Customer Service: Maintenance Tips Appliances Maintenance Dishwashers General Information Load your dishwasher properly following manufacturer’s directions. Use dishwasher detergents only in recommended amounts. Never put any other cleaning compound inside a dishwasher, as it could interfere with the dishwashing action. A dishwasher should always be plugged into a grounded outlet or wired direct. If hot water has not been used in the house for 2 weeks or longer, open all hot water faucets and let them run several minutes before using the dishwasher, or any other electrical appliance connected to hot water. Care & Cleaning Dishwasher interiors are self-cleaning. If a stain does occur, clean with dishwasher detergent and water. Wear rubber gloves to protect your hands from very alkaline detergents. A heavy film buildup from hard water minerals may be removed by adding vinegar or citric acid crystals to an empty dishwasher at the start of the first cycle after it fills with water (do not try if your appliance manual prohibits this). Rust stains inside a dishwasher, caused by iron in the water, can be removed by a commercial soluble rust remover compatible for dishwasher use. To do this, start an empty dishwasher on the rinse cycle. As it fills up, add 1/2 cup of the rust remover and let the dishwasher complete its cycle. If the iron problem continues after this treatment, you should consider installing an iron filter on your home water system. High iron in your water will affect not only your dishes, but also your laundry and all your other fixtures. Range Hoods General Information Range hoods and fans remove grease and moisture from cooking and thus require regular cleaning. Care & Cleaning Wash exposed metal with a warm suds solution and rinse. If very greasy, use ammonia with water and then rinse. Never use abrasive pads or scouring powders as they can scratch the finish. When cool, wash the light bulb with suds, then rinse and dry to keep the light clear and bright. Occasionally clean the fan blades of dirt and grease which can restrict air flow, cause motor over-heating and a potential fire hazard. Wash the blades with the same procedure as for the metal, as noted above. If the hood is vented, check the exhaust regularly, especially if you find the hoods deficiency has decreased. Grease clogs or dirt buildup, both of which occur normally with age, can block the vent. The vent should offer an unrestricted airflow. If the hood is not vented, clean the filter on a regular basis. Remove the filter, put it in warm, soapy water, and then let it soak for a few minutes. Wash and rinse it. Dry the filter and put it back in the hood. Some hoods have activated charcoal filters. These cannot be cleaned and should be replaced about once a year. Ranges General Information & Tips for all ranges Never store plastic items or other utensils in oven as they may melt or burn if the oven is accidentally turned on with them inside. Use large enough cooking pans to avoid boil-overs. If spills occur, wipe them up promptly to avoid baking on. Do not put large pieces of foil on oven floor or racks unless appliance manual recommends it. Foil in the oven, especially on the racks, may slow cooking and reduce browning. Do not line broiler pan with foil, as it concentrates heat and may damage the pan. Care & Cleaning Conventional ovens: Fill a small glass bowl with a 1/2 cup of full strength ammonia, place in oven and close. Let stand overnight, then wipe loosened dirt with paper towels or newspapers. Commercial oven cleaners are helpful if ovens are very soiled, but they should be used with caution. These cleaners can damage surfaces outside and around the oven. Be sure to protect these areas with layers of newspaper or other materials and cover your hands with protective gloves. If using a commercial cleaner, never spray in a hot oven (over 200° F) which will make it even more caustic and could corrode surfaces. Never spray on the oven light, or electric elements. Removable parts, such as broiler pans, and racks, can be cleaned more easily if allowed to soak in a sink or pan of sudsy water to which a little ammonia has been added. A lot of soaking is better for the surface and easier than a lot of scrubbing. Never soak aluminum in ammonia or other alkalis. If necessary you can scour oven racks or porcelain enamel with steel wool or a scouring pad to remove baked-on grease or food spills which have not come off in regular cleaning. Occasional use of such abrasive pads, or scouring powder on badly baked-on soil is acceptable, but don’t use these too often or scrub too hard or you can scratch the smooth surface and make it harder to clean from then on. Do not scour mirror-finished metals, glass or baked on enamel. Self Cleaning Ovens Follow directions in your manual exactly, as oven models and brands vary. These ovens clean themselves by oxidizing (burning off) soils at a high temperature. Wipe up spills promptly to avoid excessive smoke during the cleaning cycle. Especially wipe up spills of sugar and other carbohydrates, which become very firmly attached to the surface and sometimes damage the porcelain enamel glaze as they are burned off. Pre-clean the areas not reached in the self-cleaning cycle: the frame around the oven opening and the edge of the door outside the gasket. NEVER clean the gasket with anything! Use hot water and detergent or a paste of baking soda and hot water on difficult spots, then rinse well with vinegar to remove all residue. This prevents residue from being baked on during the high heat of the cleaning cycle. Re-clean these areas after the cleaning cycle is used. If permissible by your range manual, you may leave the oven racks in for the cleaning cycle; however, they will discolor, lose their shine, and become hard to slide in and out. If you do leave them in, afterward rub the edges of the racks and the guides on the oven walls with a soapy steel wool pad. Then wipe off and rub a few drops of salad oil on the edges for easier sliding. It is probably better to take the racks out before the cleaning cycle and clean them by hand. At the end of the cycle and after the oven has cooled, wipe out the small amount of fine ash left inside with a damp cloth. NEVER use chemical oven cleaners in a self-cleaning oven. Some residue may remain, and be changed by the high heat into compounds that can etch the porcelain enamel.