Misconceptions about Appliances - mental_floss on YouTube (Ep. 21)

Hey there, I'm Elliot, and this is Mental Floss on YouTube

Today, I'm going to talk about some misconceptions about appliances. Misconception number one, the refrigerator blows cold air

So, how does it keep your food cool? Well, a refrigerator contains coils on the outside and inside

Within the coils on the outside, a vapor becomes a liquid which flows into the coils on the inside

helping to cool the fridge and freezer. The refrigerator also stays cool because warm air on the inside is absorbed by that liquid

Eventually, the liquid evaporates, goes through a compressor, and the cycle repeats

It's all science. Misconception number two, dishwashers waste water, so you should wash dishes by hand

Actually, modern dishwashers only use around nine liters per wash. That's about 2.4 gallons, which is less than people typically use when washing by hand

In fact according to a 2006 study done by the University of Bonn which examined 2 households most could save around 11 liters AKA 2 gallons every year by using a dishwasher instead of washing by hand Speaking of which misconception number three you don need to wash your coffee maker

Okay, some people think that the hot water going through the coffee maker disinfects it and kills bacteria, but that's not the case

In 2011, NSF International tested 22 household coffee makers and found that half had yeast and mold growing in them

Even worse, they had more germs on them than toilet seats. Basically, the moist coffee maker is a place where germs can thrive and get to know each other

Experts recommend that you clean your coffee maker daily and once every few months, run some vinegar through it for a really good clean

Misconception number four, metal gets really hot in the microwave. The metal actually does not get hot before it starts sparking

Metal doesn't absorb microwaves like plastic and glass do. Instead, it reflects them

So when placed in a microwave, metal won't heat up like other objects, and it might start sparking as the electrons in the metal make their way into the air

Misconception number five if you want your clothes clean you should not set your washing machine to use cold water Actually thanks to modern washing machines and laundry detergent washing your clothes in cold water will get them perfectly clean Plus it even has some benefits compared to hot water

Like, your clothes are less likely to shrink. And compared to hot water, the cold water may even do a better job

at preventing things like blood and sweat from staining. Misconception number six, you can put your knives in the dishwasher

Nope. Experts recommend that you wash your knives by hand rather than in the dishwasher

because the combination of dishwasher detergent and other silverware shaking around puts your knives at risk of becoming dull. Just use some soap and some water

and a sponge to clean your knives and then dry them right away. Misconception at number seven

hair dryers dry your hair evenly. Actually, a lot of them have hot spots. One solution for this is

getting a ceramic hair dryer because they're able to heat more evenly than a regular one. Now you

know. Misconception at number eight, there's no way to make your refrigerator more efficient

You can keep your refrigerator running as efficiently as possible by vacuuming its coils

every 12 months To do this turn off the circuit breaker and water supply lines then vacuum the condenser coils with your regular vacuum but make sure that it far enough away so it doesn ruin the coils And brush away the extra dust that the vacuum doesn pick up Speaking of which misconception number nine vacuum cleaners suck up everything on the

floor. Not necessarily. And if certain items can make their way into the cleaner, it can have even

more trouble picking stuff up. This includes things like toys, tacks, nails, and coins. Before you

vacuum, you should pick these items up by your hand or you risk breaking your vacuum. And those

suckers can be expensive. Misconception number 10, water at the bottom of your dishwasher means

it's broken. There actually should be water at the bottom of your dishwasher after a load

That water serves an important purpose. It keeps a little bit of moisture in the appliance

so that the seals don't crack, which could cause actual leaks and real problems