8 Top Tips: How to Clean A Refrigerator

Tips To Clean a Refrigerator

Does Your Refrigerator Smell?

Do You Need To Know The Best Ways To Clean Fridge Spills and Stains?

It is always recommended to give your refrigerator a complete cleaning several times a year. If not, the spills and smudges will build-up on shelves, and unpleasant odors will begin to occur.

Below we provide you with 8 tips to clean a refrigerator and get rid of stubborn stains and awful odors. See the complete steps to clean your fridge including the use of baking soda, charcoal, vinegar, and bleach.

Cleaning Your Fridge

First, unplug the refrigerator, turn off the circuit breaker or turn off the switch if there is one. This is done for safety reasons and will conserve a bit of energy. The doors to the refrigerator will be left open throughout the cleaning process. Also, newer refrigerators may beep if the fridge door is open too long.

Remove all food items from the refrigerator and freezer. Examine all items, check all dates and discard expired items as well as those that are spoiled and smell bad. If you have a cooler, dump the ice bin into the cooler and place all food within it. Next, remove the removable shelves, bins, and drawers and place them in the sink to clean.

If your refrigerator has a drip pan underneath, remove it and clean it thoroughly as well.

Clean A Refrigerator That Smells

Charcoal vs. Baking Soda For Odors

Some still wonder whether putting a cup of baking soda in the fridge is a myth, however, there are good reasons to believe it does work. Baking soda neutralizes both acids as well as bases. The acid buildup can come from milk products and the bases buildup from spoiled meats. Baking soda will not completely stop the strong odors but will help to lessen the smell of the mild odors.

Believe it or not, charcoal is commonly used in homes. Most of us think it is only used to light up the grill for a delicious barbecued meal. Not true, it is used in-home water treatment systems, where it removes chlorine from the water, vacuum cleaners, and now in toothpaste. It is a versatile substance and great for removing odors. However, there is also Activated charcoal where oxygen is added, increasing its porosity, making is highly absorbent. Because of its high absorbency, activated charcoal is now replacing charcoal in water filtration systems. So we recommend using activated charcoal in place of charcoal. It will work to remove odors more efficiently

Keep a container of baking soda or activated charcoal in your fridge to limit odors, but over time, the strong odors will become unavoidable.

7 8 Top Tips: How to Clean A Refrigerator HR Appliance

Clean Fridge With Baking Soda

Mix 2 tablespoons baking soda with 1-quart hot water. Scrub all surfaces lightly using the solution with a soft sponge or cloth. You may need to replace your cleaning solution during the process. The baking soda will help with the cleaning as well as to eliminate mild odors. Finish with a warm water rinse.

For stubborn stains, mix baking soda with a smaller amount of water to form a paste or dough-like texture. You can use a toothbrush to spread the paste and scrub the stain away.

For really tough odors you can follow up by wiping down the surfaces with white vinegar.

8 8 Top Tips: How to Clean A Refrigerator HR Appliance

Clean Fridge With Activated Charcoal

Because activated charcoal is pure carbon and porous, it absorbs organic molecules; therefore, it removes the natural particles that smell as they encounter the air surrounding it.

An easy way to add activated charcoal to your fridge; put 3 tablespoons activated charcoal in a 4oz, or smaller mason jar, or similar container. Put tiny holes in the lid to allow the fridge air to circulate through the jar where the activated charcoal will absorb it.

Activated charcoal has become the deodorizer of choice among many

6 8 Top Tips: How to Clean A Refrigerator HR Appliance

Clean Fridge With Vinegar

Vinegar is an excellent natural cleaning aid and has benefits for a countless amount of household uses.
Vinegar will clean a refrigerator, making it bright and shiny.

Mix 3 parts water with 1 part distilled vinegar. Spray lightly, let sit for a while on stubborn stains. Wipe dry, and the fridge should be ready to re-stock.

For strong refrigerator odors, after using baking soda apply white vinegar. It will have a slight chemical reaction with the baking soda, which helps for greater disinfection and odor removal

Cleaning Fridge With Bleach

Bleach is used in every household, but if you consider using bleach to clean your fridge, you need to be extremely careful. Below we bullet point a few vital precautions.

Remove all food from the refrigerator.
Avoid cleaning with pure bleach. It is effective in killing bacteria and mold but is toxic. If bleach comes in contact with food, make sure you throw the food away.
Use a less concentrated bleach mixture. Make sure to dilute it with a considerable amount of more water than bleach.
Baking soda can be added to the mixture.
Make sure the area is thoroughly cleaned and wiped dry before putting food back on shelves.
Wear gloves while handling. Do not let bleach come in contact with the skin. It can burn and irritate.
Limit exposure. Open nearby windows so as not to inhale the fumes for too long.

Bleach is a chemical that can have harmful effects to the body.

Wipe Down and Dry

Take a soft dry cloth and wipe down every surface, removing any leftover cleaning solution. Wipe Dry. Depending on how long it took to get the job done, leave the windows open for a bit of airing out, especially if bleach was used.

Your fridge should now be sparkling clean with no odors.

Replace Food Items

Wipe down bottles and other containers that have become messy around the lids. Replace all the removable items, making sure each one is clean and dry. Double-check for odors and expiration dates, before putting back into the refrigerator.

Now would be an excellent time to get a new box of baking soda or a package of activated charcoal and place it in the back of the refrigerator to keep odors at bay going forward.