Appliance Mythbusters

General Appliance Myths

Here are a few home appliance myths that you’ve probably heard grandma talking about.

Keeping appliances unplugged will help you save money on your electric bill.

Not really. Rather, not enough where it’s likely that you will have great benefit from it. ENERGY STAR recommends cutting total home energy use by up to 11% by ensuring that you have proper attic insulation, not by unplugging your appliances. You can also check out this website to see how much your average everyday household appliances are costing you yearly by running in standby mode while not in use.

Being more conscious of your appliance usage is the best way to save energy.

It’s great to be conscious of your habits! Changing the way that you do things to better run your household can always be beneficial. However, the best way to see the quickest improvement with your energy usage is to utilize energy-efficient products for your home. Products that are ENERGY STAR certified are a great place to start.

You should use your appliances for as long as possible before buying new ones.

This can be tricky because every appliance is different. While you should use an appliance for as long as possible before purchasing a new one, you need to be aware of when to let go. If your refrigerator is making some weird noises after 7 years, it can be worth it to go ahead and put money aside for the repair. However, if you’re pushing 12-15 years for any appliance in your home, when problems arise it is best for your wallet in the long run to purchase a new appliance.

Check out our blog regarding this topic for more information about the lifespan of your residential kitchen and laundry appliances. Also, be sure to get the most out of your appliance by booking routine maintenance with our team at Premier Appliance of Augusta!

Kitchen Appliance Myths

You should prewash your dishes before putting them in the dishwasher.

Did you know that dishwashers today only use three-and-a-half gallons or less of water? They don’t magically use more water just because there is food stuck to your plates! That being said, it is beneficial to scrap bigger scraps of food off and into the trash can before loading them into the dishwasher. That way, the larger bits do not clog the filter (or cause any weird smells later on).

If your dishes aren’t coming out clean after each cycle, consider putting fewer dishes in the washer at a time. This leaves space for the water to work it’s magic! If you’ve tried this already and still seem to be having issues, give us a call so we can come figure out what’s going on for you!

Your microwave emits harmful radiation onto your food.

This has been a common household myth for a long time, and it’s time to bust it! The FDA requires that microwaves prevent radiation leaks that are harmful for humans. They use a type of non-ionizing radiation to heat up your food quickly, yet safely. So, the next time someone causes a ruckus about you using the microwave, you can assure them that it’s fine!

Cooking on a natural gas range is dangerous and not eco-friendly.

When using any appliance, it is always best practice to use safety precautions and familiarize yourself with your user manual, instructions for use, etc. There are a large number of people who do not trust natural gas ranges! However, you want to consider the fact that natural gas appliances have undergone decades worth of improvements and advancements. When you use a natural gas range today, it should be equipped with an automatic cut-off as a safety precaution against leaks or other malfunctions. To make a long story short: cooking on a natural gas stove is just as safe as cooking with an electric one!

So, are natural gas ranges eco-friendly? While they do release emissions, natural gas ranges today are designed to release as little emissions as possible. If you’re worried about your carbon footprint, consider this: natural gas emits much lower levels of gas emissions than other fossil fuels that are used in energy generation. All in all, we say, cook on!

You can clean your refrigerator’s water filter and reuse it.

Just because you can, doesn’t always mean that you should. Water filter replacements usually aren’t too expensive and are relatively easy to do. Replacing your filter will help your water come out clear and taste better, too. If you try to clean your refrigerator water filter, you may end up damaging the filter. Additionally, the particles and contaminants that are in the filter after months of usage are so small that they cannot effectively be cleaned away. Save yourself some time and just go get a new water filter!

Putting baking soda in your refrigerator helps eliminate gross odors.

Sort of! Baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, has been wildly popular in refrigerators, shoes, bathrooms, and other smelly areas around homes for years and years now. While it does help absorb mild odors, if you really want to attack a smelly situation, consider using activated charcoal.

Laundry Appliance Myths

Using more laundry detergent results in cleaner clothes.

The idea of using more soap or detergent to attack your nasty gym clothes sounds like a good idea. Well, it isn’t. Using more laundry detergent than you should can prevent your washing machine from properly rinsing all of the soap away. Additionally, more soap means more suds. If your washing machine has to work harder to wash all of that extra soap away, you’ll likely be putting more money into repairs sooner than you expect to!

Your washing machine is eating your socks.

Although it sounds silly, you could actually argue that your washing machine is eating your socks. This is especially true if you have an older washing machine. Older machines are more likely to have a gap near the wastewater drain where socks can occasionally get stuck. They can also hide away inside the machine through the heating coil, where heat and friction will quite literally make socks and other small garments disappear.

All in all, it isn’t super common (especially with modern day washing machines) and you shouldn’t point too many fingers at your washing machine. If you are still worried, you can use a laundry bag and be sure to not overfill your washer.

You can fill your washing machine with ice before a storm in case your power goes out to prevent food and drinks from spoiling.

When the power goes out, many people, understandably, go into survival mode. You don’t want those groceries that you just got to spoil! Most of the time, you also aren’t sure how long it will be until the power comes back on. Many people resort to putting ice in their washing machine to keep drinks and other freezer goods cold. This ‘life hack’ seems like a smart idea, especially since the ice will melt down and drain away on its own. Well, this is another one of those, “just because you can, doesn’t mean that you should.”

It is highly recommended to never put anything intended for human consumption inside of appliances that are not geared towards preparing or storing food. Additionally, if your power does not come back on before all of the ice drains, you’ll very likely ruin your washing machine’s drain pump. Our recommendation? It’s worth it to invest in either a generator or a large cooler for those emergency times.

Looking for More Appliance Care Tips?

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