Daily cleaning of wooden furniture

From tables and chairs to desks and kitchens made of wood, they always appear in families. So knowing how to handle it for a longer life is extremely important. Cleaning this material regularly with a feather duster or soft cloth is the first step to keeping the shine. For cleaner furniture, mix olive oil and vinegar and use a soft cloth to rub the solution onto the surface. Let it sit for a few minutes and then, with another clean, dry cloth, rub it back in to make it shine.

5. Remove dirt with hot water

Since bed sheets often have a lot of other coverings, they don’t yellow as often. But they can still harbor dirt and bacteria, even dust mites. That is why it is necessary to wash them with warm or hot water to clean them. Don’t forget to check the attached label to see if there are special washing instructions that will keep them looking like new for longer.

6. Don’t wash blankets too often

Blankets are the first thing we see when entering the bedroom. But it is not necessary to wash often. In fact, blankets are recommended to be washed 2-3 times a year.

7. Let the pillow dry completely after washing

When you don’t want to damage the pillow after washing, check the material carefully. Because many types of pillows need to be taken to a dry cleaner instead of using a washing machine at home. With home washable pillows, always check to see if they’re dry after washing. You can even use a hair dryer or turn it upside down if you hang it outside so as not to damage the pillowcase, keeping it longer.

8. Rotate the carpet regularly

Carpets help your home become warmer and more aesthetically pleasing. They create a cozy space but to keep them in perfect condition follow 2 simple tips. One of them is to flip them often so that parts that can leave traces of furniture are exposed. That’s a good way to give them time to recover. Another tip is to vacuum often and thoroughly, as dust accumulates and damages the fibers.

9. Wash white fabrics as soon as they get yellowed

Kitchen towels, rags and tablecloths, especially when they are white, are prone to yellowing. It is necessary to wash them as soon as stains appear. Another great trick is to use a mixture of salt and water on the spilled food or drink to soak up the stain.

10. Remember to dry cutlery

Sometimes, cutlery is not really taken care of, even though everyone uses it every day. Over time, they can lose their luster and look dirty, even when they’re not. To keep them shiny, simply wash them with the softest part of a sponge, removing any leftover food. Then rinse with cold water and don’t forget to dry them instead of leaving them in the water tray.

11. Clean dishes with DIY mixture

Porcelain dishes can stay in the cabinet for a long time. To remove grease from dishes, a good way is to mix one tablespoon of baking soda with one tablespoon of white vinegar, a little lemon and water in a bowl until it forms a paste. You should apply this mixture to each bowl and then rinse.

12. Wash stainless steel pots and pans with warm water

When using pots and pans, grease can accumulate or stick. Over time, it will become more difficult to clean, making these items look very dirty. To avoid this, after using the item, you should wash it thoroughly with soap and warm water, as well as scrub it with a soft sponge.

Finally, dry completely so no stains form. If the pot has some marks from use, boil water with a little vinegar for 4 or 5 minutes, then use this solution to wash as usual.

13. Clean stubborn stains with vinegar

When leaving things on the table during a meal, it is very easy for something to drop or settle on the tablecloth. So the best way to make this item last longer is to clean the stains as soon as they appear. If it is a coffee stain, the stain is often difficult to remove, apply a little white vinegar combined with alcohol to the fabric before washing.

14. Do not overload the washing machine

The washing machine is an important household appliance. So prolonging its life is very important. The first thing is not to overload the washing machine. If you have a lot of laundry to do, it’s better to split the laundry into several small washes.

Also, make sure to ventilate the drum, as well as clean the rubber gasket, where dirty soap scum accumulates, as well as the detergent dispenser and filter. Don’t forget to periodically clean the exterior with a cloth dipped in soapy water and dry with a soft cloth.

15. Avoid using window cleaner on mirrors

Mirrors at home can be scratched, dull, or stained. So just like other things, they need care. The best way is to use only soft cloth for cleaning. Note that window cleaners should not be used due to the presence of chemicals.

Photo: Collectibles