Expert offers tips for DIY appliance help

Q: My front-load washer is starting to smell. How do I get rid of the stink?

A: Q: I have occasional bouts of dirty water appearing in the bottom of my dishwasher, presumably from the sink next to it. Our appliance repairman says the washer is functioning fine. The plumber made sure the dishwasher’s water hose was raised up a bit, and advised I clear the sink drain occasionally with yeast or RID-X. Any other ideas?

A: Q: The ice dispenser on my KitchenAid Superba Side by Side refrigerator suddenly stopped working. Now I have to scoop ice from inside the freezer door. It’s a minor inconvenience, but I wonder whether there’s a simple solution. The water dispenser works fine, as does the ice maker. Any ideas?

A: Q: My 10-year-old microwave stopped working. Except for the “Popcorn” button, any other function causes it to conk out and prompts a “Reset Clock” message. Do you think it would be cheaper to fix it or replace it?

A: Q: My kid scratched up the inside of my microwave. Can I use appliance touch-up paint to repaint the entire inside?

A:

Wayne Archer, who fixed appliances for 20 years and now provides DIY help for appliance and lawn and garden equipment through Sears Parts Direct, joined staff writer Jura Koncius last week on the Washington Post’s Home Front online chat. Here is an edited excerpt.

Over time, an odorcausing residue can build up from all the dirt, detergent, fabric softener and water that pass through your front-load or top-load washer. One of the best things you can do to prevent odors is remove wet clothes as soon as possible when the wash cycle is done. Also, leave your washer door or lid open between loads to dry out.

If you have young children who might find the open washer door an invitation to play, keep the laundry room door closed while airing it out.

If dirty water is appearing in the dishwasher at random times, your problem might be from a restriction in your house drain line. This will block the water from going down the drain, causing the house drain water to back up and fill the dishwasher with some dirty water. I recommend checking the dishwasher for dirty water after you run water from other places, such as sinks or showers. If water appears then, you will need to have a plumber come over and clean your house drain lines.

Open the freezer door and look into the ice chute from the inside of the freezer door to check for an ice clog. Use a hair dryer on a low setting to defrost ice and clear the clog if you see ice cubes in the chute. If the chute is clear, then a wiring failure or faulty control is probably preventing the ice-dispenser door from opening.

Repairs for a 10year-old microwave would most likely be more expensive than buying a new one.

Sorry, no. Touch-up paint is designed only for use on arcs and burn marks up to the size of a quarter. The touch-up paint shouldn’t be used to repaint the entire inside of the microwave. For safety, a service technician should examine the inside of the microwave if it has large scratches. If the technician determines that it’s safe to repaint the inside of the microwave cavity, the technician can apply the paint and then test the microwave for radiation leakage. The leakage test must be conducted on the microwave before it can be used safely.

Q: When the spin cycle is ending and the drum starts to slow down to a halt, my washer makes an alarming rattling noise. What is it and can I fix it myself? Is it worth the cost of having it repaired or should I buy a new one?

A:

Foreign objects such as coins under the agitator could be the cause of your problem. On older washers, the spin bearings could also be wearing out and starting to make noise. I recommend having a service technician check your washer for foreign objects under the agitator. Repairing or replacing would depend on the age of the product and overall shape it is in.

Q: My KitchenAid dishwasher is about 2 years old and I use it once or twice a week. I have tried the “Soil, “Prowash” and “Tough “cycles, but my dishes do not come out clean. I have also taken the filters out and they are all clean. Do you have any suggestions before I call for service?

A:

Check the holes in the spray arms for hard water deposits that could be blocking water flow. Clean any blocked sprayarm holes using toothpicks or bamboo skewers. If the spray-arm holes are clear or the dishes still don’t get clean after clearing the spray arms, watch our SearsPartsDirect.com video on the topic online to help address other possible dishwasher cleaning issues.

Q: We have a Kenmore refrigerator that was purchased in late 2004. About three or four years ago, I needed a new drawer slider but neither Sears nor LG still stocked the part. I was lucky to find it on eBay. Do you have any suggestions on where to find parts that are no longer available from the original seller?

A:

EBay or Amazon are the best places to look for discontinued parts. Also, search the part number with the part name and you might find some supplier with one in stock.

Q: We don’t use our dishwasher at all, but I’ve been wondering if we should run a load through once a month or so to keep it working. Would this be a good idea?

A:

Yes, running a load once a month will help keep water seals moist and flush out any water in the pump and hoses.

Q: Are dishwasher cleaners necessary? Other than cleaning the filter, do I have to “clean” it? I make sure the “arms” drain.

A:

Cleaning it once a month helps get rid of food particles that collect around the side of the door.