CAREGIVING 7/8

LESSON 2:
Maintenance of tools, equipment and paraphernalia

 In operating and manipulating different electrical equipment, utmost care is very important.
As a caregiver, you must be knowledgeable when it comes to the operation of a certain tool or
equipment that requires electricity.

Here are some safety procedures when using/operating an electrical appliance.

1. Unplug or turn off any appliances after use.
2. Clean the appliance before keeping it where it should be stored.
3. Do not switch on any appliance without knowing the exact voltage recommended for
operating it.
4. Do not pull the plug of the appliance through the wire or its cord.
5. Do not leave any appliance while it is still working or plugged in.
6. Do not operate or touch any appliance if your hands are wet.

 Operating tools, paraphernalia, and equipment accurately is important in maintaining their life
span. Proper use of these tools helps protect them from rusting and damage. Read and
understand their instructional manuals to guide you in operating them correctly.

BLENDER
1. Place the blender on a steady flat surface
2. See to it that all parts are put in their appropriate positions.
3. Check if the blender is clean and in good working condition before plugging it in.
4. Attach the pitcher on the base and plug the blender.
5. Put your chosen ingredients inside the pitcher. Close the lid firmly and hold the cover tightly.
6. Start operation and blend by selecting the appropriate setting depending on the food that you
are blending. The settings depend on the quantity and type of food to be blended.
7. You may increase the amount of food or ingredients to be blended through the secondary lid
while the blender is running.
8. Open the lid and pour the blended food in the desired container.
9. Unplug, remove the pitcher, and clean the blender after use.

COFFEE MAKER
1. Fill the coffee maker with water if it has not been used for a long time or if the coffee maker
is new. Turn it on and allow the water to flow through it.
2. Pull out the filter holder and place the paper filter bag.
3. Pour the coffee into the filter bag then close the filter holder again until it snaps in place.
4. Fill the carafe with water according to the desired number of cups of coffee needed.
5. Put the carafe with the lid on the hot plate. Check that the holder is properly snapped in its
place.
6. Pour the water from the carafe into the reservoir of the coffeemaker and place the carafe back
1
 into position.
7. Turn on the coffee maker and wait for the coffee to brew.

FOOD PROCESSOR
1. Assemble the food processor according to the manual.
2. Put it on a steady and stable flat surface before plugging it in the electrical outlet.
3. Remove the lid and put the ingredients to be processed.
4. Replace the lid and close it firmly to avoid leakage. Turn it on to start processing the
ingredients.
5. Process the food with intermittent pauses until you have reached the desired size or texture for
your food ingredients.
6. Open the lid and pour the ingredients into a bowl or plate.
7. Unplug and clean the food processor following the manual.

MICROWAVE OVEN
1. Read the instructional manual and the safety warning of the microwave oven.
2. Plug the microwave in a separate socket to avoid overloading
3. Do not use mental utensils when heating the food. It can cause an electrical reaction. Use
ceramic or microwaveable plastic instead.
4. Food should be arranged properly and evenly in a covered round dish to completely steam the
food that will help kill bacteria.
5. Rotate the food midway through the microwaving time. This is important to ensure that
harmful bacteria cannot survive, and for more even cooking.
6. Turn off and unplug after use.

BOTTLE STERILIZER
1. Read and follow the instruction for using the bottle sterilizer.
2. Put the recommended amount of water before plugging in the unit.
3. Place the feeding bottles one by one in upright position. Nipples, caps, and nipple rings must
be placed in a way that they will not touch each other.
4. Place the cover of the sterilizer and turn on the unit. Let the sterilization process take about 10
minutes with automatic cycle that raises water temperature to a sufficient level to kill any
bacteria.
5. After the sterilization, unplug the unit and allow the bottles to cool.
6. Remove the feeding bottles from the sterilizer and clean the sterilizer following the manual.

FLAT IRON
1. Read the manual based on the model before plugging the flat iron.
2. Prepare and unfold the ironing board. It must be placed near the outlet.
3. Check the label of each garment to be ironed and the type of fabric. There are some types of
fabric that require low, medium, or high temperature.
4. Preheat the flat iron while stretching the garment in the ironing board to make sure that the
temperature is appropriate for the type of garment to be ironed.
2
 5. Iron one part of the garment following the correct order such as:
a. Collar- starting from front then back.
b. Sleeves- left part front and back, then right part.
c. Button line- front part of the garment.
d. Cuff- left front and back part, then right front and back part.
e. Shoulder- left from front to back then right from front to back.
f. Body- left from front to back then right from front to back.
6. Iron pleats individually.
7. Hang each cloth individually to avoid wrinkling.
8. Unplug the flat iron after pressing and allow the unit to cool before storing it.

WASHING MACHINE
1. Before using the washing machine, read the manual.
2. Segregate and sort the types of clothing to be washed. Separate white and light-colored clothes
from dark-colored ones.
3. Clothes should be sorted according to their material, quality, and quantity. Wash clothes with
heavy fabrics together and clothes with light fabrics together, too.
4. Fill the washing machine with just enough water.
5. Pour the detergent into the washing machine.
6. Plug in and start loading the clothes. Close the lid before choosing the setting according to the
type of clothes to be washed.
7. Allow the machine to work through all of the cycles.
8. Wait for the machine to turn off before you unload the washed clothes.
9. Turn off the washing machine and unplug the unit.