What to do if your dishes are not getting clean?
Dishwashers ARE NOT disposals. Rinse all dishes of excess food before washing them. Make sure the water temperature is hot enough - your hot water heater thermostat should be set at least 140 degrees. Some dishwashers have a temperature boost switch - try turning this on. Also, run the hot water in the sink until it is hot, and then turn the dishwasher on. Make sure the spray arms are unobstructed. The bottom of the inside of the dishwasher should be clean. Load the machine properly (check your owner's manual). More soap does not make the dishes cleaner. Two tablespoons for a full wash is enough. The powder detergent also needs to be fresh (don't buy a large box unless you do dishes every day).

What to do if your dishwasher is leaking?
Make sure you are following the proper loading procedures, including proper type and amounts of detergents (run unit through cycle empty, if it doesn't leak it is probably a loading problem). Make sure the racks are positioned properly. Make sure the door is unrestricted around the opening.

HINT: If the inside of your dishwasher is beginning to brown and form mineral stains, put Limeaway (available at your grocery store) or Tang Citrus Drink into the tank during the wash cycle. The citric acid from these products will remove the mineral buildup and restore the finish.

HINT: If your dishwasher is developing a film on the inside, put 6-7 drops of good quality, name brand regular liquid detergent (for hand washing dishes) in the bottom and put the machine through a regular cycle. This procedure will wash away soap scum, mineral deposits, and grit. It will also allow the machine to work better. Important note - do not use more than 6-7 drops of detergent or you may have a flood.

Garbage Disposal

***Always run cold-warm (Never Hot) water in the sink when you operate the unit.***
What if the disposal just hums?
If the unit jams/hums: Turn the unit off. After turning off, remove anything that has fallen into the grinding chamber. If unit is still jammed, Turn the unit off. After turning off, insert the "unjamming" tool into the bottom and turn clockwise (if you don't have an "unjamming" tool, you can accomplish the same thing by inserting the wooden handle of a broom into the disposal and turning it clockwise)Once the tool turns freely, remove whatever was causing the jam.
If the unit is dead: Push in the red reset button located on the bottom or the side of the disposal (almost all disposals have a reset button). If the unit begins to hum and the reset trips again, it is jammed, see above and then push the red reset.

HINT: Ground orange or lemon peels will remove stale odors from the disposal and put off a fresh scent.

Dryers

If the clothes are not getting dry: Make sure the dryer has not pushed back against the rear vent duct causing problems with airflow. Make sure the clothes are coming out of the washer spun damp dry - if the washer is not spinning the clothes damp dry, the dryer will not dry the clothes in a normal amount of time.

Microwaves

*Never run a microwave without anything in it.
*Always use microwave safe dishes.
*Do not use aluminum foil or anything with metal
*Wipe the seal off with a wet rag and dry it thoroughly as often as needed.
*Do not twist, bend, or slam the door in any way.

Range / Electric

If your burners are not heating make sure they are sitting straight and in their proper position.
If your oven is not heating, make sure the clock is set on the manual cycle and not the automatic time bake cycle.

Range / Gas

1) Raise up the top and keep the area clean and free of grease build up.
2) If the top burners are not lighting, wipe off the burner head with a hot, damp rag and then dry completely.
3) If oven is not heating make sure the clock is set on the manual and not automatic cycle.

Refrigerators

1) If your refrigerator is not running or isn't cold enough
2) Turn the thermostat up to the next highest setting...

3) If the door is sticking or not closing properly, wipe off the face of the gasket with a wet rag and make sure the interior shelves, drawers and food are not preventing the door from closing from inside.

Freezer / Chest or Upright:

1) Follow all procedures outlined under refrigerator heading.
2) Do not pack the freezer.
3) If the unit is not self-defrosting and the temperatures begin to rise, check the frost build up on the inside of the freezer. If it is heavily frosted, manually defrost the freezer by turning it off at the thermostat, unplug from wall and allow 12 hours for the unit to defrost, with both doors open.
4) If the unit is not an automatic self defrosting model, defrost the unit once a year or as often as needed. Follow proper defrosting methods (do not use a knife, pick, hammer, chisel, screwdriver, etc. Or any sharp object).

Washing Machine

* Follow the proper loading procedure and machine operation.
* Never overload the machine.

1) If the machine is dead: