Life Hack: How to make your appliances last longer and use less energy 

If you care for your white goods, you should see the effort reflected in your energy bills

With the cost of energy rising, many of us are looking for ways to cut back and save money on our gas and electricity bills. A simple way to do this that doesn’t involve limiting the use of something is to care for your large appliances to ensure they run efficiently. Home appliance retailer Beko has shared some minor changes you can make that could have a significant impact on your bills and will lead to a smoother performance from your white goods.

Fridges

Learn about when to store food in your fridges. A budget-friendly lunch or dinner can be made with leftovers, but if you’re adding piping hot food to your fridge, you’re using excess energy. Putting hot food in the fridge increases the internal temperature, causing the unit to work harder to bring the temperature back down. Instead, wait until the food is at room temperature to put it in the fridge.

As well as the contents of your fridge, it is important to position the fridge itself correctly. Don’t place it right up against a wall, which will restrict airflow and reduce your refrigerator’s ability to remove heat. In this position it will struggle to cool down when it gets hot, causing internal systems to work harder and degrade quicker.

Clean your coils at least once a year. If you allow dust to build up on them, you’re adding extra insulation to the fridge’s system, which causes it to heat up. The fridge will have to work even harder to stay cool, using excess energy.

Dishwashers

Dishwashers can be a breeding ground for mould and bacteria if not treated correctly, and the easiest way to avoid these forming is to leave your appliance's door ajar after it has been used. Keeping it closed after a cycle can cause foul odours and mould to form in the rubber seal, impacting your machine’s performance. Avoid further unwanted stinks too by cleaning the dishwasher’s filters at least twice a year.

What you choose to wash in the dishwasher is important. Make sure they are dishwasher safe and avoid wooden chopping boards and wine glasses which can easily produce debris. Debris like wood chips or glass segments can damage both your crockery and dishwasher.

Washing machines 

Stop overfilling your washing machine. An overloaded washing machine works harder to run each cycle. By piling too much into the drum, your clothes are cleaned to a lesser standard and there is unnecessary stress on the machine’s system.

Check your pockets before placing clothes inside the machine. Anything left in them could become loose in the wash and damage both the machine and fabrics.

Once your wash cycle is complete, remove the laundry immediately before mould has a chance to develop. A mould problem will lead to a smelly washing machine and will reduce the machine’s ability to produce clean clothes.