We’re not sure if it’s more terrifying for our kids going back to school or the impending onslaught of holidays, parties, and all the baking that comes with them! You may feel like your kitchen is a battlefield, and you’re the general, trying to keep the troops (read: appliances) in order before the chaos ensues. We are here to offer a bit of advice as we roll into Fall.

Let’s start with the oven, shall we? The oven is the MVP of the kitchen, the workhorse that gets us through everything from Thanksgiving turkey to birthday cakes. But it’s also the most temperamental. One minute it’s baking a perfect soufflé, and the next it’s scorching your lasagna to a crisp. You’ve most likely tried everything – cleaning it with vinegar and baking soda, using oven liners – but nothing seems to keep it under control. It’s like dealing with a moody teenager. If you don’t already, try preheating to your desired temp before putting your baked goods in, and when you do… don’t overload. This will cause uneven cooking and may even add to your cook time. And don’t fan the door! Peaking in frequently will only scorch your eyeballs and let all that heat out.

Then there’s the refrigerator. It can feel like a black hole, sucking in all the groceries and never giving them back. And the fridge door(s)? Magnets for everything from takeout menus to school papers. Another problem they suffer from? Frequent opening to scan the goods for munchies, which could cause cold air to escape. You could consider installing a lock on it, but that might be overkill. Oh, and if you have to dodge rolling items dropping onto your head when you open the door, you might be overloading your refrigerator, which can also affect cool air flow.

The dishwasher is another appliance that’s always causing trouble. It’s either not cleaning the dishes properly or it’s leaking all over the floor. Most of you have tried everything from running it on the hottest setting to using dishwasher cleaner, but nothing seems to work. You might even start to think that maybe you’re just not using it correctly. Start simply by scraping off all food and then load your dishes facing the spray arms. You might consider checking your detergent. These days there are several detergents designed specifically for home use.

And let’s not forget about the microwave. The microwave is a miracle of modern technology, but it’s also a major safety hazard. We’ve had more than a few close calls with exploding popcorn and overheated liquids. It’s like playing Russian roulette every time we use it! Covering your microwave safe dishes while they are heating (specifically liquids) can prevent you from dodging unwelcome splatter when you open the door. This also plays right into not heating your food for a really, really long time. This can cause serious overheating, damage and inedible food. Nobody wants that!

Let’s recap and keep those kitchens and appliances in top shape during the busy fall season:

Clean everything, all the time. This may seem obvious, but it’s important to keep your kitchen tip top and organized. A clean kitchen is a happy kitchen, so keep all of your appliance interiors clean and wiped down. Catch any spills or splatters immediately! By the way, did you know you can take out the microwave turntable to clean it?
Read the manual. We know, we know. Who has time to read a manual? But it might actually be helpful. You never know what you might learn.
Don’t overload your appliances. If you’re overloading your oven, dishwasher, or microwave, it’s not going to work as efficiently. This can mess with your airflow and cause either inefficient cooling in your refrigerator or uneven cooking in your oven and bad water flow in the dishwasher.
Don’t be afraid to call a professional (Guinco Service comes to mind). If you’re having trouble with your appliances, don’t be afraid to call a repairman. It’s better to have a professional fix the problem than to try to do it yourself and make things worse.

And finally, remember to take a deep breath and relax. It’s going to be a busy fall season, but you can do it. Before you let your kitchen appliances drive you crazy… give us a call here at Guinco Service (817-568-2866). One of our many super friendly, highly qualified technicians will come to your home and help you sort it all out!