How to make your appliances last longer
Our expert round-up includes both quick and easy regular jobs, and more intensive tasks to help ensure your appliances go the distance.
Our large-appliance surveys consistently point to a lack of maintenance as a major contributor to appliance breakdowns.
A regular tune-up will not only keep your appliances running smoothly day-to-day, but it will also prolong their lifespan and prevent surprise repair bills. In some cases, it can even help them run more efficiently.
Jump straight to the tips:
Dishwashers | Fridge freezers | Ovens | Tumble dryers | Vacuum cleaners | Washing machines | Small appliances
Want a long-lasting appliance? See our guide to the buy-it-to-last brands that make your money go further.
Make your dishwasher sparkle
Keeping on top of dishwasher maintenance is key to sparkling-clean glasses, crockery and cutlery.
Regular jobs
- Clean the filters Dishwasher filters can quickly get clogged with food and grease, leading to water draining slowly and cleaning being less effective. Remove the filter and wash it in warm soapy water monthly.
Less often
- Clean the dishwasher spray arms These can get clogged with food and limescale, especially if you live in a hard water area. Remove them for cleaning every three months.
- Run a service wash To freshen up the inside, run a hot wash while empty with some dishwasher cleaner twice a year.
If problems persist after cleaning the filter, check that the water inlet hose isn’t squashed or kinked – this is usually at the rear of the appliance, so you may need to call a professional if it’s an integrated model. If water drains slowly and the waste water pipe connects to the sink waste, it might be blocked. Pour dishwasher cleaner, then boiling water, into the dishwasher drain sump to unclog it.
Dishwasher causing you grief? See our guide to common dishwasher problems and how to fix them.
Help your fridge freezer keep its cool
Fridge-freezer breakdowns can be stressful and expensive. With food costs rising and heatwaves increasing in frequency, keeping your food cool is a top priority
Regular jobs
- Check thermostat settings It’s easy to accidentally knock dials to a warmer setting. Just done a big shop? Lower the temperature for 30 minutes, or use the ‘boost’ function to give your full fridge a little extra help cooling quickly.
- Check fridge internal air vents are clear A full fridge can cool unevenly if the internal air vents are blocked by food or containers. When a fridge is packed so full that its contents touch the shelf above, it prevents cool air from circulating, driving up the temperature.
- Keep the interior clean Food can lodge in the drain hole, leading to water pooling and bacterial growth.
Less often
- Clean condenser coils A build-up of dust prevents fridge’s coils at the back of the appliance from cooling properly, making it less efficient. Once every six months, pull it out from the wall and unplug it, then gently vacuum with the brush attachment to remove any dust and dirt.
- Defrost and clean the freezer The evaporator fan (usually located at the back of the top shelf) can get blocked with ice or obstructed by food, leading to improper – and less efficient – cooling. A build-up of ice can also impede the door seal, allowing warm air to enter the freezer and cause food temperatures to rise.
Our appliance reliability survey shows that two thirds of common cold-appliance faults are down to the build-up of ice. Failing door seals cause ice build-up by letting in warm, moist air from the outside. Once inside, it condenses and turns into frost and ice. To test your freezer’s door seal, pop a banknote in between the seals, close the door and then gently pull it out. If it slides out easily without much resistance, the seal isn’t making good contact and needs to be replaced.
Fridge-freezer got you hot under the collar? See our guide to common fridge freezer faults and how to deal with them.
Keep your oven cooking
Built-in ovens are among the most reliable appliances in our kitchens, especially if you stay on top of maintenance.
Regular jobs
- Wipe up spills quickly Baked-on food impacts your oven’s energy efficiency over time, so don’t let splashes linger. Use a damp cloth to clean up any food spills as soon as the oven cools down.
Less often
- Check the rubber door seal Once a year, check to see whether the seal around the oven door is still soft and pliable. If it’s brittle or cracked, the oven will leak heat and could spike your energy bills. Luckily, replacement seals are available online, relatively cheap and easy to fit yourself.
- Ensure the interior fan spins freely A fan that’s clogged up with food could cause uneven heating and poor cooking performance.
If you’re not lucky enough to have a self-cleaning oven, consider an annual professional oven clean. It will save you a job and keep your oven running at its best by improving its cooking performance and energy efficiency. Dirty ovens have also been shown to negatively affect your home’s air quality, releasing particulate matter as food burns off. Prices vary depending on your location and oven size, but you’d be looking at £50 upwards for cleaning a single oven or £70 for a double.
Which built-in oven brand is the most reliable? See our guide to find out.
Keep your dryer tumbling
Lax dryer maintenance not only leads to poor drying, but also increases the risk of fires.
Regular jobs
- Clean the lint filter after every load Lint build-up reduces drying effectiveness and restricts airflow, which can cause overheating. Your dryer’s thermal cut-off stops it from producing heat if it gets too hot inside. If this fails and your dryer gets too hot, it could catch fire.
- Wipe the drying sensor monthly Located in the drum below the door opening, this detects moisture and turns the dryer off when clothes are dry. A dirty sensor leads to improper drying, leaving clothes too wet or over-dried and impacting your appliance’s energy efficiency.
Less often
- Clear the vent hose (vented dryers only) Remove built-up lint every three months to maintain good airflow.
Avoid overloading your dryer, as this can lead to imbalanced spinning, which causes excessive wear on the drum and suspension. Avoid opening the door mid-cycle, too. This disrupts how the air heats up and cools down, impacting energy efficiency.
Help your vac go the distance
When a vac loses suction, it might be caused by poor maintenance. Addressing the issues we’ve listed here can instantly and dramatically improve a flagging vac’s cleaning power, so you won’t have to pay for a service or fork out for a new one.
Regular jobs
- Empty the dust bag regularly In our tests, we’ve found that a full bag can reduce a vac’s suction power by as much as 30%. Bagless vacuums should be emptied after every use – particularly if the dust capacity is less than one litre. If you notice suction dwindling on a bagged vacuum, it’s probably full. Switching to a fresh bag can quickly restore suction.
- Clean the brush bar Remove any hair, fluff and dust every few weeks to ensure the brush bar makes proper contact with the floor. This will also help your machine to suck up hair and dirt from harder-to-clean surfaces such as carpets.
- Wash the filters Every month, remove the filters and run them under a tap, or machine wash if the manufacturer states that is recommended. Leave to dry naturally – ideally for 24 hours or until completely dry – before you put it back in the vacuum cleaner.
Less often
- Replace the filters Once or twice a year should be sufficient, depending on how often and intensively you use your vacuum cleaner.
- Replace the battery Some cordless vacs have swappable batteries, but they’re expensive, so it’s important to look after the battery to keep it performing as it should. Many manufacturers guarantee the battery on cordless products for just a year. To prolong the battery’s life, use only the official charger and keep it out of direct sunlight while charging. Avoid draining it completely, too – frequent short charges are better.
If none of the above steps fix the problem, contact the retailer (or manufacturer if you’ve extended the warranty). Alternatively, many manufacturers, including Dyson and Miele, have their own service centres that can diagnose and fix the issue with your machine. Some have video maintenance guides on their websites, too.
Find out more about how to fix a vacuum cleaner that's lost suction.
Clean your washing machine
Poor maintenance can lead to blocked filters and sluggish drainage.
Regular jobs
- Ventilate the drum Keep the door and detergent drawer ajar after a wash to allow moisture to evaporate. This helps stop musty smells.
- Clean the seals Every month, pull back the rubber door seal and clean with warm soapy water and an old toothbrush. Do the same with the detergent drawer to avoid mould.
- Run a service wash Every month, run a cleaning cycle (or any cycle above 60°C) with the drum empty or with a washing machine cleaner. This eliminates bacteria and limescale.
Less often
- Clear the drain filter This is usually located behind a panel at the base and needs clearing of debris such as hair, lint and coins. Every three months, place a shallow tray or towel on the floor to prevent spillages and open the panel by twisting the filter cap to drain the water. Clean the filter with warm soapy water.
Frequent cleaning ensures the drum is free of unwanted debris and increases your chances of squeaky-clean clothes.
Loud and annoying washing machine? See our guide to common washing machine problems and how to fix them.
Small appliance maintenance tips
It’s not just large appliances that need maintenance. Your small appliances will also serve you better with a bit of TLC.
- Air fryers Baked-on grease and food stuck to the heating element are a fire risk, so clean the air fryer after every meal. Wipe away any oil and debris from the basket while it’s still slightly warm (not hot, to easily remove most of the dirt, then just pop in the sink to hand-wash as normal.
- Air purifiers If you suffer from hay fever or pet allergies, it’s important to frequently (roughly every six to 12 months) replace the filter on an air purifier. It’s worth cleaning the pre-filter every month or so to make sure it’s filtering the air properly. Use a dry cloth or a vacuum cleaner with a soft brush attachment.
- Coffee machines If your coffee machine has a bean grinder, clean it every six months or so to ensure a flavourful coffee every time. Don’t neglect descaling, either. Do it every three months (or when your machine alerts you) to prevent clogs in the internal pipes. Follow your machine’s instructions and use the recommended descaler.
- Kettles Limescale floating on the top of your cuppa isn’t a tasty way to start the day. It’s not dangerous to consume, but a build-up of limescale inside a kettle can also shorten its lifespan. We recommend descaling your kettle and cleaning the limescale filter every three months, or sooner if you notice it.
Find out how to deep clean your kitchen appliances.
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This article first appeared in the September 2026 issue of Which? magazine.
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