Indeed, from helping to trim down costs related to appliances to reducing monthly energy bills, vacuums are truly the little cleaners that can! Here are some of my top household bill-reducing, vacuum cleaning tips for keeping your house and your wallet in tip-top shape.
Lose the Lint in your Dryer
The place you're likely to accumulate lint the fastest is your dryer. Not only does this build-up cause a fire hazard if left unchecked, but it also greatly hinders your dryer's efficient operation.
Between my husband and I, we probably only run the washing machine and dryer a couple of times a week, but families with more members use these two appliances much more frequently. To ensure effective and efficient drying, you should clear out the lint trap before each laundry day in your home. In addition to helping your clothes dry more thoroughly, they will dry more quickly (which means less time actually operating the machine).
To make sure you've sucked up all of those lint balls, use your vacuum's hose to vacuum the screen directly. This isn't necessary each time you clean out the filter but vacuuming the screen every four or five times you remove the lint should be sufficient.
Don't forget about the hose behind your dryer: This should be cleaned out regularly to eliminate the fire hazard as well as avoid any unnecessary work on the part of your dryer.
Bust the Dust around your Refrigerator
While we're discussing
appliances, another one you probably don't service as regularly as you should
is the refrigerator. More specifically, how often do you think about cleaning
the grate below the fridge?Not only is this a prime target for errant fur, hair and debris that is kicked along the floor without any significant thought, but it also hinders your refrigerator's efficient functioning when it's covered with gunk.
Use the brush attachment to your vacuum's hose and suck up the dust from the base of your fridge a couple of times a month to ensure there's nothing in the way of an efficiently cooling refrigerator.
Likewise, don't forget about the refrigerator coils behind the unit. Wipe these off and vacuum up any leftover dust or lint before pushing the fridge back into its freshly cleaned place.
Free your Filters
Similar to your dryer and fridge, when you have built up lint, dust and debris clogging up your air filters and your air grates, your air conditioner has to work that much harder to suck in the air and cool down your environment.
Not only that, but for households with allergy-plagued inhabitants (like mine), a clogged up grate means that your air conditioner isn't filtering the inside air as well as it should and you're less likely to receive that much needed breath of fresh air and more likely to have to pop an additional allergy pill. That equates to extra trouble and costs any way you look at it.
Make sure you change your filters every 30-45 days and when you remove the grate to change the filter, use your vacuum to remove any excess dust from the grate itself. If you haven't done this in a while (or ever), you may want to vacuum the grate before spraying it in the shower or taking it outside and giving it a quick rinse with the water hose. Ensure it is thoroughly dry before replacing it to avoid causing the metal in the grate to rust.
Cleanse your Computer
Using your vacuum cleaner to pull a powerful punch of air through your computer's power supply is a great way to clear the cobwebs and dust from around the fan. Not only does a dusty fan cause your computer's components to overheat more quickly, but it also slows down the processor and can shorten the lifespan of your computer in general.
What are some unexpected ways you have used your vacuum cleaner to pull more weight around the house?
Rheney Williams writes about budgeting for home décor and home organization for Home Depot. Rheney provides budget-saving tips on everything from DIY projects to appliances that can save you money, including vacuum cleaners. For Home Depot's complete selection of vacuum cleaners, click here.
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