Simple maintenance and cleaning procedures can greatly extend the life and efficiency of your refrigerator. Learn what you need to do to keep your fridge running well now and for years to come.

1. Clean your old gaskets: If your old refrigerator and freezer gaskets are not too cracked or worn, try cleaning them first with vinegar.

2. The gasket test: Stick a piece of paper in the door of your refrigerator and freezer. If you can easily pull it out, it is time for new gaskets.

3. Order some new gaskets: Check online for appliance parts dealers that you can trust and order replacement gaskets. If you do not know exactly which one you need, find your model number and call a parts dealer. They will be able to give you that information.

4. Remove the old gasket and prep the new one: Your new gasket will come in a box and it will be twisted and bent so you will need to soak it with warm water or place it into the dryer for roughly ten minutes. You can begin your prep work while the new gasket is loosening up. You will want to roll back to gasket in order to expose the retainer bar and then loosen all of the screws about two turns each. You will not want to unscrew them completely as you will end up with some problems. Pull the gasket outwards once they are loosened so that it comes out from underneath the retainer bars.

5. Install your new gasket: Now that your old, worn out gasket is removed, take your freshly bathed or heated gasket and hold it in place working from one point, push the rounded bead in behind the raised lip of the brackets. As you work around the door snug down every 2nd or 3rd screw to keep the gasket in place. Sometimes it helps if you have a flatblade screw driver to push the bead in place, especially around the corners. Once your gasket is completely in place, swing the door to the closed position… if it appears to be warped, it probably is because the screws or only snug, so twist it around until it looks even. Open it and tighten each screw, keep checking to make sure it is even every couple screws or so. If the magnetic seal is not contacting the frame in a place or two, get a hair drier and heat the gasket on high until it expands to the frame. Once the gasket is completely installed, use duct tape to hold the door shut tight for a day or so and it will seat itself.

Eric Stein is the eCommerce manager for Midwest Appliance Parts, which specializes in helping people find the appliance parts they need to cost effectively repair their appliances by themselves. http://MidwestApplianceParts.com Don’t reprint this exact article. Instead, reprint a free unique content version of this same article.