Often refrigerators need to be cleaned inside and out. Refrigerator shelves should be washed to clean up spilled milk, and food should be discarded if its shelf-life is too long (expired). While cleaning the refrigerator is not a pleasant task, knowing how to do it efficiently and effectively will save you a lot of time and hassle.
Step
Part 1 of 2: Cleaning the Refrigerator
Step 1. Remove all food from the refrigerator
Place it on a table or counter so that the refrigerator is completely empty. You'll want some free space so you can survey the presence or absence of damage.
Step 2. Discard all old, moldy and inedible food, wrapping it securely to prevent leakage or spread of mold
Cleaning the refrigerator every year or every three months reminds us of items or foods that we have completely forgotten about, and have sadly lost in its inevitable battle against time. "This is life". Throw it away immediately or keep it back, at your own risk.
Don't be afraid to throw away items or food that you never use. Pickles that have been sitting deep in the fridge long before Grandma got her dentures should probably be thrown away. Unless you accidentally want to invite disaster
Step 3. Remove any shelving, drawers (e.g. vegetable storage drawers), or other moveable areas from the refrigerator
Sticking your head inside the fridge to clean it isn't fun, and it certainly isn't effective. For a quick cleanup, you may need to remove all the shelves and the like, and place them near the dishwasher rack, where they are easier to clean.
Step 4. Wash all shelves, drawers, and other surfaces by hand
Most of the items you take out of your fridge won't fit or shouldn't be placed in the dishwasher. Instead, dampen a sponge with soap suds, get a brush or sponge to scrub it, and start cleaning the moveable items from your fridge. This is a real and very important cleaning time.
- Never wash cold glass shelves in hot water. A sudden change in temperature can break the glass shelf. Instead, use cold water or remove the rack, and allow it to cool to room temperature before washing it.
- For very heavy spills or stains, don't be afraid to use the power of hot water and ammonia. Dissolve a little ammonia in hot water (1:5 ratio should be more than enough) and let the item soak before scrubbing it.
- Be sure to allow all parts of the rack, grill, etc. to dry completely on the drying rack, before putting them back in the fridge.
Step 5. Wipe the inside of the refrigerator with your preferred cleaning solution
Beat up any large or stubborn stains, and clean any remaining surfaces with a clean cloth or sponge.
-
You may not want to use soap or chemical cleaners for the inside of your refrigerator, as the food will likely absorb the odor. Instead, use the following natural cleaning solutions:
- 2 tablespoons of baking soda and 1 liter of hot water.
- 1 part apple cider vinegar and 3 parts hot water
- For very stubborn or accumulated stains, try using a dab of white toothpaste. This toothpaste acts as an abrasive cleaner and other than that, it smells pretty good.
Step 6. Be sure to clean the refrigerator door
If your fridge door has shelf space and is used regularly, be sure to clean that area as well, either with a chemical cleaner or a milder cleaner (as described above).
Step 7. Dry the shelving before placing it back in its place in the refrigerator
With a clean cloth, wipe any excess water off the shelf, and place it back in the refrigerator.
Step 8. Return the food to the refrigerator
Wipe down any jars, bottles or tupperware, and put them back in the fridge. Double-check the expiration date of any perishable items before placing them back.
Part 2 of 2: Keeping Your Refrigerator Clean and Tidy
Step 1. Perform maintenance and cleaning of the refrigerator every three months to keep it smelling fresh and looking good
Every three months, remove all your food from the refrigerator, and wipe all surfaces with a baking soda or vinegar solution. Regular maintenance will save you time and energy in the future.
The next thing to understand is, if you see any spills or stains in the refrigerator, try to clean it quickly and remove the source of the stain. Spills or stains that aren't cleaned up quickly can settle down, and become more difficult to clean up later
Step 2. Use a homemade air freshener to absorb unpleasant odors and keep your fridge odor free
It's time to act, before food gets rotten or stale, and starts covering the inside of your fridge with a sting of unpleasant odors. Here's what you can use to equip your fridge to fight bad odors:
- Clean socks filled with charcoal-from the aquarium store, not from your barbecue briquettes. Charcoal absorbs unpleasant odors for approximately three months.
- An open box of baking soda. Baking soda is another master odor absorber. Most baking soda wrappers in their instructions say you should replace your baking soda every 30 days, but you may be able to let it sit for 60 to 90 days before replacing it.
- Fresh ground coffee, placed inside the refrigerator, is also excellent at absorbing odors.
- Odorless chlorophyll cat litter is another odor absorber. Placing inch (approximately 1 cm) of cat litter in a shallow container inside the refrigerator can get rid of very unpleasant odors.
Step 3. Smell your fridge with a subtle scent
This may not be for everyone, but some people may enjoy the subtle hint of vanilla, for example, when they open the fridge. The key word in this whole step is “gentle”. You probably don't want any of the scents to be overwhelming when you open the fridge. Like cologne or perfume, a gentle “feature or feature” is much more pleasant, along with food:
Sprinkle a little vanilla essence, tea tree oil or lavender, lemon, or even bergamot oil in a cotton ball and place in a small dish in the inside of the refrigerator. Change every two weeks
Step 4. Squeeze a piece of brown paper bag into a ball and place it with the fruits and vegetables on the vegetable and fruit rack for odor protection
A crumpled paper bag works wonders to get rid of the smell on the shelf.
Tips
- Store a small jar of baking soda (with the lid open) in the refrigerator to absorb excess moisture. Please note that the baking soda must be in a jar, not a box.
- Clean your refrigerator about once every month.
- Arrange to make the items inside easy to find. Place milk, juices and other beverages on one shelf, and dressings, sauces, and other similar items on another.
- Check the refrigerator weekly for spoiled (rotten) products to help remove odors.
- As soon as your refrigerator is clean, one easy way to keep it clean is to empty and clean one or two shelves or drawers at a time. The entire fridge is never completely clean all at once, but it can be kept pretty clean without being an all-day work project. Just make sure to cycle through all the shelves.
- Make sure that none of the parts will fall off so they won't break and break.
Warning
- Do not allow cleaning solution or water to fall into the inner vent.
- Old food should be safely wrapped and separated before being put in the usual kitchen waste bins to avoid attracting animals/rodents, if the garbage bag is not securely closed (sealed) or torn when outside.
