Your refrigerator can be one of the most expensive appliances to operate in your home. Some of the newest, high-efficiency models can save you money on your electric bill, but if your existing refrigerator is working, you can save money and prolong its life with these tips.

Keep the Door Gaskets Clean

Newer refrigerators use flexible, rubber-like door gaskets which have a magnetic strip inside. During normal use, food gets spilled on them, and dust and dirt accumulate on the outside. In time, this makes them brittle, they don't make a proper seal, or the door gasket will crack, allowing cold to leak out and warm air to leak in. When this happens, your refrigerator works a lot more and your electric bill will be higher.

To clean the gaskets, use a cleaner like Fantastik¨, 409¨., or Windex¨. First turn off the refrigerator. Place some old newspapers on the floor to catch any drips. Open the door and spray the cleaner [liberally] all around the inside and outside of the door gasket. Let this soak for a few minutes. Next, use a soft rag soaked with warm water to wipe off the inside and outside surfaces of the door gasket. If the gasket is really dirty, you may need to repeat this process until clean.

You should clean the door gaskets at least once each month to keep them clean and flexible. Warm soap and dishwashing liquid works well with a small, soft brush, like an old toothbrush, but be sure to scrub very gently.

Clean the Condensor Coils

These are normally located at the bottom of your refrigerator where a small fan blows across them. Your refrigerator takes out the heat from inside and gets rid of it in these coils -- the fan makes it more efficient. When dirty, the coils don't work as well. It is very easy for them to get clogged with dust and dirt since they are near the floor. Anytime you sweep, the dust gets "sucked in" and stays there.

You can purchase a condensor cleaning brush at most appliance stores. These look like a "baby bottle brush" with a real long handle. By pushing the brush between the rows of coils, you can clean them easily.

To clean the coils, take off the bottom, front kick-plate off of your refrigerator. It is a good idea to turn off your refreigerator so while doing this you don't accidently hit the fan blade. It depends on the brand of your refrigerator how the coils are oriented -- some may require cleaning from the back. If your refrigerator is on wheels, or castors, roll it out before cleaning. This way, when you push it back, you can clean up all the dirt and dust easily.

It's best to clean the condensor coils in the Spring and Fall. If you get a lot of dust in your home, or you don't have air conditioning, you might want to clean the coils during the summer, too.

General Cleaning

Most modern refrigerators are self-defrosting. In the spring, high humidy causes them to work harder. Sometimes the defrost drain gets clogged. To prevent this problem, it's a good idea to clean your refrigerator every spring. Empty your refrigerator and turn it off. Use warm water and dishwashing liquid to clean. Rinse with warm water, using a soft rag. If you know where the defrost drain is located, mix a cup of warm water and 1/4 cup of clorine bleach and pour down the drain. Let your refrigerator "air dry" before turning it back on. You can use a fan to speed this up.

Storing Your Refrigerator or Freezer

If you have a refrigerator or freezer that you are not using, it is very important that you occasionally turn it on and let it run for a few hours. It's best to let it run for at least one hour every month or two. If you fail to do this, the mechanical parts inside of the compressor will rust and corrode and cause permanent damage that cannot be repaired.

They should be stored upright. When moving them, it is ok to turn them on their side. The general rule is to stand them upright for at least as long as they were on their side before plugging them back in to allow time for the oil to drain back into the compressor. In cold weather, the time ought to be about twice. When storing, they should always be left upright and should be operated [turned on] occasionally.

Cleaner Washes & Prolonging the Life of Your Washer

Hard water scale and soap scum build up in your washer which slows down the water pump, the agitator action, and eventually will result in poorer cleaning. An old fashioned idea is to use one-half cup of vinegar in the rinse water. Besides helping to soften the water, it also reduces lint.

To give your washer a thorough cleaning, use a cleaner like Lime Away¨ or Lysol¨ toilet bowl cleaner -- both have similar ingredients and will clean soap scumb and hard water scale. Be sure there's no clothes in your washer before you start. First, apply the cleaner to the inside of the lid, on top of the agitator so it runs down all around it, and along the top and insides of the tub. Depending on how dirty you machine is, you will probably use one or two bottles of the cleaner. Using rubber gloves and a "scrubby" sponge, you can clean most of the worst by hand. To finish up the job, run a full cycle wash with cold water and full tub of water, with the cleaner that you put in the machine. While it's washing, stop the machine and use the water with the cleaner in it to continue cleaning the lid and other places outside the tub. After finishing the rinse cycle, run another empty wash, using a cup of bleach, and your machine will be as clean as new.

To keep the outside looking like new, use a spray wax like Pleadge¨ regularly after cleaning the outside. For extra protection, you can use an automotive paste wax on the painted metal parts -- be careful not to get any on plastic parts.

Don't overload your washer. Two medium size loads with a full tub of water will wash better and put less wear and tear on your machine than one large over-load of washing. Using extra soap will not wash better and often won't rinse out as well -- use the right amount. For extra dirty clothes, put them in the washer with soap and start the wash cycle, then shut the machine off after a couple minutes and let them soak overnight. In the morning, start the machine again and let the washer finish. Your clothes will be much cleaner without using bleach or harsh cleaners.