Simple upkeep that keeps household appliances running longer
The Abimeister team · Updated · 5 min read
Most appliance breakdowns are not sudden faults but the slow result of things nobody checked: a filter clogged with hair and grit, a seal gone soft with limescale, a grease filter that has not seen soap in a year. None of this needs tools beyond a screwdriver and a bit of vinegar, and ten minutes a month does more for a washing machine's working life than any amount of expensive detergent. This guide sets out what to check, in what order, and where routine upkeep stops and a proper repair begins.
What to check on the washing machine once a month
Pull the detergent drawer right out and rinse it under a tap. Fabric softener leaves a sticky residue that grows mould if it sits, and this is the smell most people blame on the drum. A stiff bristle brush and a few minutes at the sink is usually enough.
Check the rubber door seal on a front-loader, especially in the fold at the bottom. This is where coins, hair grips and lint collect, and where mould takes hold first because it stays damp between washes. Wipe it out and leave the door ajar afterwards so the drum can dry.
Run an empty cycle at 90 degrees with nothing but the machine itself, or use a proprietary descaler, every couple of months. Tallinn's tap water carries enough hardness to build up scale on the heating element over a year or two, and a hot empty cycle keeps it from setting hard.
Dishwasher filters and spray arms
The filter assembly sits under the lower spray arm and normally twists out by hand. Rinse the coarse and fine mesh under running water and pick out anything caught in the mesh — food scraps, glass shards, the occasional peppercorn. A dishwasher that leaves a gritty film on glasses almost always has a filter that has not been touched in months.
Unclip or unscrew the spray arms and hold them up to the light. The small holes block with limescale and bits of food, and a blocked hole means one part of the load never gets properly rinsed. A toothpick or a length of wire clears them out in a couple of minutes.
Use a dishwasher cleaner or a cup of white vinegar on a hot empty cycle every month or so, particularly if you notice a chalky film building on the inside of the door. This is ordinary limescale management, not a fault, and it is far cheaper than a new heating element.
Grease filters in the kitchen extractor fan
The metal mesh filter under the extractor hood is not decorative. It catches airborne grease before it reaches the fan and the ductwork, and once it is saturated the fan works harder for less effect and the grease starts settling on nearby cabinet tops.
Most metal filters come out with a simple catch or slide and go straight into the dishwasher, or into a sink of hot water with washing-up liquid and a soak of half an hour. Do this monthly if you cook often, less if you rarely fry.
If your hood also has a carbon filter for recirculating air rather than ducting outside, that one cannot be washed and needs replacing every few months depending on use. Check the manual for the interval, since carbon filters lose their effect gradually with no obvious sign.
Hoses, connections and seals worth a visual check
Twice a year, pull the washing machine and dishwasher out far enough to see the hoses at the back. Look for a hose that has gone stiff, cracked or discoloured near the coupling, and for any sign of dried white mineral deposits, which usually mean a slow drip that has already evaporated once.
Check that the inlet hose connections are hand-tight and that the rubber washer inside the fitting is still supple rather than flattened or cracked. A washer past its best is a cheap part but the cause of a surprising number of water leaks under kitchen units.
If you find a hose that is swollen, leaking, or older than the appliance's own warranty period, replace it rather than wait. This is straightforward work, and if you would rather have someone check the whole connection while they are there, our plumbing rate starts from 45 € per hour.
- Detergent drawer and door seal: rinse and wipe monthly
- Washing machine hot cycle or descale: every couple of months
- Dishwasher filter and spray arms: rinse monthly, clear holes with a toothpick
- Dishwasher cleaning cycle: monthly or when film appears on the door
- Extractor grease filter: wash monthly if cooking often
- Carbon filter (recirculating hoods only): replace per the manual, it cannot be washed
- Hoses and connections: visual check twice a year
When self-service ends and the machine is best left alone
Everything above is external maintenance: filters, seals, hoses, the parts designed to be reached without tools. The mistake most people make is going further once they are already in there — unscrewing the pump housing to chase a rattle, or taking the back off an extractor fan to see why it has gone quiet.
Stop there if a washing machine is leaking from underneath rather than from a visible hose, if a dishwasher is not draining even with a clean filter, or if an extractor fan hums but the fan itself will not turn. These usually mean a worn pump, a blocked drain line further inside, or a seized motor bearing, and opening the casing without knowing the layout tends to turn a repair into a replacement.
For appliances that are simply old and tired rather than faulty, an odd jobs booking from 39 € per hour covers general troubleshooting and small fixes, and if the unit needs to come out entirely and a new one fitted in its place, appliance installation is a fixed 55 € per job.
Ten minutes a month on filters, seals and hoses prevents most appliance faults; once you are past the panel, it is worth booking someone rather than guessing.