This Home Pro Is Sharing The 7 Crucial Tasks Around The House That Most People Don't Even Know About

\”The most commonly forgotten home maintenance task is fridge condenser coil cleaning,\” Kyshawn told BuzzFeed. Skipping a cleaning here or there won\’t wreak havoc on your appliance immediately; at best, it can negatively impact your electric bill, but at worst, it could ultimately send your fridge to an early grave. \”Over time, dust and hair will collect, which will impact its performance and cost you more on your energy bill,\” Kyshawn added, \”and it can allow the fridge to malfunction by putting extra stress on its parts.\”

Here\’s how to properly clean your refrigerator coils:

1. Pull your fridge out from the wall and unplug it completely. (And while you\’re at it, give the floor underneath your fridge a good vacuuming, too.)

2. If your fridge coils have a cover or protective grill, unscrew and vacuum it.

3. Using your vacuum\’s nozzle attachment, carefully vacuum the coils and fins, being careful not to bend or damage the latter. If your coils are particularly dusty or dirty, you can use a cheap coil brush to loosen things up, but this is optional.

4. Replace the cover, plug your fridge back in, and push it back into place.

While you\’re at it, be sure to update your homeowner\’s insurance policy on a yearly basis to ensure it includes these valuables and even capital improvements like renovations and additions. In the event of a life-altering disaster or fire, the last thing you\’ll want is to fight your insurance carrier over these pricey home elements, so take some time ASAP to review your policy and get an accurate recording, just in case.

There\’s no getting around it: Drains get filthy, and they get filthy fast. Why? Well, the P-shaped bend directly underneath your drain, conveniently known as the \”P-trap,\” can contribute to all kinds of grossness. Since the P-trap is designed to hold water at all times (to protect harmful sewer gasses from making their way into your home), it\’s easy for drains to turn foul fast. \”Over time, lots of food, grease, and hair can end up in our drains,\” Kyshawn said, which can quickly snowball into full-out clogs or become the perfect breeding ground for fruit flies or unpleasant odors.

1. Pour a 1/2 cup of baking soda into the drain, followed by 1/4 cup of distilled white vinegar.

2. Immediately plug the drain with a kitchen towel to trap the gas reaction in the drain, which will help to push any clogs, grease, or residue past the P-trap.

3. Pour another 1/4 cup of vinegar down the drain and repeat, leaving the drain covered for 30 minutes.

4. Flush everything through with hot or boiling water and repeat the process every two to three months to keep clogs and odors at bay.

To function properly, your HVAC units (central heat and air conditioning) need to pull in the air from your home to heat or cool it before it\’s redistributed back into your living spaces. The older and dustier you allow your air filters to get, the harder your heating and cooling systems must work to pull in that stale air. Ultimately, that lower efficiency can lead to higher energy bills, which is just one of the reasons why Kyshawn recommends replacing your filters every 30 to 90 days; 30 if you\’re using fiberglass air filters, and 90 for pleated.

There\’s also an easy way to tell if your air filter is due for a swap: Take it out of the air intake grid and hold it up to the light. If you can\’t see light through it, that\’s your cue to replace it.

Here\’s how to properly replace your HVAC air filter:

1. Set your thermostat to \”off.\”

2. Locate your air intake grid; depending on your unit type, it might be in your living space, in a closet, or even on the unit itself. (Keep in mind that if your HVAC system doesn\’t use central heating or cooling vents, you won\’t find an air intake grid and can skip this entire task.)

3. Unscrew the cover and wipe it down with a cloth.

4. Per your HVAC unit\’s manual, replace the old filter with a properly rated filter. Follow the arrows on the border to ensure proper placement. Once securely in position, replace the cover and turn the unit on via your thermostat.

Nothing divides people more than how to \”properly\” use the dishwasher, from loading it correctly, pre-scraping your plates vs. leaving them as-is, or even what belongs on the top vs. bottom racks. No matter which way you slice it, your dishwasher is designed to get rid of a whole lot of gunk — and all that gunk has to go somewhere. That unfortunate place is your dishwasher\’s filter, which you might not even realize was something you had to consider until now.

According to Kyshawn, many people don\’t realize this, either, but cleaning that filter is a simple step that\’ll save you from many headaches and half-clean dishwasher cycles. \”Food and gunk buildup will accumulate on the filter, which will cause the appliance to not clean as well,\” he told BuzzFeed. Clean it regularly, and you\’ll ensure that your dishes come out squeaky clean every time.

Here\’s how to clean your dishwasher filter the right way:

1. To find your filter, you\’ll likely need to remove the bottom rack; depending on your dishwasher model, it\’ll likely be in the center or in one of the corners.

2. Steps for removing your filter will vary from model to model, so consult your manual. Usually, you\’ll need to twist it to remove it.

3. Under warm water, gently scrub away any deposits or food residue until clean.

4. Replace the filter, twisting it to ensure that it\’s fully locked in place.

5. Kyshawn recommends finishing the process by running the hottest, longest cycle on the dishwasher — no detergent — with a bowl of distilled white vinegar in the top rack.

\”Mineral deposits from detergent and fabric softeners are left in the machine and can affect the performance of your washer,\” Kyshawn told BuzzFeed. Liquid fabric softeners, in particular, can severely impact the overall performance of your washing machine over time; most contain oil-based ingredients, which can coat your washing machine tub in gunk as it simultaneously \”softens\” your clothes.

But no matter how often you end up deep cleaning your washing machine, make sure you follow Kyshawn\’s #1 tip for keeping mold and mildew at bay: Always keep your washing machine door open, whether it\’s top- or front-loading.

Here\’s how to deep clean your washing machine\’s tub:

1. In an empty washing machine, add a tablet or packet of washing machine cleaner and run the \”tub clean\” cycle, or your machine\’s hottest, longest cycle.

2. Once completed, give all the nooks and crannies of your machine a thorough clean with a soft scrubber brush and a microfiber cloth soaked in warm water.

\”It’s important to keep your gutters clean because if water isn’t flowing properly away from your home, it can cause damage to the roof, structure, and foundation of your home,\” Kyshawn said. When your gutters are clogged or damaged, rainwater will pool until it overflows. While faulty gutters won\’t immediately cause significant damage, you\’ll risk serious issues over time as falling water erodes soil away from your foundation. Water pooling in your gutters can also attract pests like mosquitoes — and if that\’s not a reason to check your gutters regularly, I don\’t know what is.

While there are products available for cleaning your gutters with your feet firmly planted on the ground, Kyshawn still recommends calling a local gutter cleaning service to complete this task if you\’re not comfortable on a ladder. Inspecting everything in close proximity is the best way to both clean your gutters and ensure there\’s no damage.