Winter is over and summer is almost here. For most that means it’s time for spring cleaning. Getting all of your appliances cleaned up and prepared for the summer time can require a deep clean. As much as you want to press that “self-clean” button on Sub-Zero and Wolf or other high-end appliances it is highly recommended that you read the manufacturers’ cleaning recommendations first. C&W Appliance Service gets a lot of appliance repair calls for preventable problems. And unfortunately, warranties won’t cover mistakes that started as good intentions.
10 Cleaning Tips for Your High-End Appliance
- Fiascos with foil: Never put aluminum foil on the floor of a Wolf oven to catch drips and crumbs. The foil can melt into the oven cavity. In such a case you’ll have to call us to replace the entire oven cavity and heating element.
- Crack-up: If you wipe up spills with a wet rag immediately after cooking, you could crack the porcelain liner.
- Finish fixes: Food high in sugar or acid that drips onto the oven floor or spills onto glass-top ranges can fuse to the porcelain oven liners or cooktops. The finish will look dull or pitted, no matter how much you clean it.
- Brush the burners: If the cooktop ignitors don’t work, try brushing the burners with a toothbrush or use a straightened paper clip to remove debris.
- Coming unhinged: Don’t leave an oven door open and unattended. If it gets bumped or pulled, the hinges could be ruined.
- Dust in the right direction: Vacuum Sub-Zero condensers in the same direction as the aluminum vents. If the metal bends, air flow is reduced and the unit will eventually overheat.
- Go with the grain: Wipe the surface in the same direction as the grain on stainless steel appliances. Do not wipe in circles.
- Blowing a gasket: Avoid damaging rubber gaskets on refrigerators and freezers. Wipe them with warm soapy water so they don’t get sticky and break off when the door is opened.
- Complaints about grates: Oven racks can be cleaned in the sink or even the dishwasher (if you can get them in). You never want to leave racks in the oven through a self-clean because they will turn blue. You can clean the charbroiler grates in the sink as well. French tops are cleaned on the unit like a griddle and re-oiled and seasoned occasionally.
- Fried electronics: High-end appliance microprocessor switches on Sub-Zero and Wolf appliances are ruined when too much cleaner or saturated rags are used directly on electronic panels. Spray a cleaning cloth first; then wipe.
Simple Solutions
Pat yourself on the back if you are tackling spring cleaning tasks. But know you are not alone if you make a mistake! We’ve been helping customers with appliance repair for more than 60 years.
Contact C&W Appliance Service, the only Sub-Zero and Wolf factory-certified premier partner in Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin and San Antonio, call us at (855) 358-1496.
We’ll help you return your Sub Zero and Wolf and other high-end appliances to pristine condition.