How to clean your kitchen refrigerator
How to clean your kitchen refrigerator
our refrigerator is probably your most-used kitchen appliance—it’s always humming, the door swings open and closed throughout the day, and the shelves are regularly loaded and restocked with your family’s favourite foods. Since it plays such an important role in your everyday life, you want to do everything you can to keep it in good condition.
What is the best way to do it? Regular maintenance should be prioritised if you want the appliance to run efficiently—and continue to do so. Scheduled cleanings are part of routine maintenance as they increase airflow and preserve food and drinks from rotting early.
How Often Should You Clean Your Refrigerator
Cleaning your refrigerator regularly is vital for sanitation, health, and efficiency. A packed refrigerator can result in decreased energy efficiency, poor airflow, and forgotten foods that go bad and emit odours. To avoid smells, spills, bacteria and germs, clean your fridge once a week and keep an eye out for rotten produce, abandoned leftovers, and expired products.
In addition to weekly maintenance, your refrigerator should be thoroughly cleaned every three months.
Required Materials
Before you start, make sure you have all of the required materials.
- Microfiber cloth
- Sponge
- Distilled white vinegar
- Baking soda
- Old toothbrush
- Bowl
- Spray bottle
- Cotton swabs
- Natural dish soap
How to Clean Your Fridge
Clean your refrigerator once a week. This prevents stains and odours from accumulating and makes deeper cleaning easy when the time comes.
- Take the food out of the fridge.
- Using a microfiber cloth, remove all leftovers and crumbs from the inside.
- Prepare a mixture with equal parts baking soda and white vinegar.
- Apply the mixture to any stains and leave it for up to five minutes.
- Use a wet sponge to remove the stain.
- In a bowl, mix hot water and a few drops of dish soap.
- Soak a clean sponge in the soapy water and wipe down your refrigerator’s shelves and interior.
- To remove soap residue, use a wet microfiber cloth. Wipe dry with a microfiber cleaning towel.
- Wipe down the exterior with a surface-safe cleanser, making sure to disinfect the handle.
How to Deep Clean a Fridge
Deep cleaning of the fridge is more complicated than basic cleaning, but it should only be done every three months.
Empty the Fridge
Start by clearing the fridge and cleaning the door seal. To avoid them potentially spoiling at room temperature, store perishables in a deep freezer or cooler while you clean. As you remove stuff, check for mould and expired foods. Throw anything unusual in the waste.
Anything you preserve should be cleaned with a moist microfiber cloth. Remove all shelves and drawers from the refrigerator once it has been emptied of food, beverages, and condiments, preparing to put food back in a clean space.
Clean the Drawers and Shelves
Combine natural dish soap and warm water in a bucket. Plunge a clean sponge into the solution and scrub all of the drawers and shelves until they are clean. To eliminate any soap residue, rinse the compartments under running water. Using a microfiber cloth, dry the shelves and boxes individually.
Clean everything inside
Fill a spray bottle with equal parts vinegar and warm water. Spray down all inside surfaces and let it stay for a few minutes before wiping clean with a soft towel. Spray your refrigerator’s built-in side drawers and any grooves as well.
After the solution has sat, clean the fridge with an old toothbrush then wipe down with a soft clean cloth. Remove the cleaning solution with a wet sponge, then wipe the interior with a microfiber cloth. Replace the shelves and drawers in the refrigerator.
Clean the outside surfaces
Before cleaning the outer surface of your refrigerator, refer to the manual; methods and instructions may differ. However, a fair rule of thumb is that warm water mixed with a small amount of mild dish soap is suitable for any exterior. A line of non-toxic, sustainable cleaning products may also be suitable.
If the marks remain, spray the outer layer with an equal amount of water and vinegar and wipe with a paper towel. Microfiber towels may have debris that could scratch stainless steel. After cleaning, wipe the outside completely dry with a clean, soft cloth.
Clean the Gasket
Refrigerator gaskets get a lot of grime; cleaning them regularly helps to maintain the appliance’s seal. To clean the gasket, prepare a solution of equal parts water and vinegar. Dip a cotton swab in the solution and run it along the gasket seam. Repeat with a microfiber towel until clean and dry.
The coils must be cleaned
Make sure the coils are clean. You should look in the manual for your device to find out how to clean and find the coils. Most of the time, you only need to do this step once a year. The coils are what keep the temperature in your fridge where you want it to be. If your coils are dirty, your fridge might work too hard, which could raise your electricity price or shorten its life.
Clean underneath the refrigerator
Unplug and move your refrigerator away from the wall. Vacuum or sweep the floor underneath the refrigerator. Wipe off the floor with a mop moistened with an all-purpose cleaner, then dry. Return your refrigerator to its original place and plug it back in.
Return what’s inside to the refrigerator
Once all of your refrigerator’s parts have been cleaned, you can return everything that you removed at the start of the process. Take this time to make any modifications to the way you organise that will help you use sauces more or cut down on food waste by putting things like products front and centre so you remember to use them.
How to Get rid of Odours from Your Refrigerator
If any lingering odours remain in your refrigerator after cleaning it, there are two effective methods for eliminating them. Baking soda and charcoal are two popular methods for eliminating odours. Please use a box or bowl of baking soda, or one to two pieces of charcoal in a bowl in the back of the fridge. These will remove any unpleasant odours.
Keeping your Fridge Clean
Follow a few basic maintenance measures to keep your refrigerator clean in between extensive cleanings.
- Clean up any spills as soon as possible.
- When restocking the fridge, throw out any expired food products.
- Rotate food to keep an eye on everything available. This is also ideal for motivating meal planning.
- When restocking your refrigerator, pay special attention to any spots that need obvious cleaning.