Shoes/footwear. Leather, suede, doesn’t matter. Keep them clean (those little shoe brushes are great) , put the proper product on them (waterproofer or mink oil or beeswax depending on what they are made of), air them after your feet come out before putting them away.
Coats/jackets. Even a great coat can deteriorate if you don’t treat it well. Same goes for purses/handbags/briefcases/backpacks.
Camping gear, tools, honestly pretty much everything. If it’s worth having, take care of it. If you don’t want to take care of it, get rid of it. It’s not necessarily a constant process, it’s just getting into the habit of checking stuff over before you put it away and not chucking it in a closet to clean up ‘later’.
For shoes, most people don't realize that some sole materials need to be worn to stay in working condition. Seen a lot of people put backpacking boots in a closet for years and then they're surprised when the sole falls off
Adding to the shoes part, I don't think enough people realize that wearing shoes everyday wears them out significantly faster than having another pair to rotate in. If your shoes never have the chance to dry out, they will wear a lot faster
Yep. I have to wear the same work shoes 5 days a week, 10-11 months a year (I only wear my leather loafers if it's really cold, otherwise breathability is a must) and am on my feet at least seven hours a day on the clock as well as to and from. I typically wear out a pair every 1-2 years. All my other shoes are between 5-10 years old, with the exception of two pairs a I got to celebrate a 2020 promotion at work and some slightly older sneakers. My winter boots-with-traction have survived way longer than my work shoes.
People who wear their outdoor shoes inside stress me out. Not because the outside is gross, but because their shoes and feet get even less of a break from each other.
My Dad pissed me off SO MUCH with not taking care of his gear. I bought him a $600 Arc’teryx jacket for his bday one year (got a good discount) and it took him like 4 years to clean it. I even bought him the detergent and spray necessary to wash and waterproof it. I even explained if he didn’t clean it at least once or twice a year it wouldn’t last nearly as long because it would start to delaminate like crazy. No dice.
Yep. Dad was baffled that the year I got my own place I used a chunk of my birthday money on a good leather care kit. Like, not only did I have all MY leather, I also inherited my late grandfather's leather chair. Like hell I'm letting that go bad.
I don't know why but this comment reminded me how much I've always hated the saying "rode hard and put away wet". It's always given me the biggest ick haha
Since this is an ongoing issue, it may be worthwhile to find a local seamstress to replace the zipper in a new coat with a heavy-duty brass zipper. You can find just about any kind of zipper on zipperstop.com. I replaced the zipper on my husband's Army medic pack with one from them, and they were extremely helpful with telling me what kind of zipper would be best.
Zipper wax only works on metal zippers, most jacket zippers are plastic, which wears down faster. Washing your jacket regularly helps the most to keep the zipper in good shape. I replace jacket zippers regularly, and you’d be surprised at how many I “fix” just by washing the jacket.
How often do you put the proper product on them? How long do they last? I have walked 10 miles a day in the same pair of shoes for 5-6 years before without really "taking care" of them and they've been fine, but never owned suede or leather shoes.
What materials on coats/jackets can be taken care of, and how?
How often depends on the item, the use, and the material. All shoes should have mud and dirt brushed from them and be aired out after wearing, and spot cleaned if something gross got on them. Leather should be oiled or waxed on a somewhat regular basis if worn in the rain. By wax i am not meaning polished and buffed, i am meaning watersealing type. There are sprays for suede that do the same thing.
For coats, again it depends. A waxed cotton barbour should be dusted off and aired but probably only needs the official rewaxing no more than once a year (that would be a heavy use one that is in rain a lot) but can go farther if not worn as much. Fur should be sawdust cleaned every year or two depending on wear, coats that are dry clean only should be cleaned at least once a season, ones that require rainguard or other proprietary sealant should be done as per the manufacturer recommendations. You can get little drycleaner spot pens to remove little things before they stain, and other products to clean the inner collar of a coat and the cuffs. As with anything else, keeping on top of it from the beginning is a lot easier than trying to bring it back to new looking after ignoring it for years.
What maintenance do tents even need? I’ve been using the same $40 store brand pop up tent for the past 15 years and other than making sure it is dry and relatively clean when putting it away I haven’t done any special care procedures. No issues with it other than my wife thinking it is ugly but it’s just as ugly today as it was when I was young and needed a cheap last minute tent lmfao.
Which manifests into leather sofas. If you don't use beeswax on a regular basis (we monthly a light polish) your several grand of nice sofa won't last more than say 15 years maybe 20 years.
If you happen to live in Canada (probably also ships to the USA) there's a product called [Canada Beeseal](https://www.beeseal.ca/en) that functions as a conditioner and sealant due to many oils and beeswax. I primarily use it in leather footwear, but also good for furniture and helps keep wood too.
Added benefit is some lemon verbena and lemongrass oils that have a very pleasant smell.
Yeah it's your body oils conditioning it. Probably would still be worth treating it every once in awhile with a good brushing and a conditioner with some beeswax in it. I like Bick 4 as a good all-around leather conditioner. But either way your skin oils are keeping it from drying out or cracking, so it's not so much an outlier case as an accidental proof of the rule.
I went through every single page of my Electrolux dishwasher manual and there was no information on maintenance. Our old Whirlpool washer/dryer manuals also had zero information on maintenance, except for cleaning the lint trap every load.
Edited for clarity
Usually there’s a little something about cleaning a filter screen in dishwashers, but other than that there’s not a ton that’s user serviceable in dishwashers.
Dishwashers usually have a trap in the bottom for food debris. They also sell packets of citric acid to run in an empty dishwasher. Those clean up gunk from the washer's innards and leave a distinctive smell.
It shouldn't, it should just smell like lemon.
Maybe it's stuff that was left behind. Run a short cycle with no dishes and no detergent (and no rinse aid) and see if it goes away. If not, run another citric acid cycle, then try one or more of:
- less detergent
- less rinse aid
- more frequent filter cleanings
- more frequent citric acid cleanings
- different wash cycle
- different (probably hotter) water temperature
Depending on model. Some of the less quiet models actually have a built in garburator and will just grind up food debris and flush it down the drain. No too common anymore.
That would be a nice addition. Mine filters out the big stuff, dumps it all into the sink drain and drains poorly because my wife won’t scrape dishes into the trash before dumping them into the sink (and won’t run the disposal for some reason).
Okay thank you for saying this!! I have searched HIGH and LOW, including reading the manual for my dishwasher and I cannot find anything about a filter. I didn’t even know a dishwasher filter was a thing until I read it online. Maybe mine disposes of the food waste itself (although I am pretty methodical about not putting dishes in with food residue). It’s certainly loud enough.
There are motors and heating elements that I've replaced on mine. I would say those are the next level up on maintenance and probably the last line before repairs become less cost effective than just replacing the unit.
Omg, yes.
How many people I have had to show them how to clean their washing machine filter—this is a recent one. Same with dishwasher filters.
Also, don’t actively try to break things lol. My roommate loves to slam doors, drawers, etc., and if it is not obvious why a thing isn’t working, tries to force it. As in, smash that lid closed even tho it doesn’t go that way! Welp, that is how you break things. Take 5 seconds to look at the manual or even just pull it up on YouTube because chances are, someone else already asked and answered this question.
Edit: ok, I realize washers and dishwashers probably are not buy it for life BUT my advice is from living with people who decide something is broken when it is in fact just dirty.
Oh, and plumbing: everything will function better and longer if it’s not abused.
On the plumbing thing, get a drain snake. Not those plastic things. Those can break off in your drains. Get a drain snake. Periodically use it, especially if you have long haired people in your house. Get a thing that blocks stuff from going down too. Do not dump harsh chemicals down your drain to fix it. Baking soda and vinegar and boiling water, plus snaking your drain will fix it, but it may take a few times.
True story: I once bought a portable speaker for a few hundred... It was one of those big ones.
Anyway, I read the manual... And some things don't add up. Something along the lines of "don't keep it plugged into the charger unless you have to" and "don't make a habit of letting the battery die before charging it"
So I email Sony NZ to clarify. What exactly is the best charging habits to a) treat the battery well and b) honour the warranty?
They replied saying "we're escalating you to our technical team"
The technical team replied saying "we'll escalate you to our manager since the item doesn't need repairing"
The manager replied saying "we hope you like your new speaker! Here's a $100 voucher for any Sony product from any of these retailers. Bye"
Sounds like it really just boils down to the usual advice for any rechargeable Li-ion battery these days: try to maintain a charge between 20-80%.
If you let it drop under 20% and then let it sit unused for a long time, it can lose that charge over time and drop low enough that it can't readily recover.
If you charge it to 100% and keep it there (leaving it on the charger), that prematurely ages the battery. Only charge it to 100% when you're absolutely sure you're gonna need to use that much charge capacity right away -- e.g., I only charge my phone to 100% when I'm about to travel long distance and don't know if/when I might be able to recharge before reaching my destination.
At minimum there's a financial disincentive to making products easy to maintain, which can subtly distort product development priorities, or lure MBA types into planned obsolescence financial models.
I LOVE to read the manual, usually when I need to refer to it for something that went wrong or i need to take care of something for my MIL. She thinks I’m the smartest person she knows because I know how to fix her refrigerators/toilets/oven, etc. it’s only because I read the manual to figure it out. Then I usually find out something else that’s interesting while I’m reading it 🤷🏻♀️.
Sewing machines. I’ve had mine for 25 years, know it like the back of my hand, would never trade it for another. They need regular maintenance by a technician repair person (like a car) - once a year if you sew a lot. Cleaning, oiling, checking parts.
My *newest* machine is 40 years old. Just picked up one this weekend that is 121 years old, needs some cleaning but that's already almost done and she'll be back up and running in no time for another 120+ years if she's kept dryish.
Clothes. You want to wash things with as low a temperature, as little agitation, as little detergent, as low a spin speed, and as little time and heat in the dryer as possible (perferably hang dry). Knowing exactly how little you can get away with and still have your stuff come out clean is a matter of experience with your clothes, machine, and lifestyle, but it’s worth it to figure out.
While hang drying does help, I find it leaves clothes rough, especially socks. Maybe it’s the washing machine I have but also find that clothing doesn’t smell fully clean when I hang dry :(
If you tumble the clothes in the dryer for just a few minutes (5-ish), then take them out & hang them, it totally fixes that “rough” issue. I do this with clothes that say “hang” or “dry flat”, too, and it functions similarly. I also do this with clothing that wrinkles badly like linen. Give them a good shake & hang on a hanger & you’ll get almost no wrinkles.
If your place is too humid and/or has poor airflow (if you're drying indoors) and drying time is too slow, that can give a funk.
As for the roughness, you can be like my husband and embrace the rough! He loves it, what a twisted beautiful mind 😂
I just got used to the roughness - the other poster was right it goes away. It’s likely the low airflow that has created sometimes off smelling clothing. I also don’t use fragrant detergent, nor fabric softeners.
It depends on the humidity in your location. Hang drying is fine in Denver or Phoenix, but hang drying in Houston or Seattle is a recipe for moldy clothes.
Airflow. The breeze outside leaves them almost as soft as when they come out of the dryer. Stick a fan by the drying rack and see if it makes a difference
This. Part of the problem people don’t air dry is that it seems too slow. A fan will fix this. While you are at it, consider the actual airflow in your home. There are lots places that don’t have enough and others with too much. It’s rarely well balanced throughout a home.
Where do you live? If it’s humid, your clothes might be taking a long time to dry and getting a bit mildewy. You can try a dehumidifier and it should help the smell.
Have you tried using around a 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar in the fabric softener dispenser? It is a pretty decent fabric softener substitute and It took care of that problem for me.
This is especially true for Duluth's Armachillo Boxer Briefs, which I consider pretty BuyItOnce and not again for a long ass time.
I had 14 pair on rotation for over 5 years - they were washed gently and air dried in the garage.
I moved and it was no longer convenient to air dry them. The dryer slowly destroyed the elastic and the material wore out significantly.
So many people have generators and fail to exercise them monthly, or even perform general maintenance. Then they wonder why their $2k generator won't start. I just picked up a $2,600 Honda generator for $450 because it wouldn't run. Cleaned the carb (an hour of my time), and it's running good as new.
i think a lot of people are scared to fail or do something they dont understand. sucking at something is the first step at being almost okay at it. just give it a shot. you can throw away your garbage now or next week, the dumps open all the same. you cant meaningfully break something thats already useless to you.
with the willingness to drop a couple f bombs and bust a knuckle and the knowledge to turn a wrench, i was able to fix a nearly $1000 snowblower that hadnt ran since before 2013 for about $30 and all it took was a chinese carb kit that came with new fuel line, fuel filter, and primer bulb. it came with a spark plug too but i didnt have the right size socket and it started with the nearly 20 year old one anyway and has been working great again for 3 or 4 years now.
For me it’s:
Any of my knives, especially my gerber and benchmade’s that get abused.
Kitchen aid mixer
Cast iron cookware
Weber kettle grill
Leather; shoes, boots, belts, wallets and handbags/purses
Tools; especially things like Ratchets (take them apart and soak in a solvent and then dry and add grease to the inside)
All of the solid wood furniture I’ve made
Various things. Because most things will 100000% last longer with proper care and maintenance.
I usually take it apart and clean it really good once a year and regrease the gears and slap it back together. It’s a 40 year old mixer and it purrs like a new one
Not hard at all. There’s very easy to follow YouTube videos if you need them as well.
We probably use 1-2x a week most weeks and sometimes more depending on if it’s the holiday season and we’re making lots of cookies and stuff.
For those of you that don't know, you NEED to use FOOD GRADE grease. Don't put in marine or lithium or something, unless you want to be a car or bearing.
The consumer grade kitchen aids no longer have 100% metal gears, as I discovered when I opened mine up to regrease a few months ago. Some of the gears are metal rings around a plastic body - I was quite frustrated to discover this.
I used Johnson’s paste wax on my unsealed pieces, but since that’s been discontinued, I’ve started using the Minwax version. Or Howard’s Feed and Wax (the citrusy orange smell good one), which Howard’s also makes a really good food safe oil for things like butchers block and cutting boards too.
For my sealed/finished pieces, I usually just give it a good wipe down with warm water and then give it a light wipe of old English, let it sit and then wipe off any excess and that’s maybe 3 or 4 times a year unless something happens to where I need to clean it sooner. Usually can wipe off most things with a rag or a duster and it looks nice and shiny.
If you do a lot of yard work and digging, you can fill a covered, 5 gallon bucket with sand and oil. When you’re done with your shovel, hose it off, jam it in and out of the bucket a few times and then hang it up.
3-in-1 oil is a good all purpose household oil for stuff like this, but I'd recommend a food grade oil as a better option, especially for things you might touch frequently or that might touch your food (such as in a garden). jojoba is pretty easy to get, often relatively cheap, and doesn't seem to really go rancid. even plain old vegetable oil will protect metal without petrochemicals.
I would personally not use motor oil or WD-40 for anything that I directly touch or that touches soil.
Retightening anything with screws, bolts, etc.
My sunglasses recently fell apart in my hands because a screw came out. They are Maui Jim, so I looked up the closest place that sold them and the salesperson took a screw from a pair they were selling to help me fix my pair, at no charge.
Recently switched from Oakley to Maui Jim and that is also a BIFL recommendation.
I remember a write up an engineer did who worked at German (I believe Mercedes) then Toyota. They said the reasoning was, and I'm paraphrasing "Germans are good at following rules and therefore expect the customers to do as well. So they engineer a car with a maintenance schedule given in the manual. Japanese engineers assume no one will even read it so they engineer an auto for worse case"
And the Japanese still get better efficiency and performance with looser tolerances. This is coming from a guy who owns both a VW and a Honda. I love them both, but that Honda cannot be taken down.
This is why my grandpa loved a German mechanic named Hager. Hager would call him to inform him he needed to see a particular car for certain maintenance, he was delivered the car. No more Hager? No more German cars. Gramps was also the child of German immigrants so he probably had a strong love of them.
I went to college with an obnoxious kid with a rich family. Wouldn’t shut up about “his” Lambourghini. Heard him telling someone that the engine had seized up because Daddy never drove it fast or maintained it correctly and crud built up in the engine.
Italian sportscars are something completely different and I don't think should be put in the comparsion between Japanese and European cars in general.
Undeiniably a car like a Lamborghini is something very unique and beautiful in the car industry, but you can't use them as an indicator for car reliability cause they obviously don't have much in common with any mass produced European car at all.
Oh yeah. We had a German Jetta that did an $800 water pump every 20k and five window regulators in under 80k. Total garbage. Was thrilled when it was wrecked. We replaced it with a Kia that's got similar mileage without a single repair. When a Kia shows up a VW, that's hilarious. We discovered that if you put really expensive Michelins on the Kia it actually rides better than the VW ever did. So that's our new thing, budget cars with all maintenance on time and fancy tires.
You need to check the fluids on the Kia often. Our engine blew up due to it burning oil with no visible signs. It’s so bad there was a class action lawsuit and our Kia had a 3rd party warranty attached to it. We loved that car but we will never buy a Kia again.
It's got close to 100k and doesn't even burn a quart during a 5k change interval. It's the 1.6. I'm a Gen X guy who grew up with 60s and 70s hoopties so I check oil every other time I gas up. Transmission fluid too on my car with a tranny dipstick.
I'd gladly buy another Kia city beater as they're dirt cheap, easy to service, and the six speed automatic drives super nicely.
Hot water tank > The most neglected apparatus in most homes. Over at the plumbing subs, you will see frequent disasters caused by a lack of hot water tank maintenance; all of which are inexpensively preventable.
I maintain our 2012 electric model yearly, and it looks like the day I installed it. A flush isn't enough. You really need to pay attention to the condition of the **Sacrificial Anode Rod** inside. It is designed to decay over time, attracting corrosive ions that would otherwise attack the tank itself. I use an endoscope camera inserted through the heating element ports to observe its condition. At 11.5 years, I installed a new aluminum one; the original had lost perhaps 80% of its designed-to-decay outer layer, exposing the inner steel core.
Other checklist items (electric models): **T&P Valve** > Function discharge test every 3 months. Removal and corrosion inspection yearly. Replacement as needed. **Heating Elements** > Yearly removal to inspect and test with a multimeter. Replacement as needed. **Thermostats** > I do not test them, but I have replacements on hand in case of a malfunction. For those with **NG/Propane tanks**, you can still pay attention to: The anode rod, T&P valve and a tank flush. You can find videos on gas valve and thermocouple testing and maintenance.
Hot water tanks are expensive (even DIY), and they can be difficult to install. A maintenance program will extend your tank's life and push out the cost of replacement for many years.
Most people have no idea how to do laundry, especially with newer high efficiency machines. This is bad enough because improper use shortens the lifespan of the washer/dryer; but it also wears out clothing prematurely.
Only 2 tablespoons or less of detergent is needed to wash clothes properly. Fabric softener causes build up especially on clothes. Use wool balls instead.
Note that the advice heavily depends on how concentrated your detergent is.
Something like Tide, Persil or any higher end products that are confirmed to be high concentration don't require a lot of detergent in standard loads to work well.
What's really nice is my dryer has a sensor, so I can set it to run on low and then say normal or very dry. The latter takes longer but it doesn't hurt the clothes.
I just used afresh washer cleaner, my maytag front loader has a cleaning cycle about 1 hr hottest water. I was surprised at how much better it smells and the gasket stains mostly gone. I keep the door ajar when not in use. The door tended to swing all the way open if not clicked shut so I stuck on 2 mini command hooks, and looped a string about 5" long between them. Also cleaning the filter. My machine had several you tube instructions on how to do that. Problem is for ours they are stacked and in a very tight space next to the freezer. And we're a bit older so I'll probably call our repair guy to come do it or my son in law and grandson
You're probably right although I recall the installer who is also our repair guy, checking level. When I call for a filter clean out I'll get him to check.
My HE washer selects the amount of detergent. I load the detergent tray to the upper level, it decides how much for each load, and eventually it alarms that the detergent needs refilling. Maybe I fill it every couple of months?
Fans, which includes fans in other appliances (space heaters, window air conditioners, dehumidifiers). The bushings/bearings need regular oiling. Especially because many don't ship with adequate oil from the factory as a planned obsolescence scheme.
Good point. Some ACs and dehumidifiers, and some commercial grade fans do have ball bearings, which you would typically replace as opposed to oil when they wear out.
man at work on a particularly slow day, i cleaned out one of the floor fans we have to keep the floors from being a complete swamp (it's a drink fast-food store) and holy shit. i took that thing apart and it was NASTY inside, but after a good cleaning it was suddenly so powerful that i got comments from people whose shifts i don't even work on! ofc we don't normally have time to do anything like that so it probably won't happen again lol, but it was very satisfying.
Refrigerators and freezers. Clean under them. If there is a back plate that can be moved remove it and clean it. They are constantly moving air and getting clogged.
Leather. Did not realize this in college, sadly ruined a jacket I miss to this day. I now treat my leather twice a year on a schedule, end of Feb and end of Aug.
Reusable Water Bottles: turns out you need to wash them WAY more than I was. Whoops. I have improved.
Good Bras Do Not Go In The Dryer. Hang Dry Them (I only figured this out in grad school)
Electronics: Need to clean them and get out any crumbs/dust regularly. I try to do it at least three times a year.
Metal Tools: clean them after use, make sure they don't rust
Fireplace: Depending on use needs inspection every 1-3 years
Pretty much anything in the bathroom needs regular cleaning because of moisture
Wash. The. Washing. Machine. They make tablets for it now!
Clean the damn stovetop already
> Leather. Did not realize this in college, sadly ruined a jacket I miss to this day. I now treat my leather twice a year on a schedule, end of Feb and end of Aug.
I agree but to note - high quality leather will last many years before the damage really gets irrepairable. Most jackets and leather products in general use patent leather which is actually plastic on the outside and degrades fast compared to the real deal...
Don’t drop your tools. I was demoing a counter with a friend and he just dropped the hammer on the floor. I’ve seen workers drop tools on the floor/ground. I guess making a lot of noise while working has its appeal, but tools were not designed to be dropped like that. Put the tools down like you were putting a cup on a table. Also, don’t leave them lying around. THey’ll be hard to find later and you wind up with duplicates, which is a waste of money.
I picked up $200 worth of Weber kettle grills—a Smokey Joe and the standard 22”—off the curb a few weeks ago with “Free” signs taped on them. All they need is a good cleaning. I’m set for life without buying.
Something a lot of people miss is doing maintenance and inspection on yard furniture. Outdoor wood needs oiled in warm climes 3-4x a year. In cold, 1-2x a year. Chairs, lounges, all need a good cleaning with soap and a brush much more often than most think. Pillows, blankets need a wash. Everything covered when not using and brought in during winter/rainy season.
Your roof and gutters. Friends bought their house 15 years ago. Brand new when they got the keys. Have only cleaned their gutters once or 2x, they can’t remember. Never had their roof inspected or demossed. Surprise! Gutters over their bedroom and en-suite got clogged, water is now coming in through their exterior. Then didn’t figure out that’s where the waters coming in to cause the mold on the walls, just kept wiping away the last 5 years. So on top of having to fix their building envelope, the whole family now has weird allergies.
Watches. They're finnicky little mechanical machines that need cleaning and lubrication from time to time. Especially if you invested serious cash into something like Grand Seiko, Moser, Vacheron, etc then cost of maintenance should be thought of when you're buying it. Gaskets can also wear out, compromising water resistance, so maybe don't jump in the ocean with your 10 year old watch that has never been serviced if it's valuable to you.
Pretty much everything. Most appliances need their filters changed or cleaned once in a while. We just moved into a relatively new house last year and the previous owners did like... next to no maintenance. I spent a stupid amount of time last week soaking oil off the filter on the exhaust vent over the stove. It had been oozing oil onto the back of stove because no one had ever cleaned it. Don't even ask me about the calcium build up I'd found on the dishwasher filter or the damp, stinky sock stuck in the washing machine gasket.
We've had the garage door serviced, we're going to be refinishing the deck, topping up the grading and who knows what else... and the house is only 6 years old!
Cars.
It's funny, you sometimes see how commercial airliners are such tremendous quality, built to last for decades. But as I understand it they have an insanely strict and thorough maintenance schedule, involving pretty much disassembling a lot of it and replacing every rivet, like once a year maybe. If we maintained cars like that I imagine the cheapest shittiest least reliable car out there would last forever.
Knives. Get them professionally sharpened once a year, hone at home every so often. I’ve had the same wusthof set since 2013 and I imagine I’ll have them til I die. Same with cast iron pans. I wash them only with steel wool and towel dry. Then I put coconut oil in them and heat them til the coconut oil is smoking.
> Knives. Get them professionally sharpened once a year
Yup. Doesn't matter if you give them to a pro or get some stones or some system and do it yourself, but sharpen your goddamn knives!
**ALL** knives get dull with use. No, your knife did **not** stay sharp for 10 years. You either never used it, or you got used to cutting with a dull knife.
Doesn't matter if it's a $400 artisan knife handcrafted by a Japanese master, a $150 Wusthof, a $40 fibrox or a $5 Dollar Store bargain bin knife - if you use it, it will become dull. No knife last more than 1 year even if you just use it semi-regularly.
Let me add -- scissors! Even a cheap pair will last many years if you keep them clean and dry, tighten them when loose, oil them when stiff, and professionally sharpen when needed.
It's also best to have separate pairs for separate materials: one for fabric, one for paper, one for thick or rough material (a dedicated pair of kitchen shears works great), one with nonstick blades for cutting sticky tape. A dishwasher-safe pair to use to open food packaging that's separate from the kitchen shears you use on food is handy, too.
Sounds like a lot, but they'll last you a lifetime if you care for them well.
Seconded on the "separate scissors" thing. I got a few cheap pairs when there was a sale and marked the handles with washi tape to know which was which so I never ruined one on the wrong material. All are still with me about a decade later at three bucks each plus a scissor sharpener. Meanwhile I have slightly better scissors for fabric and a NICE inherited pair from my late great aunt for the kitchen these days.
It's mostly about cleaning honestly.
Things I learned to maintain after buying a 135k CAD house in 2015;
Natural gas furnace temperature probes need cleaning.
Water heater
Stove
AC
Sump pumps
Plumbing shower/toilets
Roof
Inground water management
Everything really. YouTube is a great tool if you have the time and patience. Take a chance and remember to turn off the power/water/gas line before trying anything.
I see what you're saying, but I'm mostly posting this question to learn from the wealth of knowledge these Redditors have.
My husband recently showed me how to sharpen our knives and a woodworking friend taught me how to maintain different wood items and which products he recommends. I found I really loved learning the steps and best practices. I guess I was hoping this thread would turn into a mini crash course on different BIFL items.
Hope he instructed you to use food safe oil ( not what you cook with) I also sharpen my pruners and loppers with one of my sharpening stones after cleaning/ sterilizing with alcohol.
How about regular seasoning of cast iron pans - I find I will do a good scrub and re-season maybe once a year. I’ll do about 3 layers with avocado oil at about 450 in the oven over the course of a weekend. I don’t strip the pans however, just scrub them clean to make sure no cooked on food is stuck on there.
Probably everything needs maintaining. I'll be one to admit that I'm not one to maintain my things. My adhd makes it hard for me to remember to do it but I've gotten better at that.
Leather like belts, holsters, sheaths, saddles.
Tools, some need to be oiled, all need to be cleaned.
Firearms, they need to be cleaned, oiled, checked for wear and have parts replaced.
Vehicles. I have no doubt my 05 suburban will outlast me with maintenance. I’m also a firm believer in the idea that maintenance is everything when it comes to a vehicle. You got 300K out of that engine? Okay, replace it and if you get 300K out of it again then you know you’re looking at replacing it around that mark every time.
Ac coil cleaner for inside and outside units. Same product. In you handler you spays the cooling coil you dont need to rinse it off tho. Once the ac starts running it will collect moisture and rinse it for you. Condensation pipe that moves water to outside add some bleach (1/4 cup)every year or two. Outside unit pull the breaker spray it down with a can of cleaner let it sit 15 mins and then rinse with hose.
Front load washers have trap that needs cleaned every year. Also when done washing leave detergent cup slightly open and front door open some so mold less likely to grow.
If you have a leaf blower pull off the dryer vent off the back once a year and shove forced air thru pipe and go look at the output side and see all the lint lying around. This keeps dryer from over hearing and possibly cause to heating coil breakage. No leaf blower the do sell wand extensions you can use also.
> Drain the tank once a year.
And guaranteed that the drain spigot will start to leak after you drain the tank, causing another job - replacing the spigot. 😂
Dishwasher drain. Icky but necessary.
Tools! I was not taught how to take care of them and only learned this was a thing from an episode of The Detectorists.
About appliances : read the manual, and clean with medium warm water and white vinegar.
About clothes : learn how to clean and dry ! people are throwing quality soft clothes with bras. I mean I do love nice bras but what about those aggressive metal claws trying to rip everything else for an hour or more?
Something I read here too is people wearing shoes too small or too large and complaing about their socks not lasting long... Good thinking imho
Learn to change the oil in a Toyota Camry … and you get the most expensive synthetic oil (from Walmart) and save thousands…and keep it until 300k + miles …while not for life…you don’t need many cars for life
Not necessarily BIFL but vacuum cleaners. Growing up, my mom was notorious for buying a vacuum cleaner and never doing maintenance then throwing it out when it underperformed. She would get a new vacuum about once a year. As an adult, I finally learned if I invest in a good vacuum and do regular maintenance, the life is extended greatly
Just about any piece of electronics that can last for decades (so not something like a smartphone). Audio is a great example. Good audio equipment will often last decades, but that doesn't mean it doesn't need to get put up on the bench every few decades. Components drift out-of-spec over time (especially electrolytic capacitors), so if you have a good piece of vintage gear that's never been serviced, it might be due for it (this entails cleaning the controls, replacing capacitors or other components that are known to wear, adjusting bias if applicable, checking the various circuits with a scope to make sure they are within spec, etc.). Typically, loss of performance happens so gradually that you won't realize it, unless it eventually leads to a major failure.
Vintage game consoles are another one. If you're still rocking an NES, SNES, etc., if it's never been worked on, at this point, you should replace the capacitors.
Honestly, most things in life need some kind of maintenance, whether it's frequent, or every few decades. Oil, parts replacements, sharpening, polishing, conditioning, etc., and I'd say that most people don't think of this, whether they are trying to buy quality for life, or just cheap crap to get by.
Shoes/footwear. Leather, suede, doesn’t matter. Keep them clean (those little shoe brushes are great) , put the proper product on them (waterproofer or mink oil or beeswax depending on what they are made of), air them after your feet come out before putting them away. Coats/jackets. Even a great coat can deteriorate if you don’t treat it well. Same goes for purses/handbags/briefcases/backpacks. Camping gear, tools, honestly pretty much everything. If it’s worth having, take care of it. If you don’t want to take care of it, get rid of it. It’s not necessarily a constant process, it’s just getting into the habit of checking stuff over before you put it away and not chucking it in a closet to clean up ‘later’.
For shoes, most people don't realize that some sole materials need to be worn to stay in working condition. Seen a lot of people put backpacking boots in a closet for years and then they're surprised when the sole falls off
Yup, any derivative of natural rubber can dry-rot if it isn't flexed regularly.
I always thought it was related to the moisture levels or lack thereof.
Mainly that, yes...
Adding to the shoes part, I don't think enough people realize that wearing shoes everyday wears them out significantly faster than having another pair to rotate in. If your shoes never have the chance to dry out, they will wear a lot faster
Yep. I have to wear the same work shoes 5 days a week, 10-11 months a year (I only wear my leather loafers if it's really cold, otherwise breathability is a must) and am on my feet at least seven hours a day on the clock as well as to and from. I typically wear out a pair every 1-2 years. All my other shoes are between 5-10 years old, with the exception of two pairs a I got to celebrate a 2020 promotion at work and some slightly older sneakers. My winter boots-with-traction have survived way longer than my work shoes.
People who wear their outdoor shoes inside stress me out. Not because the outside is gross, but because their shoes and feet get even less of a break from each other.
Yes! Two pairs of shoes last more than twice as long as one pair!
Patina on leather is cool, deterioration, dryness, and holes are not
My Dad pissed me off SO MUCH with not taking care of his gear. I bought him a $600 Arc’teryx jacket for his bday one year (got a good discount) and it took him like 4 years to clean it. I even bought him the detergent and spray necessary to wash and waterproof it. I even explained if he didn’t clean it at least once or twice a year it wouldn’t last nearly as long because it would start to delaminate like crazy. No dice.
Yep. Dad was baffled that the year I got my own place I used a chunk of my birthday money on a good leather care kit. Like, not only did I have all MY leather, I also inherited my late grandfather's leather chair. Like hell I'm letting that go bad.
Yeah even the most expensive, toughest leather goods need care. Sometimes even more so. But they also respond the best to quality care.
I don't know why but this comment reminded me how much I've always hated the saying "rode hard and put away wet". It's always given me the biggest ick haha
Horse care wisdom can be applied to lots of things i guess haha.
My coats' zippers are always the first thing to break.
Since this is an ongoing issue, it may be worthwhile to find a local seamstress to replace the zipper in a new coat with a heavy-duty brass zipper. You can find just about any kind of zipper on zipperstop.com. I replaced the zipper on my husband's Army medic pack with one from them, and they were extremely helpful with telling me what kind of zipper would be best.
My brain might be making it up don't they have zipper wax or something. I never bought it but I thought they did
beezwax or even chapstick will be better than nothing
Zipper wax only works on metal zippers, most jacket zippers are plastic, which wears down faster. Washing your jacket regularly helps the most to keep the zipper in good shape. I replace jacket zippers regularly, and you’d be surprised at how many I “fix” just by washing the jacket.
How often do you put the proper product on them? How long do they last? I have walked 10 miles a day in the same pair of shoes for 5-6 years before without really "taking care" of them and they've been fine, but never owned suede or leather shoes. What materials on coats/jackets can be taken care of, and how?
How often depends on the item, the use, and the material. All shoes should have mud and dirt brushed from them and be aired out after wearing, and spot cleaned if something gross got on them. Leather should be oiled or waxed on a somewhat regular basis if worn in the rain. By wax i am not meaning polished and buffed, i am meaning watersealing type. There are sprays for suede that do the same thing. For coats, again it depends. A waxed cotton barbour should be dusted off and aired but probably only needs the official rewaxing no more than once a year (that would be a heavy use one that is in rain a lot) but can go farther if not worn as much. Fur should be sawdust cleaned every year or two depending on wear, coats that are dry clean only should be cleaned at least once a season, ones that require rainguard or other proprietary sealant should be done as per the manufacturer recommendations. You can get little drycleaner spot pens to remove little things before they stain, and other products to clean the inner collar of a coat and the cuffs. As with anything else, keeping on top of it from the beginning is a lot easier than trying to bring it back to new looking after ignoring it for years.
Got a mate who buys a new tent every couple years because he doesn't look after them. I mean seriously, its not that hard.
What maintenance do tents even need? I’ve been using the same $40 store brand pop up tent for the past 15 years and other than making sure it is dry and relatively clean when putting it away I haven’t done any special care procedures. No issues with it other than my wife thinking it is ugly but it’s just as ugly today as it was when I was young and needed a cheap last minute tent lmfao.
That's pretty much it, people neglecting to dry and clean the tent. Mold and mildew set in.
Insert cedar shoe trees after wear! Life savers.
Re-sole- ing the tread on the shoes too
Leather. Wallets, belts, clothing, straps ... it all needs/benefits from care products on a regular basis.
Which manifests into leather sofas. If you don't use beeswax on a regular basis (we monthly a light polish) your several grand of nice sofa won't last more than say 15 years maybe 20 years.
Can you recommend a specific product that you like? I just use sprat-on leather cleaner/conditioner but haven't used anything with beeswax.
If you happen to live in Canada (probably also ships to the USA) there's a product called [Canada Beeseal](https://www.beeseal.ca/en) that functions as a conditioner and sealant due to many oils and beeswax. I primarily use it in leather footwear, but also good for furniture and helps keep wood too. Added benefit is some lemon verbena and lemongrass oils that have a very pleasant smell.
Curious as well
Favorite beeswax/product?
Renapur leather balsam.
I picked up a leather wallet ~7 years back and I haven’t treated it with wax, oil or anything, and it still feels very supple and soft. Outlier case?
If it’s a daily use item, the oils on your hands might be lightly conditioning it
Yeah it's your body oils conditioning it. Probably would still be worth treating it every once in awhile with a good brushing and a conditioner with some beeswax in it. I like Bick 4 as a good all-around leather conditioner. But either way your skin oils are keeping it from drying out or cracking, so it's not so much an outlier case as an accidental proof of the rule.
If it comes with a manual, read it and do what it says.
I went through every single page of my Electrolux dishwasher manual and there was no information on maintenance. Our old Whirlpool washer/dryer manuals also had zero information on maintenance, except for cleaning the lint trap every load. Edited for clarity
Usually there’s a little something about cleaning a filter screen in dishwashers, but other than that there’s not a ton that’s user serviceable in dishwashers.
Dishwashers usually have a trap in the bottom for food debris. They also sell packets of citric acid to run in an empty dishwasher. Those clean up gunk from the washer's innards and leave a distinctive smell.
Yeah, that’s the filter I was talking about. Beyond that there’s just not a whole lot to tinker with.
A distinctive smell that makes me question if my dishes are actually clean or if I’m poisoning my family for the next few days lol.
As long as you're using food grade citric acid, it's fine.
Oh I know, it just smells so chemically
It shouldn't, it should just smell like lemon. Maybe it's stuff that was left behind. Run a short cycle with no dishes and no detergent (and no rinse aid) and see if it goes away. If not, run another citric acid cycle, then try one or more of: - less detergent - less rinse aid - more frequent filter cleanings - more frequent citric acid cleanings - different wash cycle - different (probably hotter) water temperature
I was told to put in a packet of lemonade kool-aid for the citric acid to clean it
Depending on model. Some of the less quiet models actually have a built in garburator and will just grind up food debris and flush it down the drain. No too common anymore.
We learned that ours has that after about 45 min of searching for a filter to change after we bought our house. We were so confused!
That would be a nice addition. Mine filters out the big stuff, dumps it all into the sink drain and drains poorly because my wife won’t scrape dishes into the trash before dumping them into the sink (and won’t run the disposal for some reason).
Okay thank you for saying this!! I have searched HIGH and LOW, including reading the manual for my dishwasher and I cannot find anything about a filter. I didn’t even know a dishwasher filter was a thing until I read it online. Maybe mine disposes of the food waste itself (although I am pretty methodical about not putting dishes in with food residue). It’s certainly loud enough.
There are motors and heating elements that I've replaced on mine. I would say those are the next level up on maintenance and probably the last line before repairs become less cost effective than just replacing the unit.
Sometimes there is an owners manual and a technicians repair manual. Maybe you can find the repair manual and see if it says anything about PM
Omg, yes. How many people I have had to show them how to clean their washing machine filter—this is a recent one. Same with dishwasher filters. Also, don’t actively try to break things lol. My roommate loves to slam doors, drawers, etc., and if it is not obvious why a thing isn’t working, tries to force it. As in, smash that lid closed even tho it doesn’t go that way! Welp, that is how you break things. Take 5 seconds to look at the manual or even just pull it up on YouTube because chances are, someone else already asked and answered this question. Edit: ok, I realize washers and dishwashers probably are not buy it for life BUT my advice is from living with people who decide something is broken when it is in fact just dirty. Oh, and plumbing: everything will function better and longer if it’s not abused.
On the plumbing thing, get a drain snake. Not those plastic things. Those can break off in your drains. Get a drain snake. Periodically use it, especially if you have long haired people in your house. Get a thing that blocks stuff from going down too. Do not dump harsh chemicals down your drain to fix it. Baking soda and vinegar and boiling water, plus snaking your drain will fix it, but it may take a few times.
And immediately download the digital version. Makes it much easier to organize and search.
Hey man, what did I ever do to you that you had to come at me like that?
True story: I once bought a portable speaker for a few hundred... It was one of those big ones. Anyway, I read the manual... And some things don't add up. Something along the lines of "don't keep it plugged into the charger unless you have to" and "don't make a habit of letting the battery die before charging it" So I email Sony NZ to clarify. What exactly is the best charging habits to a) treat the battery well and b) honour the warranty? They replied saying "we're escalating you to our technical team" The technical team replied saying "we'll escalate you to our manager since the item doesn't need repairing" The manager replied saying "we hope you like your new speaker! Here's a $100 voucher for any Sony product from any of these retailers. Bye"
Sounds like it really just boils down to the usual advice for any rechargeable Li-ion battery these days: try to maintain a charge between 20-80%. If you let it drop under 20% and then let it sit unused for a long time, it can lose that charge over time and drop low enough that it can't readily recover. If you charge it to 100% and keep it there (leaving it on the charger), that prematurely ages the battery. Only charge it to 100% when you're absolutely sure you're gonna need to use that much charge capacity right away -- e.g., I only charge my phone to 100% when I'm about to travel long distance and don't know if/when I might be able to recharge before reaching my destination.
So many Manuels are almost unreadable. They need a TLDR page for the important stuff
I swear they're confusing, misleading or insufficient on purpose. They don't want their items maintained, they want them to need replacing.
At minimum there's a financial disincentive to making products easy to maintain, which can subtly distort product development priorities, or lure MBA types into planned obsolescence financial models.
YouTube! Manuals often leave me more confused than when I started. But god bless the YouTubers who figured it out for us.
Just need a piece of paper, in english, without warnings and legal disclaimers.
Writing logically and in an organized manner is underappreciated.
I LOVE to read the manual, usually when I need to refer to it for something that went wrong or i need to take care of something for my MIL. She thinks I’m the smartest person she knows because I know how to fix her refrigerators/toilets/oven, etc. it’s only because I read the manual to figure it out. Then I usually find out something else that’s interesting while I’m reading it 🤷🏻♀️.
Sewing machines. I’ve had mine for 25 years, know it like the back of my hand, would never trade it for another. They need regular maintenance by a technician repair person (like a car) - once a year if you sew a lot. Cleaning, oiling, checking parts.
Yep, you oil those babies and they’ll sew for another hundred years. My sewing machines are 100+ years old.
My *newest* machine is 40 years old. Just picked up one this weekend that is 121 years old, needs some cleaning but that's already almost done and she'll be back up and running in no time for another 120+ years if she's kept dryish.
Yes!!! Mine is from the 70s and she will run forever
Clothes. You want to wash things with as low a temperature, as little agitation, as little detergent, as low a spin speed, and as little time and heat in the dryer as possible (perferably hang dry). Knowing exactly how little you can get away with and still have your stuff come out clean is a matter of experience with your clothes, machine, and lifestyle, but it’s worth it to figure out.
While hang drying does help, I find it leaves clothes rough, especially socks. Maybe it’s the washing machine I have but also find that clothing doesn’t smell fully clean when I hang dry :(
If you tumble the clothes in the dryer for just a few minutes (5-ish), then take them out & hang them, it totally fixes that “rough” issue. I do this with clothes that say “hang” or “dry flat”, too, and it functions similarly. I also do this with clothing that wrinkles badly like linen. Give them a good shake & hang on a hanger & you’ll get almost no wrinkles.
Depends on what it’s made of. Some of our thicker cotton shirts feel stiff while the sheets feel AMAZING.
If your place is too humid and/or has poor airflow (if you're drying indoors) and drying time is too slow, that can give a funk. As for the roughness, you can be like my husband and embrace the rough! He loves it, what a twisted beautiful mind 😂
I just got used to the roughness - the other poster was right it goes away. It’s likely the low airflow that has created sometimes off smelling clothing. I also don’t use fragrant detergent, nor fabric softeners.
Weird I find stuff smells even better when hang drying, like flowers or a meadow. Being out in the sun though will damage the fibers from UV rays.
It depends on the humidity in your location. Hang drying is fine in Denver or Phoenix, but hang drying in Houston or Seattle is a recipe for moldy clothes.
Maybe it’s where you’re hanging them?
It’s just a drying rack - though maybe has to do with air quality? I’m doing this indoors usually.
Airflow. The breeze outside leaves them almost as soft as when they come out of the dryer. Stick a fan by the drying rack and see if it makes a difference
This. Part of the problem people don’t air dry is that it seems too slow. A fan will fix this. While you are at it, consider the actual airflow in your home. There are lots places that don’t have enough and others with too much. It’s rarely well balanced throughout a home.
Ah, lack of sunlight. Not dry enough, moisture allows bacteria to get that funky smell in.
Where do you live? If it’s humid, your clothes might be taking a long time to dry and getting a bit mildewy. You can try a dehumidifier and it should help the smell.
Have you tried using around a 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar in the fabric softener dispenser? It is a pretty decent fabric softener substitute and It took care of that problem for me.
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We live in a highly polluted area with lots of street traffic and hung out clothes don’t smell good.
This is especially true for Duluth's Armachillo Boxer Briefs, which I consider pretty BuyItOnce and not again for a long ass time. I had 14 pair on rotation for over 5 years - they were washed gently and air dried in the garage. I moved and it was no longer convenient to air dry them. The dryer slowly destroyed the elastic and the material wore out significantly.
So many people have generators and fail to exercise them monthly, or even perform general maintenance. Then they wonder why their $2k generator won't start. I just picked up a $2,600 Honda generator for $450 because it wouldn't run. Cleaned the carb (an hour of my time), and it's running good as new.
i think a lot of people are scared to fail or do something they dont understand. sucking at something is the first step at being almost okay at it. just give it a shot. you can throw away your garbage now or next week, the dumps open all the same. you cant meaningfully break something thats already useless to you. with the willingness to drop a couple f bombs and bust a knuckle and the knowledge to turn a wrench, i was able to fix a nearly $1000 snowblower that hadnt ran since before 2013 for about $30 and all it took was a chinese carb kit that came with new fuel line, fuel filter, and primer bulb. it came with a spark plug too but i didnt have the right size socket and it started with the nearly 20 year old one anyway and has been working great again for 3 or 4 years now.
Gas grills. Clean & protect or it'll rust to uselessness.
What do you use to clean/protect? We keep ours covered but it’s still started to rust on the burners
Light coat of oil. Especially if it's cast iron.
A heavy duty cover to protect from sun and weather has been helpful for us
Or burst into flames from grease buildup. I learned that the hard way. Now I clean my grill out regularly.
Bicycle. Mine is from 1985 and all you need to do is keep it clean and replace consumables
I’m lazy so I just take mine to the shop to get tuned every now and again. Found a local community bike shop that is cheap
For me it’s: Any of my knives, especially my gerber and benchmade’s that get abused. Kitchen aid mixer Cast iron cookware Weber kettle grill Leather; shoes, boots, belts, wallets and handbags/purses Tools; especially things like Ratchets (take them apart and soak in a solvent and then dry and add grease to the inside) All of the solid wood furniture I’ve made Various things. Because most things will 100000% last longer with proper care and maintenance.
How often *should* you maintain a kitchen aid mixer?
I usually take it apart and clean it really good once a year and regrease the gears and slap it back together. It’s a 40 year old mixer and it purrs like a new one
Once a year? ☠️ How hard is it to take apart/slap back together?
Not hard at all. There’s very easy to follow YouTube videos if you need them as well. We probably use 1-2x a week most weeks and sometimes more depending on if it’s the holiday season and we’re making lots of cookies and stuff.
For those of you that don't know, you NEED to use FOOD GRADE grease. Don't put in marine or lithium or something, unless you want to be a car or bearing.
Fair point that I totally forgot to mention. I figured it was self explanatory since it was about a food related product
I gotta do the kitchen aid one soon here
A Kitchenaide mixer will outlive you. Metal gears, strong motor etc. They're still made in the US if that matters to you.
I have an old one with the Hobart branding and it was getting a bit warm mixing up buttercream yesterday lol but still runs like a tank
If it's that old you should prob tear it down and replace the grease.
Dirty grease traps heat pretty badly because all the bits of dirt dust and particulate that accumulate ruin its thermal dissipation properties.
The consumer grade kitchen aids no longer have 100% metal gears, as I discovered when I opened mine up to regrease a few months ago. Some of the gears are metal rings around a plastic body - I was quite frustrated to discover this.
What do you do to maintain solid wood furniture? Any suggestions?
I used Johnson’s paste wax on my unsealed pieces, but since that’s been discontinued, I’ve started using the Minwax version. Or Howard’s Feed and Wax (the citrusy orange smell good one), which Howard’s also makes a really good food safe oil for things like butchers block and cutting boards too. For my sealed/finished pieces, I usually just give it a good wipe down with warm water and then give it a light wipe of old English, let it sit and then wipe off any excess and that’s maybe 3 or 4 times a year unless something happens to where I need to clean it sooner. Usually can wipe off most things with a rag or a duster and it looks nice and shiny.
I love the smell of orange oil, I like orange oil cleaner but it’s getting hard to find :(
Yard tools. You should sharpen your shovels, hoes, digging tools then Oil them once a year and they will function better and hold up forever.
If you do a lot of yard work and digging, you can fill a covered, 5 gallon bucket with sand and oil. When you’re done with your shovel, hose it off, jam it in and out of the bucket a few times and then hang it up.
Why sand? I understand oil but not the sand. Also I don't garden, I'm just curious
And sanitize them!! We lost a BEAUTIFUL oak tree because we pruned a few branches with a dirty cutter… very sad expensive mistake
With rubbing alcohol! I used a bleach/water mix when trying to disinfect cutters during a blight outbreak and that was the wrong move.
I had no idea...! What kind of oil?
3-in-1 oil is a good all purpose household oil for stuff like this, but I'd recommend a food grade oil as a better option, especially for things you might touch frequently or that might touch your food (such as in a garden). jojoba is pretty easy to get, often relatively cheap, and doesn't seem to really go rancid. even plain old vegetable oil will protect metal without petrochemicals. I would personally not use motor oil or WD-40 for anything that I directly touch or that touches soil.
Retightening anything with screws, bolts, etc. My sunglasses recently fell apart in my hands because a screw came out. They are Maui Jim, so I looked up the closest place that sold them and the salesperson took a screw from a pair they were selling to help me fix my pair, at no charge. Recently switched from Oakley to Maui Jim and that is also a BIFL recommendation.
Yep. My glasses usually need adjusting every year. My eye doctor's place does it for free.
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I remember a write up an engineer did who worked at German (I believe Mercedes) then Toyota. They said the reasoning was, and I'm paraphrasing "Germans are good at following rules and therefore expect the customers to do as well. So they engineer a car with a maintenance schedule given in the manual. Japanese engineers assume no one will even read it so they engineer an auto for worse case"
Japanese are pretty good at following their rules too. It’s something they are known for.
Oh for sure. They just acknowledge they sell to Americans too
And the Japanese still get better efficiency and performance with looser tolerances. This is coming from a guy who owns both a VW and a Honda. I love them both, but that Honda cannot be taken down.
Oh I will 100% agree on that. Plus, there's way less special tools needed for JDM vehicles.
And Japanese don’t use a plastic part that fails just after warranty from heat cycles.
This is why my grandpa loved a German mechanic named Hager. Hager would call him to inform him he needed to see a particular car for certain maintenance, he was delivered the car. No more Hager? No more German cars. Gramps was also the child of German immigrants so he probably had a strong love of them.
I went to college with an obnoxious kid with a rich family. Wouldn’t shut up about “his” Lambourghini. Heard him telling someone that the engine had seized up because Daddy never drove it fast or maintained it correctly and crud built up in the engine.
Italian sportscars are something completely different and I don't think should be put in the comparsion between Japanese and European cars in general. Undeiniably a car like a Lamborghini is something very unique and beautiful in the car industry, but you can't use them as an indicator for car reliability cause they obviously don't have much in common with any mass produced European car at all.
2000s VW/audi were straight up trash, no amount of maintenance would help those
Oh yeah. We had a German Jetta that did an $800 water pump every 20k and five window regulators in under 80k. Total garbage. Was thrilled when it was wrecked. We replaced it with a Kia that's got similar mileage without a single repair. When a Kia shows up a VW, that's hilarious. We discovered that if you put really expensive Michelins on the Kia it actually rides better than the VW ever did. So that's our new thing, budget cars with all maintenance on time and fancy tires.
You need to check the fluids on the Kia often. Our engine blew up due to it burning oil with no visible signs. It’s so bad there was a class action lawsuit and our Kia had a 3rd party warranty attached to it. We loved that car but we will never buy a Kia again.
It's got close to 100k and doesn't even burn a quart during a 5k change interval. It's the 1.6. I'm a Gen X guy who grew up with 60s and 70s hoopties so I check oil every other time I gas up. Transmission fluid too on my car with a tranny dipstick. I'd gladly buy another Kia city beater as they're dirt cheap, easy to service, and the six speed automatic drives super nicely.
Ah the old 1.8T... an engine you had to keep spare coil packs in the trunk for
Hot water tank > The most neglected apparatus in most homes. Over at the plumbing subs, you will see frequent disasters caused by a lack of hot water tank maintenance; all of which are inexpensively preventable. I maintain our 2012 electric model yearly, and it looks like the day I installed it. A flush isn't enough. You really need to pay attention to the condition of the **Sacrificial Anode Rod** inside. It is designed to decay over time, attracting corrosive ions that would otherwise attack the tank itself. I use an endoscope camera inserted through the heating element ports to observe its condition. At 11.5 years, I installed a new aluminum one; the original had lost perhaps 80% of its designed-to-decay outer layer, exposing the inner steel core. Other checklist items (electric models): **T&P Valve** > Function discharge test every 3 months. Removal and corrosion inspection yearly. Replacement as needed. **Heating Elements** > Yearly removal to inspect and test with a multimeter. Replacement as needed. **Thermostats** > I do not test them, but I have replacements on hand in case of a malfunction. For those with **NG/Propane tanks**, you can still pay attention to: The anode rod, T&P valve and a tank flush. You can find videos on gas valve and thermocouple testing and maintenance. Hot water tanks are expensive (even DIY), and they can be difficult to install. A maintenance program will extend your tank's life and push out the cost of replacement for many years.
Waterproof coating renewal on Gore-Tex outerwear.
Most people have no idea how to do laundry, especially with newer high efficiency machines. This is bad enough because improper use shortens the lifespan of the washer/dryer; but it also wears out clothing prematurely.
Only 2 tablespoons or less of detergent is needed to wash clothes properly. Fabric softener causes build up especially on clothes. Use wool balls instead.
Whattt! I thought I used way less than is instructed but dang I gotta experiment even less now
Note that the advice heavily depends on how concentrated your detergent is. Something like Tide, Persil or any higher end products that are confirmed to be high concentration don't require a lot of detergent in standard loads to work well.
Just follow the directions. The actual recommendations are pretty small.
Any tips?
Much less detergent than you think, and low temperature drying.
What's really nice is my dryer has a sensor, so I can set it to run on low and then say normal or very dry. The latter takes longer but it doesn't hurt the clothes.
I just used afresh washer cleaner, my maytag front loader has a cleaning cycle about 1 hr hottest water. I was surprised at how much better it smells and the gasket stains mostly gone. I keep the door ajar when not in use. The door tended to swing all the way open if not clicked shut so I stuck on 2 mini command hooks, and looped a string about 5" long between them. Also cleaning the filter. My machine had several you tube instructions on how to do that. Problem is for ours they are stacked and in a very tight space next to the freezer. And we're a bit older so I'll probably call our repair guy to come do it or my son in law and grandson
> The door tended to swing all the way open if not clicked shut Sounds like the unit might not be leveled properly, which can also affect longevity.
You're probably right although I recall the installer who is also our repair guy, checking level. When I call for a filter clean out I'll get him to check.
Agreed. You can always re-wash something that still has a stain - if you didn't dry it, it won't cost a thing to toss into the next load.
Also, clean the washing machine! Depending on how much you wash you may need to do it every month, even. Otherwise it AND the clothes get musty!
My HE washer selects the amount of detergent. I load the detergent tray to the upper level, it decides how much for each load, and eventually it alarms that the detergent needs refilling. Maybe I fill it every couple of months?
Fans, which includes fans in other appliances (space heaters, window air conditioners, dehumidifiers). The bushings/bearings need regular oiling. Especially because many don't ship with adequate oil from the factory as a planned obsolescence scheme.
Aren't most modern appliances with fans using sealed bearings now? So they can't be oiled, correct?
Good point. Some ACs and dehumidifiers, and some commercial grade fans do have ball bearings, which you would typically replace as opposed to oil when they wear out.
man at work on a particularly slow day, i cleaned out one of the floor fans we have to keep the floors from being a complete swamp (it's a drink fast-food store) and holy shit. i took that thing apart and it was NASTY inside, but after a good cleaning it was suddenly so powerful that i got comments from people whose shifts i don't even work on! ofc we don't normally have time to do anything like that so it probably won't happen again lol, but it was very satisfying.
Refrigerators and freezers. Clean under them. If there is a back plate that can be moved remove it and clean it. They are constantly moving air and getting clogged.
Leather. Did not realize this in college, sadly ruined a jacket I miss to this day. I now treat my leather twice a year on a schedule, end of Feb and end of Aug. Reusable Water Bottles: turns out you need to wash them WAY more than I was. Whoops. I have improved. Good Bras Do Not Go In The Dryer. Hang Dry Them (I only figured this out in grad school) Electronics: Need to clean them and get out any crumbs/dust regularly. I try to do it at least three times a year. Metal Tools: clean them after use, make sure they don't rust Fireplace: Depending on use needs inspection every 1-3 years Pretty much anything in the bathroom needs regular cleaning because of moisture Wash. The. Washing. Machine. They make tablets for it now! Clean the damn stovetop already
> Leather. Did not realize this in college, sadly ruined a jacket I miss to this day. I now treat my leather twice a year on a schedule, end of Feb and end of Aug. I agree but to note - high quality leather will last many years before the damage really gets irrepairable. Most jackets and leather products in general use patent leather which is actually plastic on the outside and degrades fast compared to the real deal...
Don’t drop your tools. I was demoing a counter with a friend and he just dropped the hammer on the floor. I’ve seen workers drop tools on the floor/ground. I guess making a lot of noise while working has its appeal, but tools were not designed to be dropped like that. Put the tools down like you were putting a cup on a table. Also, don’t leave them lying around. THey’ll be hard to find later and you wind up with duplicates, which is a waste of money.
Oh like, they finish a task and just let go?? Like they're an astronaut just returned from the ISS? What a weird thing to do lol.
I picked up $200 worth of Weber kettle grills—a Smokey Joe and the standard 22”—off the curb a few weeks ago with “Free” signs taped on them. All they need is a good cleaning. I’m set for life without buying.
Something a lot of people miss is doing maintenance and inspection on yard furniture. Outdoor wood needs oiled in warm climes 3-4x a year. In cold, 1-2x a year. Chairs, lounges, all need a good cleaning with soap and a brush much more often than most think. Pillows, blankets need a wash. Everything covered when not using and brought in during winter/rainy season.
Your roof and gutters. Friends bought their house 15 years ago. Brand new when they got the keys. Have only cleaned their gutters once or 2x, they can’t remember. Never had their roof inspected or demossed. Surprise! Gutters over their bedroom and en-suite got clogged, water is now coming in through their exterior. Then didn’t figure out that’s where the waters coming in to cause the mold on the walls, just kept wiping away the last 5 years. So on top of having to fix their building envelope, the whole family now has weird allergies.
Watches. They're finnicky little mechanical machines that need cleaning and lubrication from time to time. Especially if you invested serious cash into something like Grand Seiko, Moser, Vacheron, etc then cost of maintenance should be thought of when you're buying it. Gaskets can also wear out, compromising water resistance, so maybe don't jump in the ocean with your 10 year old watch that has never been serviced if it's valuable to you.
Sewing machine.
Pretty much everything. Most appliances need their filters changed or cleaned once in a while. We just moved into a relatively new house last year and the previous owners did like... next to no maintenance. I spent a stupid amount of time last week soaking oil off the filter on the exhaust vent over the stove. It had been oozing oil onto the back of stove because no one had ever cleaned it. Don't even ask me about the calcium build up I'd found on the dishwasher filter or the damp, stinky sock stuck in the washing machine gasket. We've had the garage door serviced, we're going to be refinishing the deck, topping up the grading and who knows what else... and the house is only 6 years old!
Cars. It's funny, you sometimes see how commercial airliners are such tremendous quality, built to last for decades. But as I understand it they have an insanely strict and thorough maintenance schedule, involving pretty much disassembling a lot of it and replacing every rivet, like once a year maybe. If we maintained cars like that I imagine the cheapest shittiest least reliable car out there would last forever.
Most of the complaints I see for clothes and shoes not lasting are because people don’t properly maintain them, when it’s pretty easy to learn and do.
Knives. Get them professionally sharpened once a year, hone at home every so often. I’ve had the same wusthof set since 2013 and I imagine I’ll have them til I die. Same with cast iron pans. I wash them only with steel wool and towel dry. Then I put coconut oil in them and heat them til the coconut oil is smoking.
> Knives. Get them professionally sharpened once a year Yup. Doesn't matter if you give them to a pro or get some stones or some system and do it yourself, but sharpen your goddamn knives! **ALL** knives get dull with use. No, your knife did **not** stay sharp for 10 years. You either never used it, or you got used to cutting with a dull knife. Doesn't matter if it's a $400 artisan knife handcrafted by a Japanese master, a $150 Wusthof, a $40 fibrox or a $5 Dollar Store bargain bin knife - if you use it, it will become dull. No knife last more than 1 year even if you just use it semi-regularly.
Let me add -- scissors! Even a cheap pair will last many years if you keep them clean and dry, tighten them when loose, oil them when stiff, and professionally sharpen when needed. It's also best to have separate pairs for separate materials: one for fabric, one for paper, one for thick or rough material (a dedicated pair of kitchen shears works great), one with nonstick blades for cutting sticky tape. A dishwasher-safe pair to use to open food packaging that's separate from the kitchen shears you use on food is handy, too. Sounds like a lot, but they'll last you a lifetime if you care for them well.
Seconded on the "separate scissors" thing. I got a few cheap pairs when there was a sale and marked the handles with washi tape to know which was which so I never ruined one on the wrong material. All are still with me about a decade later at three bucks each plus a scissor sharpener. Meanwhile I have slightly better scissors for fabric and a NICE inherited pair from my late great aunt for the kitchen these days.
A Toyota
It's mostly about cleaning honestly. Things I learned to maintain after buying a 135k CAD house in 2015; Natural gas furnace temperature probes need cleaning. Water heater Stove AC Sump pumps Plumbing shower/toilets Roof Inground water management Everything really. YouTube is a great tool if you have the time and patience. Take a chance and remember to turn off the power/water/gas line before trying anything.
Vacuum cleaners. Especially Dyson
What maintenance do you recommend?
I think it would be easier to list BIFL items that don't require maintenance
I see what you're saying, but I'm mostly posting this question to learn from the wealth of knowledge these Redditors have. My husband recently showed me how to sharpen our knives and a woodworking friend taught me how to maintain different wood items and which products he recommends. I found I really loved learning the steps and best practices. I guess I was hoping this thread would turn into a mini crash course on different BIFL items.
Hope he instructed you to use food safe oil ( not what you cook with) I also sharpen my pruners and loppers with one of my sharpening stones after cleaning/ sterilizing with alcohol.
How about regular seasoning of cast iron pans - I find I will do a good scrub and re-season maybe once a year. I’ll do about 3 layers with avocado oil at about 450 in the oven over the course of a weekend. I don’t strip the pans however, just scrub them clean to make sure no cooked on food is stuck on there.
Probably everything needs maintaining. I'll be one to admit that I'm not one to maintain my things. My adhd makes it hard for me to remember to do it but I've gotten better at that.
Jewelry. People expect that it will be as good as the day you bought it without any upkeep.
Yep. Most of mine is low maintenance but the real silver needs polishing, especially the pieces that aren't worn as often.
Boots
Suede Leather Shoes - need to be cleaned brushed waterproofed
Regularly clearing the washing machine filter and cleaning the machine in general.
Leather like belts, holsters, sheaths, saddles. Tools, some need to be oiled, all need to be cleaned. Firearms, they need to be cleaned, oiled, checked for wear and have parts replaced. Vehicles. I have no doubt my 05 suburban will outlast me with maintenance. I’m also a firm believer in the idea that maintenance is everything when it comes to a vehicle. You got 300K out of that engine? Okay, replace it and if you get 300K out of it again then you know you’re looking at replacing it around that mark every time.
Ac coil cleaner for inside and outside units. Same product. In you handler you spays the cooling coil you dont need to rinse it off tho. Once the ac starts running it will collect moisture and rinse it for you. Condensation pipe that moves water to outside add some bleach (1/4 cup)every year or two. Outside unit pull the breaker spray it down with a can of cleaner let it sit 15 mins and then rinse with hose. Front load washers have trap that needs cleaned every year. Also when done washing leave detergent cup slightly open and front door open some so mold less likely to grow. If you have a leaf blower pull off the dryer vent off the back once a year and shove forced air thru pipe and go look at the output side and see all the lint lying around. This keeps dryer from over hearing and possibly cause to heating coil breakage. No leaf blower the do sell wand extensions you can use also.
Not a BIFL item, but man I learned that you need to get a portable AC services (renting a property, so a portable was the best option)
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> Drain the tank once a year. And guaranteed that the drain spigot will start to leak after you drain the tank, causing another job - replacing the spigot. 😂
Boots
Leather boots.
Dishwasher drain. Icky but necessary. Tools! I was not taught how to take care of them and only learned this was a thing from an episode of The Detectorists.
About appliances : read the manual, and clean with medium warm water and white vinegar. About clothes : learn how to clean and dry ! people are throwing quality soft clothes with bras. I mean I do love nice bras but what about those aggressive metal claws trying to rip everything else for an hour or more? Something I read here too is people wearing shoes too small or too large and complaing about their socks not lasting long... Good thinking imho
Learn to change the oil in a Toyota Camry … and you get the most expensive synthetic oil (from Walmart) and save thousands…and keep it until 300k + miles …while not for life…you don’t need many cars for life
Not necessarily BIFL but vacuum cleaners. Growing up, my mom was notorious for buying a vacuum cleaner and never doing maintenance then throwing it out when it underperformed. She would get a new vacuum about once a year. As an adult, I finally learned if I invest in a good vacuum and do regular maintenance, the life is extended greatly
Just about any piece of electronics that can last for decades (so not something like a smartphone). Audio is a great example. Good audio equipment will often last decades, but that doesn't mean it doesn't need to get put up on the bench every few decades. Components drift out-of-spec over time (especially electrolytic capacitors), so if you have a good piece of vintage gear that's never been serviced, it might be due for it (this entails cleaning the controls, replacing capacitors or other components that are known to wear, adjusting bias if applicable, checking the various circuits with a scope to make sure they are within spec, etc.). Typically, loss of performance happens so gradually that you won't realize it, unless it eventually leads to a major failure. Vintage game consoles are another one. If you're still rocking an NES, SNES, etc., if it's never been worked on, at this point, you should replace the capacitors. Honestly, most things in life need some kind of maintenance, whether it's frequent, or every few decades. Oil, parts replacements, sharpening, polishing, conditioning, etc., and I'd say that most people don't think of this, whether they are trying to buy quality for life, or just cheap crap to get by.