Refrigerator Cleaning Tips

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How To Clean Your Refrigerator

Tips on Refrigerator Cleaning

In my opinion, cleaning the refrigerator ranks right up there with cleaning the toilet. Unless you are a neat freak or in the habit of keeping spills wiped up, leftovers and wilted produce tossed out, the refrigerator can be one of the nastiest, most bacteria-ridden places in your home.

The recommended temperature for refrigerators is 40 degrees but even at that temperature, bacteria and mold thrives. If you've ever re-opened a package of cream cheese and found it covered in green mold, you know exactly what I mean.

Besides being an unhealthy environment, it's embarrassing when guests are over and help themselves to cream for their coffee or lend a hand in helping you set the table if they open the door of the refrigerator and find it looking like a total garbage dump. It stinks ... it looks bad ... and you look bad (and uncomfortable). If this has ever happened to you, you need some tips on cleaning your refrigerator.

Begin at the beginning. Grab a couple of clean cardboard boxes or a couple of plastic laundry tubs, depending on how much stuff there is. Remove items from the refrigerator, sorting according to product (pickles, condiments, salad dressings, etc.). Either place them by group on your kitchen counters or in the boxes.

Then carefully remove all of the shelves, racks, drawers and supports and put them in your bathtub. Spray them with a bleach/water solution or a commercial disinfectant/sanitizing spray cleaner. Let them sit in the tub while you direct your attention to the refrigerator.

Put on a pair of rubber gloves. Prepare a cleaning solution of half chlorine bleach and half water in a plastic container. Use a kitchen sponge soaked in the solution to scrub down the interior, from top to bottom. Allow debris to collect at the bottom, then sponge up the excess cleaning liquid and use a paper towel to gather the spoiled bits of food and throw it into the trash. After the interior is cleaned to your satisfaction, use a small but firm brush (like a toothbrush) to reach into the crevices in the gasket, around screws and support hardware, and other irregular surfaces. The bleach/water mixture will kill mold and its spores that you cannot see. When the scrubbing is done, wipe the surfaces with a clean cloth dipped in clean warm water to remove the cleaning solution. Then rinse again and dry thoroughly with a clean soft, lint-free, absorbent cloth.

There are some other non-toxic cleaning products you can try in your refrigerator that do a good job on odor removal and are effective on molds and mildew.

Rely on the sniff-test. If it still doesn't smell fresh, open a box of baking soda and place it on a shelf in the door. Baking soda is great for absorbing odors and can also be put in the water you use to rinse off the cleaning solution. Be sure to replace the baking soda monthly as it will become stale.

Now, back to the racks, shelves and other items that are languishing in your bath tub. You may need to rewet these items then give them a good scrubbing with a household sponge that has a scrubber side to remove all dried on spills and surface junk. Rinse well with clear warm water and allow to drain. Then dry thoroughly with a clean, soft absorbent, lint-free cloth or paper towel and replace in the refrigerator.

Check the pull dates on all food items before you put them back on the refrigerator shelves. Keep like items grouped together. Throw out old leftovers, jars and cartons that are almost empty. Trim and rinse fresh vegetables to keep them in as good condition as possible if you won't be using them right away. Line the vegetable drawer with paper towels before putting the vegetables in. You may also spray fresh water lightly over the vegetables when storing.

Pick one day of the week to pay special attention to your refrigerator to keep it from becoming an all day chore. Grab that baking soda (you can use some from the box you keep in the refrigerator) and mix 1/4 cup of the baking soda with a quart of warm water. Using a scrubby sponge, wipe all of the interior surfaces and clean up spills that you haven't already taken care of.

On a daily basis, just before you are ready to turn off the light in the kitchen, grab your kitchen sponge or paper towel and wipe the outside of the refrigerator using a disinfectant cleaner on the door and the door handle. Cinch® spray also works well for cleaning refrigerator doors (and stove surfaces).

Refrigerator Odor Prevention

Be sure to cover leftovers tightly when you store them. Either use plastic storage containers that come with their own tight-fitting lids, or use a glass container of the appropriate size to hold the contents and securely cover with clear, clinging plastic wrap. Besides helping prevent smell leakage, keeping containers tightly covered helps avoid accidental spills when jostled by careless hands.

Check The Pull Date

That gourmet mustard probably sounded like something you would really use - but after the ham is gone, what do you do with a half jar of mustard which didn't turn out to be as tasty as you thought? If you don't use it -- lose it! Check pull dates of every item in your refrigerator. If the pull date has expired, throw them away. Don't wait until you buy your annual ham and then find out the contents in the mustard jar have dried up!

Wash The Storage Bins

The storage bins at the bottom of the refrigerator are usually the coldest part. However, they are still breeding grounds for bacteria and a source of cross-contamination. Keep the drawers cleaned; line them with paper towels and replace the paper towels weekly or as necessary. Meat juices often leak into these drawers; wipe it up immediately and, as soon as is convenient, remove the drawer and wash it thoroughly with hot, soapy water. Rinse well and dry thoroughly before replacing.

Clean Spills Up Immediately

Don't allow spills to remain on the shelves any longer than you can. They have a habit of trickling into the smallest crack, lying there, drying there and becoming a haven - a breeding ground - for bacteria, mold, odors and even food-borne disease. Best to use a paper towel to blot up the excess, then use a sponge dipped into hot water and liquid dish detergent to scrub away the residue. Use a brush to get into the crevices. Then dip a clean rag into a solution of warm water and baking soda and wipe the surface again. Dry well before replacing food on the shelf or in the drawer.

Refrigerator Cleaning Tips

• When you open the door, immediately loosen the light bulb so that it does not illuminate. (Refrigerator bulbs are not intended to burn continuously and will burn out if left on for long periods of time.)
• The temperature control knob is usually in an obvious place inside the refrigerator compartment. Turn it to "off" position and unplug the refrigerator at its power source.
• Place all perishable food items in a cooler or separate refrigerator until the cleaning is done and you are ready to put them back.
• Pull out all of the drawers, shelves, wire racks and any support hardware that is removable. If they are too large for your kitchen sink, put them in your bathtub and spray with cleaning solution.
• Look at the manufacturer's instructions on the drawers and shelves of your refrigerators. Some state emphatically they are not to be placed in an automatic dishwasher! If you must err, err on the side of caution and do not put any of those items in a dishwasher. Use your bathtub.
• Put on rubber gloves and mix a solution of a half quart of warmish water and 1/4th cup of baking soda.
• Dip a sponge or a rag into this solution and wash down the inside of the refrigerator, the door and all of the compartments.
• Then, using a clean soft rag or a sponge, rinse all of the areas you have just cleaned with fresh warm water. When totally rinsed, either dry with paper towels or a soft, clean absorbent towel.
• Scrub the drawers, wire racks, shelves and hardware, rinse thoroughly, and dry with paper towels or a soft absorbent lint-free rag.
• Use a small stiff brush dipped in cleaning solution to go around all rubber molding and the door seal. Scrub it well because sometimes small pieces of food crumbs become trapped in the crevices and spoil. Rinse and dry.
• Spray the outside of the refrigerator with a good commercial cleaner or your homemade solution of hot water and liquid detergent. Rinse and dry thoroughly. You may also spray the door handle with an antibacterial sanitizer.
• Most new refrigerators are "frost-free" and don't have drip pans. If yours does, however, you'll find it under the refrigerator, held in place like a drawer. Empty any drippy, dirty stuff and give it a good scrubbing with hot soapy water. Rinse and dry, then spray with a disinfectant before replacing.
• There is usually a louvered metal plate on the front of the refrigerator, down near the floor. This is for air intake or exhaust for the motor. The plate just pops free and you can then use a vacuum or "coil" brush to remove the dust and debris that settles inside. Give the plate a good washing, rinse and dry it before replacing.
• Don't forget to reconnect the refrigerator by plugging it back in and turn the temperature control knob to manufacturer's recommended setting. Screw in the interior light bulb so that it works when the door is opened.
• Allow refrigerator to run until the inside has returned to the specified temperature. Then return all food items to their proper place. Be sure to check expiration dates on condiments and other food stuffs, disposing of any that are out dated or that do not look palatable.