How to take care of your appliances before going on holiday
Holiday packing is not the only thing you should do before you take a trip. You should also get your appliances ready to survive while you are gone so that you can leave your home with peace of mind and avoid bad surprises when you get back.
In this article, we will give you some precious tips to take care of your appliances before leaving for vacation.
Empty and clean up your refrigerator
Check expiring dates and consume all perishable food that would otherwise spoil before your return. It might be a good idea to buy fewer groceries the last weeks before leaving.
Then, don the gloves and start deep cleaning:
- use dishwashing liquid with a microfiber cloth to wipe down all the interior surface area (don’t forget bottom and corners!). If there are difficult stains, mix together baking soda and water to create a paste, then apply it to the stain and let it stand for an hour;
- fill a large basin with warm water and dishwashing soap and place all small removable parts, such as shelves and balconies, into the water. Then dry and reassemble all washed parts.
- use a soft cloth and warm soapy water to clean the external surface;
- if you also clean the freezer, empty it out completely putting all food in a thermal bag. Leave the door open for a few minutes, fill a spray container with warm water and vinegar in equal parts and spray the interior walls and then gently rub with a sponge or soft cloth.
Some Candy refrigerators, like Candy BellÒ, feature the Holiday Mode, which allows you to switch off the fridge and leave the freezer running. In this way, you can save energy and restart your refrigerator when you get back home.
Take care of your oven
A clean oven makes your return from vacation less unpleasant.
You can use the Care+Protect products to clean it, which are ideal for removing stubborn dirt and carbonised grease from your oven and racks.
Alternatively, you can use natural remedies such as water and bicarbonate soda: just work on the dirtier areas and let it blend, then use a sponge and spatula to remove any more stubborn crusts, rinse the oven down and dry with a cloth.
If you have a pyrolytic oven, it is even easier. Candy ovens, for example, come with the Pyrolytic system, a technology that ensures effortless cleaning with maximum hygiene. The cavity temperature reaches about 500°C, turning food residues into a layer of ash. Once the pyrolytic cycle is completed, you just have to wipe up the ash using a damp cloth.
Tackle the washing machine
A huge pile of laundry is inevitable after vacation. So, your washing machine and tumble dryer must be ready for the hard work. Clean their filters with a toothbrush to prevent malfunctions, and remember to clean the outside and the door with a damp cloth. Plus, you can do an empty load wash at 90°C, in order to disinfect the basket and clean the seals.
Clean the dishwasher
What about the dishwasher? The organic residues that often remain inside the machine can create unpleasant odours, especially if they settle there for a long time.
Simply run a complete empty cycle with baking soda or place a half-squeezed lemon in the crockery tray before leaving. In order to eliminate any accumulation of limestone use 2 tablespoons of citric acid to remove encrustations.
You can also use the Care+ Protect range, which combines 3 products in one: limescale remover, degreaser and hygienic cleaner. Using a 50gr sachet every month will help you keep your machine free from scale, dirt and grease deposits. Try to believe it!
Take care of your tumble dryer
The tumble dryer can definitely be a great ally to tackle that famous huge pile of garments after vacations. So, keep it in good shape. How?
For the drum, use a soft cloth and a non-abrasive detergent. Alternatively, you could use natural products such as water and vinegar. For the outside, use the same products both on the front and on the back.
Then, take care of the filter. Actually, you should remember to clean the filter after every cycle, since the deposition of debris can compromise the performance of the dryer and damage it irremediably. We suggest using a vacuum cleaner to do it quickly.
Don’t forget the hood
Last but not least, your hood. If you have a stainless steel appliance, we suggest you to arm yourself with a specially formulated product and a soft cloth. Alternatively, you can make a paste using one part bicarbonate-of-soda and one part of white vinegar. Remember to scrub with a linear cleaning motion, by following the direction of the grain of the metal. Then, remove the grease filter, put it in the sink and wash it with a soapy hot water and a cup of vinegar. Use a tootbrush to eliminate the greasy residue. What about paper filters? Remove them and replace with new papers.
