To deal with a smelly fridge, toss in citrus peels rather than reaching for chemical cleaners and disinfectants. The peels absorb strong odours while releasing a natural fragrance.

Money getting into the pump will cause the washer not to drain — and it will stink. It is one of the most common and most avoidable calls we take.

Jet dry is a drying agent that also aids in rinsing, especially in cups. It puts a film on the dishes so food particles can’t stick. Tablets may say they include it, but you still need to add a rinse agent.

Contrary to what you may have been told, scraping dishes is the best policy. If you don’t, rotten food that can’t get out of the dishwasher builds up in the sump — and then you’re washing dishes in unclean water.

Lint sticks to plastic venting, restricting airflow, increasing heat and creating the potential for fire. Purchase metal flexible venting instead — it is a much safer alternative.

Vacuuming the inside of your dryer protects the motor, heater and rollers while reducing fire hazards. We also recommend a furnace duct cleaner through the venting to ensure proper airflow.

Gas gets hot faster and is a more cost-efficient source of cooking heat. When converting from electric, look for a hood that exhausts the CFM recommended by the cooktop maker — a gas hood must exhaust burner gases as well as cooking vapours.

Place water with a few lemon slices in a microwave-safe dish and heat it up. The steam loosens everything on the walls so it wipes down easily, and leaves a nice lemon scent behind.