Archive for August, 2012

5 Ways to Clean with Lemon

Friday, August 31st, 2012

Clean Scent

When life gives you lemons, clean up your kitchen! That’s right. Go green by cleaning your kitchen with the fresh scent of lemon to give your appliances that sparkle they deserve without squeezing your pocketbook.
Use these simple tips from Mr. Appliance to freshen up your kitchen:

1. Microwave

Mix together 2 Tbsp. of lemon juice and 2 cups of water in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH for one to two minutes. Allow bowl to cool down, then use mixture to wipe down the inside walls of the microwave.

2. Oven

Mix together 2 Tbsp. of liquid dish soap and 2 Tbsp. of lemon juice with 1 quart of warm water. Apply the mixture to the inside of the oven. Return after one hour and scrub with a sponge. Rinse well.

3. Fridge

Slice a lemon and place in small bowl. Sprinkle a dash of table salt and 2 tsp. of baking soda onto lemons. Place uncovered dish in the middle of refrigerator and let sit for three to five days.

4. Dishwasher

Mix 2 Tbsp. of lemon juice with 1 cup of white vinegar. Pour into the bottom of empty dishwasher and allow for one cleaning cycle.

5. Stovetop

In a small bowl, mix 2 Tbsp. of lemon juice with 2-3 Tbsp. baking soda to form paste. Apply paste to stovetop and wipe away with warm, damp sponge or towel.

Follow these do-it-yourself cleaning tips periodically by adding them to your family calendar. To help prolong the life of your appliances, combine these tips with regular visits from your local appliance repair professional.

United Servicers Association Honors The Dwyer Group’s CEO

Tuesday, August 28th, 2012

The Women in Service Excellence (W.I.S.E.) committee named The Dwyer Group’s CEO, Dina Dwyer-Owens, as its honorary chair for 2012 at the Appliance Service Technical Institute in San Antonio.

Dina Dwyer-Owens

Dwyer-Owens and W.I.S.E. share the desire to see more female professionals in the service industry.  She appreciates the hard work female service professionals do, especially after going undercover and working with the women within The Dwyer Group’s own service franchises on CBS’s reality show, “Undercover Boss,”

W.I.S.E., the newly formed committee of United Servicers Association (USA), was developed to promote and allow networking for female members on all levels of the appliance trade.  The ultimate goal of W.I.S.E. is to encourage more women to be involved in the appliance trade at companies such as Mr. Appliance®. “We’d love to see more women technicians in the appliance trade!” said USA Treasurer, Krystle Freelove.

Mr. Appliance Featured in Woman’s Day Magazine

Thursday, August 23rd, 2012

By Lillyan Baker

Click to read the entire Woman's Day Magazine Article.

When Woman’s Day Magazine needed tips on how to save with major appliances, of course they contacted the major appliance expert, Mr. Appliance. I knew Matt Sarkela, owner of Mr. Appliance of Wilmington, NC, would be the perfect service professional for the job. Not only did he answer Amanda Kelly’s questions, but also provided great energy tips for reader’s washing machine. Check it out and check out his tips. They don’t call us the appliance experts for nothing.

Loving with Community with RMHC

Tuesday, August 21st, 2012

Proud of Dylan Conner and all that he does for RMHC of Central Valley!

Ronald McDonald House Charities® (RMHC®) of Central Valley is passionate about helping families of the community who are in need. Their organization is committed to changing lives. They believe change starts with the members of the community.

When Mr. Appliance® of The Central Valley heard that they could help RMHC by repairing their stove and icemaker, they decided to step in and help. Thanks to Mr. Appliance of The Central Valley, RMHC of Central Valley can spend less time worrying about their appliances and more time with the families.

Dylan Conner, owner of Mr. Appliance of The Central Valley, makes it his goal to build relationships not only with his customers, but also with the community. Conner says that its opportunities like these where relationships are formed and lives are touched.

Conner believes that Mr. Appliance of The Central Valley’s commitment to RMHC comes from Mr. Appliance’s code of values, where respect, integrity and customer satisfaction are the priorities.

“The first code of value is to treat others as we would like to be treated, and that value is the foundation of our Mr. Appliance partnership with RMHC,” said Conner. “Mr. Appliance of The Central Valley considers it a privilege to partner with an organization like RMHC that gives so much to families in need.”

Mr. Appliance of The Central Valley hopes to encourage other companies and organizations to join in warming the hearts of those in need. Any act of service can make a difference. Whether it’s fixing a refrigerator, replacing a sink or providing a meal, hearts will be touched.

Garlic Chicken Lemon Kabobs

Friday, August 17th, 2012

By Jessica Sellers, Mr. Appliance Public Relations Intern

Summer is for pool parties, afternoons spent in the sun and, of course, grilling outside!  One amazing, yet often overlooked, idea for your next outdoor grill night is the kabob.  Not only are they tasty and easy to make, they can also be made with just about anything. Whether you like vegetarian kabobs or enjoy kabobs with meat on them, there is a kabob out there for you!

This recipe is perfect to make on a Saturday or Sunday this summer and you probably have most of the ingredients already (there’s only 7).  Just throw the ingredients together early in the afternoon, head outside for a few hours by the pool, then when you’re ready just put them on the grill and you’re ready to eat.

Garlic Chicken Lemon Kabobs

Garlic Chicken Lemon Kabobs

3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Zest of 1 lemon
3 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed
1 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley
1 tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. ground black pepper
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast
  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon zest, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper.
  2. Add the chicken pieces to the bowl and mix to coat with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 8 hours.
  3. Prepare a medium fire in a grill and when it’s ready, lightly oil the grill grates. If you’re using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 20 minutes before grilling.
  4. Thread the chicken pieces onto the skewers and discard the extra marinade.
  5. Place the kabobs on the grill, cover, and cook for about 8-12 minutes, turning them once or twice.

Live, Laugh & Learn with Lillyan: How to Make Watermelon Cookies

Thursday, August 16th, 2012

Click for How To Video & Recipe

No baking required. Cool off without warming up by the oven with these easy and healthy summer cookies. Cut a watermelon into 1 inch slices, then punch out simple summer snacks with any shape cookie cutter.

Giving Back to RMHC

Tuesday, August 14th, 2012

Trey Beatty, Matt Beatty and Chris Greer

Ronald McDonald House Charities® (RMHC®) of Orlando is passionate about helping families of the community who are in need. Their organization is committed to changing lives. They believe change starts with the members of the community.

When Mr. Appliance® of The Treasure Coast heard that they could help RMHC by donating detergents, cleaning supplies and boxes of tissues, they decided to step in and help. Thanks to Mr. Appliance of The Treasure Coast, RMHC of Orlando can spend less time worrying about their toiletry and supply needs and more time with the families.

Chris Greer, owner of Mr. Appliance of The Treasure Coast, makes it his goal to build relationships not only with his customers, but also with the community. Greer says that its opportunities like these where relationships are formed and lives are touched.

Alexander believes that Mr. Appliance of The Treasure Coast’s commitment to RMHC comes from Mr. Appliance’s code of values, where respect, integrity and customer satisfaction are the priorities.

“The first code of value is to treat others as we would like to be treated, and that value is the foundation of our Mr. Appliance partnership with RMHC,” said Greer. “Mr. Appliance of The Treasure Coast considers it a privilege to partner with an organization like RMHC that gives so much to families in need.”

Mr. Appliance of The Treasure Coast hopes to encourage other companies and organizations to join in warming the hearts of those in need. Any act of service can make a difference. Whether it’s fixing a refrigerator, replacing a sink or providing a meal, hearts will be touched.

Repeat History: Watch Mr. Appliance on Undercover Boss

Thursday, August 9th, 2012

Dina Dwyer-Owens as Faith Brown

If you’re not one of the 10.23 million people who watched Mr. Appliance®  on “Undercover Boss”, you get a second chance.

CBS will rerun the episode at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT on Friday, Aug. 10.

“This episode ranks among the most powerful and moving episodes of ‘Undercover Boss’,” said Chris Carlson, executive producer for “Undercover Boss”. “We felt that Dina was an incredibly strong and compelling character who happened to be a female leading a male dominated company.”

Dina Dwyer-Owens, CEO and chairwoman of Mr. Appliance’s parent company The Dwyer Group, goes undercover on the show. It features Mr. Appliance and its sister companies Mr. Rooter®, Mr. Electric® and The Grounds Guys®.

The three-time Emmy nominated reality show just wrapped up its third season. “Undercover Boss” follows some of the world’s most successful company leaders as they embark on grassroots journeys within their own organizations.

“It’s exciting for people to see our customer-centered and professional service on national TV,” said Doug Rogers, president of Mr. Appliance . “We value our customers, and we want to exceed their expectations day in and day out.”

For those who aren’t familiar with Mr. Appliance, its technicians put covers over their shoes when inside homes and businesses to protect and respect a customer’s property. They also give customers the price before work is done to ensure there are no surprises about the cost of service.

On the show, Dwyer-Owens talks about the company’s Code of Values™, which are lived out from the corporate office to the front line of service professionals at each independently owned and operated franchise.

“This is clearly more than just a job for Dina,” Carlson said. “She has deep emotional ties to the business and its employees since The Dwyer Group was founded by her late father, who was also her mentor. She’s also pretty adept at a couple of the jobs she does undercover, which is not always the case for the bosses.”