How to Prepare your Kitchen Appliances for Winter

Storing too much food in the freezer may affect its ability to make ice cubes, especially if the icemaker is in the freezer compartment. If there are too many items in the freezer, the airflow will be interrupted, and the icemaker won’t be able to reach the correct temperature.

If your fridge is not frost-free, it is important to regularly defrost it to prevent ice build-up. This issue can be more pronounced in winter months.

Make sure the fridge isn’t placed against cold external walls or in unheated spaces like garages. Extreme cold can affect how well your fridge works. It’s also important to ensure that there’s enough space around the fridge to allow air to circulate properly.

As temperatures can drop significantly in winter, especially at night, it’s important to make sure that your fridge and freezer are set to the optimal temperature. This way, they can carry on working efficiently, regardless of outside temperature changes. Read more about How to Set the Temperature of your Fridge or Freezer.

The colder air in winter can make the rubber seals on your fridge and freezer more rigid. Because of this, they need to be checked regularly, cleaning them if necessary to ensure they are tight and not letting warm air in.

Try not to open your fridge and freezer too often, as it lets warmer air in.

Make sure food is at room temperature and not hot when you store it in the fridge or freezer. Hot food raises the temperature, making the fridge or freezer work harder to cool down.

If there is a lot of dust on the coils, it may make the fridge work harder. This is more of a problem in winter when houses are often closed up and aren’t ventilated so often. If possible, clean the coils.

If your dishes are only lightly soiled, Quick rinse is the perfect setting.

Rinse air can help water spread and drain off dishes more effectively, helping them dry more quickly. This is important in the winter, as the air is cooler, and water might not evaporate as quickly.

As temperatures are lower in winter, dishes may not dry as quickly, so be sure to leave extra time for drying. Try not to open the dishwasher immediately after a cycle has finished, as these sudden temperature changes can affect drying too, and could mean that the dishwasher uses more energy on the next cycle.

Do not use too much detergent and be sure to adjust the amount to suit the water type in your area.

Make sure the dishwasher has the correct amount of salt and rinse aid in it. Make sure you’re using a good quality tablet.

The plumbing of your dishwasher needs to be insulated, especially if the pipes run through areas that aren’t heated. This will ensure that they do not freeze, which could damage the dishwasher.

Dishwashers rely on hot water, so in the winter, be sure to check that the water heater is set to an appropriate temperature to provide effective cleaning.

Because cold weather can harden the seals on the door of your dishwasher, you will need to inspect and clean them regularly so that they maintain an airtight seal.

Try not to open the oven door too much when you’re using it, as it will let the heat out, which means that it will use more energy getting back up to temperature.

If you’re using the grill function, keep the door closed. If you use the grill with the door open, it could damage the surrounding cabinets.

The cold weather can make the rubber seals on the oven door less effective, which in turn means that more heat can escape. Make sure to clean them regularly to keep them in the best condition possible.

If you’re going to use a self-cleaning cycle, make sure to remove all the accessories beforehand so that they don’t get damaged.

To ensure that your oven is reaching the correct temperatures, calibrate it correctly before using it.

Before putting any cookware in the oven, make sure it is oven safe and in good condition. Otherwise, it could cause accidents or even damage your oven.