nothing like a deep cleaned kitchen to make your heart happy :-)

I have a new refrigerator so it's pretty clean under there right now but this past weekend I washed down all the woodwork and dusted all the pictures and walls and ceilings I could reach and cleaned the chandeliers and other light fixtures and that made my heart happy (not so much the body). But, yes. it is important to keep those coils cleaned and also behind the dryer.

I bought an adapter to my vacuum that has a long, skinny hose that goes into your lint compartment. I've only used it a few times, but works pretty well.

The change of seasons seems to be activating our 'nesting' genes.

I took the 'cage' off the inside of the dryer and used the vacuum on that end of the vent while DH poked lint out of the outside with a bottle brush. (You almost have to be INSIDE the dryer drum to get the screws out of the cage.)

Our built in GE Monogram has 'the works' at the top, requiring one to stand on the stepladder and one to hand up the vacuum hose. We did that too.

When I provided a coil-cleaning brush for cleaning under the fridge on Maui our cleaner had never heard of cleaning coils! Really. A middle-aged mother who had never done it! She wanted to get some brushes and try it at home.

Under my stove and refrigerator is fine, it's under and behind my washer and dryer in the laundry that has to be bad. The dryer vents into the floor and the vent runs under the laundry room and a closet to outside near the sidewalk in back. The dryer was a pain to install and I haven't convinced DH to move it for me so I can clean, or change the color (paint) of the bit of wall that shows behind it. One of these days. It may have to be when he has a friend here so he has someone to grumble with and help him ;)

I bought a steamer recently and ended up cleaning under the fridge. It helped wonderfully. But I wish I'd had a brush!

I totally would've looked in the refrigerator area!

Jewels: is the brush at Lowe's this one -- at the link?

http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay?partNumber=208165-2251-5304433062&langId=-1&storeId=10151&productId=1058955&catalogId=10051&cmRelshp=req&rel=nofollow&cId=PDIO1

Although Frigidaire name is used, the description says it is useful for ALL brands.

Thanks in advance.

If you do it online for your local store for store pickup you don't have to go searching at all it will be right up front ready for you to walk in pick up and leave. This is a great feature, you can do all your shopping sitting at home, drive over, pick it up and go on your merry way to more important things. It is a very helpful option for those with handicaps/mobility issues. Many stores offer this. You just have to make sure it says it is available at your store location.

Lee, that is the brush that I bought. That is a good idea Raven. I knew since I was in the cleaning mode and Lowe's is 5 minutes away I wanted to go right there and buy it.

I'm going to buy one of those brushes! I recently took the back off of my fridge only to find out that I couldn't get to any coils, then I pushed it back and took the front off the bottom and still could not get to the coils. There are two slits in the front and that's the only access to my coils that I have so I'm thinking a long brush would kind of get into it a little bit. But that's all the options that I have. I have a Whirlpool top freezer model. All I managed to accomplish that day was to mess up the level so now the darn door slams on me all the time. UGH!

Just an added thought....my 'vent' runs under the house about 20' and when it was feeling hot in the laundry room I started worrying about fire. I had it professionally cleaned and the vent not only was full of lint, but had 2 1/2 gallons of water in it. (To my amazement!) It wasn't too expensive, and I sure like my cooler (and safer) laundry room. BTW takes a much shorter time to dry clothes.

nanny, the closet across from the washer and dryer in my laundry room had smelled 'steamy' to me since buying this house in 2012. Not mildew, or damp, but somehow steamy when I'd been doing laundry. I'm so fortunate to have this house, it was built in 1955 with no expense spared and solid, sound. But the dryer venting ending at the sidewalk near my patio bothered me and I asked the heating/cooling guy when doing regular check of my heat system if he would consider doing new venting for me....since I knew they did heat/air ductwork. Probably wasn't the cheapest way to go (in fact, I'd say very expensive), but now I have a continuous stainless run of 18' and no more steamy utility closet odor. I think too my clothes are drying faster, my dryer was installed new as we moved in so I had nothing to compare its function to.

He was horrified at what he took out (likely original to 1955), I don't know how any air was moving through it at all, a fire waiting to begin probably. I asked him what I needed to do to maintain the new and he said nothing in your lifetime.

nanny, you are lucky that your house didn't burn down! Everyone should always keep an eye on their dryer vent and make sure it's free and clear of lent or bird nests...HA!

I'm not sure how old our frig is, it has glass shelves, so not a dinosaur, and the coils are at the back.