The best steam washers and dryers

Steam is the latest trend is washers and dryers and it’s being used to clean, de-wrinkle, refresh clothes, and to remove tough stains.

The Good Housekeeping Research Institute tested several brand of new washers and dryers to evaluate their ability to clean clothes.

Washing machines were evaluated based on the following factors:

• cleaning ability
• gentleness to fabrics
• removal of 20 stains with and without steam
• water use

Clothes dryers were evaluated on:

• drying times
• wrinkle removal

Both washers and dryers were also evaluated on their ease of use, energy usage, and customer service.

The winning washer was the Samsung 4.5 Cu. Ft. Steam Washer (retails at $1,400-$1,500. The Good Housekeeping Research Institute judged it best overall for general cleaning, stain removal, care of fabric and it also used the least amount of water.

A high-performing clothes dryer, taking only 45 minutes to dry a small load of laundry, was the Maytag Performance Series Front-Load Dryer, (retails at $1,499-$1,679.)

Read about the washers and dryers evaluated and how they ranked.

Maytag Recalls Refrigerators Due to Fire Hazard

The Maytag Corporation is recalling 1.6 million refrigerators due to a possible fire hazard after receiving dozens of reports from consumers saying that the appliance ignited causing damages to their homes according to a press release issued by the company and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The recall is for certain side by side and top freezer refrigerators made under the Maytag®, Jenn-Air®, Amana®, Admiral®, Magic Chef®, Performa by Maytag® and Crosley® names. Refrigerators with freezers on the bottom are not included in the recall.

Read more about the recall at the APWagner Appliance Parts Website.

Check to see if your refrigerator was included in the recall.

Model and serial numbers included in the recall.

Ready your home and appliances for the holidays

I neglected to mention this helpful article from PopularMechanics.com, “15 Ways to Prepare Your Home for the Holidays.” However, since there are still plenty of holidays ahead, I feel the information and link is still relevant.

Some helpful and surprising advice mentioned in the article, “Don’t use the self-cleaning cycle to clean your oven.” The reason why, according to the PopularMachanics.com article, “The self-clean cycle is so stressful on the appliance that it could cause it to fail, right before you need it most.”

Instead, the article advises you to clean around the elements, including the heating elements. Some other cleaning advice, make sure your
drip pans are nice and shiny, as shiny surfaces help reflect heat better. You can order new drip pans, heating elements, and oven racks and other oven replacement parts online at APWagner.com.

Some other advice from the article:

• Inspect your refrigerator’s door gaskets to insure they have a tight seal to keep air and moisture from getting into your refrigerator and spoiling food. A properly-fitted gasket will also help your refrigerator run more efficiently as it helps keep warm air from slipping in and cold air from seeping out of the unit.

• Clean the strainer/filter of your dishwasher and check the bottom of the tub for any pieces of glass, plastic or food particles.

• Clean the dishwasher’s door seal or gasket to remove dishwasher detergent, mold, slim and leftover food particles.

• Check your oven’s temperature with an oven thermometer and make any necessary adjustments.

Overall, it’s a very useful holiday check list of things to check, clean, and have on-hand before your holiday guests arrive.

If you need any parts for your appliances, APWagner.com stocks millions of appliance parts and can offer next-day shipping on millions of appliance parts. APWAgner.com only carries new parts from name brand manufacturers such as Maytag, GE, Jenn-Air, Sears, Electrolux, and many more. To see all the brands APWagner.com carries, visit their site.