Fridge & Washing Machine Care Tips for Delhi Homes

1. Clean behind the fridge — the coils are the whole point

The black grille at the back (or the coil underneath, on newer models) is how a fridge sheds heat. Coated in Delhi dust, it cannot — so the compressor runs longer, the fridge cools less, and your electricity bill quietly rises.

• Pull the fridge out twice a year and vacuum or brush the coils and the grille.
• Leave a gap behind and above it. A fridge pushed hard against a wall in a tight kitchen alcove is a fridge working against itself.
• Keep it out of direct sun and away from the hob if you possibly can.
• Vacuum the floor underneath while it is out — it is one of the dustiest spots in any flat and a favourite route for pests.

2. Test the door seal with a note

A perished door gasket is the commonest reason an older fridge runs constantly, and it is trivial to test.

• Close the door on a currency note so half sticks out. Pull it. If it slides out easily, the seal is not gripping at that point — check several points around the door.
• Wipe the gasket with warm soapy water a couple of times a year. Grime and stickiness stop it sealing.
• A gasket that has gone hard or torn can usually be replaced on its own, which is far cheaper than living with a fridge that never switches off.
• Frost building up in an unexpected place is often a seal problem letting humid air in.

If cooling has genuinely dropped, our fridge not cooling guide covers the diagnosis before you call anyone.

3. Hard water is what kills washing machines here

Delhi’s water leaves scale on the heating element and inside the drum, and scale is what takes out the element eventually.

• Run an empty hot cycle with a descaler or plain white vinegar every couple of months. It costs almost nothing and it is the single most useful thing on this list.
• Clean the detergent drawer. Pull it out, wash it, and check the recess behind it — the sludge that builds there is where the smell comes from.
• Use less detergent, not more. Excess does not wash better; it leaves residue that feeds odour and film.
• Leave the door and drawer ajar between washes, particularly in monsoon. A sealed damp drum grows exactly what you would expect.

Our hard water tips cover the wider picture, since the same water is scaling your geyser and taps.

4. The filter and hoses nobody checks

• The drain filter (usually a small hatch at the front bottom of a front-loader) collects coins, hair and lint. Clean it every few months. A blocked filter is the commonest cause of “it will not drain” — see our not draining guide.
• The inlet mesh filter where the hose connects clogs with sediment from roof tanks. If filling has become slow, look here before assuming a valve fault.
• Check the hoses for bulges or damp patches once a year. A burst inlet hose while nobody is home is one of the more damaging things that can happen to a flat.
• Do not overload. It is the main cause of bearing wear, and bearings are the repair that usually ends a machine’s life.

5. The noises that mean stop and call someone

• Washing machine: a rumble or grinding that gets louder during spin. Usually bearings. It gets worse and eventually damages the drum — the earlier it is looked at, the more options there are. Our noise guide covers the causes.
• Washing machine: violent shaking on spin. First check it is level and the load is not bunched on one side. If it persists, stop using it on spin.
• Fridge: a clicking that repeats every few minutes with no cooling. Often the relay or the compressor struggling to start.
• Either: a burning smell. Switch it off at the socket and stop using it.

Our washing machine repair guide covers what these jobs cost, and appliance warning signs covers the rest of the kitchen.