Reduce Holiday Stress by Checking Those Appliances Now

It’s the holiday season! While social gatherings may look a little different this year, the desire to revel in tradition is stronger than ever. We need friends, family, and fun to enjoy the holidays, and most of that festive preparation happens in the kitchen. 

This is the time of year when your kitchen appliances need to bring their winning (reindeer) games to the holiday party. With a little upkeep and a few home appliance tips, the trinity of kitchen appliances—dishwasher, refrigerator, and oven—will be ready. Here’s how. 

Dishwasher: Locked and Loaded 

Simple preventive appliance maintenance tips will keep your dishwasher smelling fresh and running efficiently. For an easy cleaning solution, add a dishwasher-safe cup of white vinegar, positioned upright on the top rack, then run the hot cycle. This will eliminate those pesky odors. Then, be sure to regularly remove those food particles collecting in the basket at the base. 

Here’s a helpful appliance tip: Run the kitchen faucet before you start your dishwasher. When the water runs hot, you can start the wash cycle. This ensures the water temperature in your dishwasher is hot enough to kill germs. 

Refrigerator: Consistently Cool

According to the FDA , your fridge should run at or below 40 degrees Fahrenheit to keep food safe. Before the busy time hits, schedule time to clear out the entire fridge, then wipe down the shelves, walls, and drawers with a cleaning solution. We suggest combining one tablespoon of baking soda with one quart of warm water. 

For optimal performance, a smart appliance tip for your refrigerator is to store items that need the coldest temperatures (meat, fresh fish, etc.) on the bottom shelves or the drawers. Be sure never to mix meat and produce in the same drawer. To prevent contamination, don’t store meat directly above produce. Avoid placing items like milk or lunch meats in the door since that is the warmest section of the refrigerator. Instead, use that area for condiments or snacks. The upper portion of the refrigerator has the most even temperature; ideal for leftovers, drinks, and dairy. 

Stove Top/Oven: Hot Stuff, Baby

Between weeknight macaroni and cheese and Grandma’s famous gingerbread cookies, your oven and stove top work hard, especially during the holiday season. Wipe down the stove top daily to prevent germs that lurk in gunky spaces. (It’s always nice to start your holiday baking with a sparkling clean oven.) Then, depending on how frequently you use it, clean the oven every three months. 

The key is to prepare your kitchen appliances for heavy use BEFORE your busy cooking and baking activities begin. And if your dishwasher is making rather UN-holy night sounds or the oven can’t maintain the proper temperature, you have time to call the maintenance crew. 

Reach Out to Our Maintenance Crew

At Villa Del Sur Apartments , we want your holiday celebrations to be as magical and memory-filled as you envision. To help ensure that seasonal magic, our on-site management and 24-hour maintenance teams are ready to help if you are having any sort of problems with your appliances. If you have discovered that your garbage disposal or a stove burner has quit working, simply visi t Villa Del Sur’s Resident Portal and su bmit a work order. Our team will schedule a time for the repair, getting you back on track to holiday happiness. 

Simple holiday home appliance tips simplify the holiday season. But if you need repairs, reach out to our maintenance team as soon as repairs are needed. The entire staff here at Villa Del Sur Apartments sincerely wants your holiday wishes to come true this year!