I'm curious about how many of you do basic maintenance on your appliances. Small things like dedusting your PC or TV, cleaning the washing machine waste slot, making sure that the vacuum cleaner is not full - can and will make your appliances last much longer, meaning that you'll spend less money on buying replacements in the long run. Most of these take little time to do, but are you doing them?
I do it at least every 6 months, especially for major appliances. I think it works so much like a car where the more often you care for it, the longer its life will be. I take good care of things that I invest a huge money on, and so I make sure that they are always in good running condition. I also think it will help me save electricity when they are all running well.
I do it occasionally or at times get it done by someone who can. Replacing parts however, is an entirely different matter. I couldn't risk doing that and possibly screw up. It's not worth it.
I mainly do it for appliances that are expensive, or are important to me. For example, I periodically use an air-duster for my computer, as it's one of the safest ways to clean your computer. And for computers, periodic maintenance is very important - your parts will last longer if you perform periodic maintenance. For example, your CPU could overheat easier if you do not remove the dust from your computers well - they will build up quickly, even more so if you're a smoker. I have enough experiences with most of my appliances to be able to determine what is wrong with them, and then remove and/or replace those parts myself. Overall, yes, I do perform periodic maintenance on my appliances.
Ah you mean cleaning the appliances? I only do that when it gets dusty already, but I don't really open the case or anything. I just wipe it with a dry cloth. As for the vacuum cleaner, I always take out the dirt after using it. I even wash the dirt filter occasionally so that it will be clean from time to time.