beware of pet hair

Manufacturers say that most people don’t need to regularly clean their refrigerators’ condenser coils.

But, you should clean the condenser coils on refrigerators in greasy, dusty environments — and homes with significant pet traffic every two or three months.

Regular maintenance not only ensures your refrigerator runs efficiently — which costs you less — but it will help it run for longer.

Here’s how:

1. Unplug refrigerator or disconnect power. (We don’t need any heroes, people.)

2. Take off the kick plate, or “grille.” How you do this depends on the configuration of your fridge (e.g. top freezer, side by side), but the “wiggle and pull” method seems pretty universal. For more help, consult your Use & Care manual.

3. Clean the kick plate, the open area behind it and the front surface area using either a vacuum cleaner with a soft brush attachment such as a baby bottle attached to something long and thin.

See our appliance resource center for more tips.