A refrigerator isn’t a demanding appliance; therefore, you can live with it for long without problems with it. While this is the case, it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t take good care of your appliance. According to commercial appliances repair professionals, many people make mistakes with their refrigerators. This results to lower lifespan of the refrigerator. You also put your life and that of your home at the risk at fire. The most common mistakes are:

Overstuffing the refrigerator

Many homeowners have the impression that a full fridge is a sign of abundance. The truth is that having plenty of items in the fridge is bad. When you overstuff the unit, you prevent air from circulating effectively in your appliance. This means that food doesn’t get cooled the way it should. When food isn’t properly cooled, it serves as a breeding ground for bacteria that are harmful to you and to the refrigerator.

Keeping the refrigerator empty

You may think that since its wrong overstuffing your refrigerator, you should leave it empty—well, you are wrong. According to refrigerator repair professionals, an empty refrigerator has less thermal mass. This means that when you open the door, the fridge loses more cold air. To be on the safe side avoid leaving your unit empty. If you don’t have food to store in it, fill it with jugs of water.

Putting off refrigerator cleaning

If you are like most homeowners, scouring the fridge is the last thing that you plan to do when cleaning your house. This results to buildup of dust, dirt and microbes. As a consequence the refrigerator becomes an eye sore. The microbes and dirt also become a health hazard. To keep your refrigerator in good condition, clean it every week. When it comes to the crispers and areas that you store meat, use hot, soapy water when cleaning. You can also use a mix of water and vinegar. This is to ensure that you kill all the microbes.

While you should pay close attention to the inside of your refrigerator, you shouldn’t forget the outside. You should vacuum around the motor and grille. In addition to the regular weekly cleaning, it’s also recommended that you hire providers of commercial appliance services to inspect and clean the unit at least once a year. When hiring the service provider ensure that you hire a professional that is certified and experienced enough.