Christmas 2011: Sorting out household problems over Christmas

Don’t let broken appliances or a dodgy meal out spoil your festive fun. Here we reveal our tips and advice to help you deal with a range of minor disasters until life gets back to normal in the New Year.

My washing machine’s leaking!

If your machine’s sat in a puddle, or holding your favourite shirt hostage, our interactive washing machine repair tool could help.

The step-by-step instructions will help you diagnose and fix common washing machine problems – or let you know when you need to call a plumber. 

We’ve also got tips and advice on buying washing machine spare parts for popular washing machine brands Hotpoint, Hoover, Whirlpool and Zanussi.

My dishwasher won’t start!

Is your dishwasher leaking or not draining properly or making odd noises? Don’t immediately call the plumber, or face a Christmas of washing-up by hand – check out our interactive dishwasher repair tool to diagnose common problems.

You can also watch our dishwasher repair video guides showing how to fix dishwashers that won’t drain, have leaking doors or won’t start.

 My fridge freezer is playing up!

A fridge should keep food chilled between 0°C and 5°C, so if yours breaks down it's essential to get it fixed – or move food your food elsewhere – sharpish.

In the event of a freezer breakdown (or power cut), keep the freezer door closed and it should keep food chilled for several hours. In our tests we found the best kept food chilled for more than 30 hours.

In our fridge freezer repair guide we’ve got information about the cost of common fridge freezer spare parts, as well as contact details for all major fridge freezer manufacturers to help you find spares or an engineer should your appliance go wrong. 

And if you need to call an engineer, check out Which? Local for recommended appliance engineers in your area.

I’ve got a blocked drain!

A blocked sink is the last thing you need when you’re busy entertaining over Christmas.

Check out our review of the best drain unblockers, where we also reveal our tips on the best ways to clear a drain without having to call a plumber. 

I need a late-night pharmacy!

If someone in the family falls ill use the postcode checker on the NHS choices website to find a late night or early morning pharmacy near you.

You can also search for your nearest walk in centre, A&E hospital or minor injury unit.

For health advice visit NHS Direct (0845 46 47) in England and Wales or NHS 24 (08454 242424) in Scotland. 

I’ve had a bad meal out!

If your Christmas get-together was memorable for all the wrong reasons, read our guide to dealing with a bad meal out.

We’ve tips and advice on your rights and the best way to complain to get your voice heard.

More on this...

• Keep your boiler running smoothly with our boiler maintenance tips
• Check out the craziest gifts on sale this Christmas
• Find the ideal present with our top toys of 2011