How to Deep Clean Your Refrigerator: A Quick Guide
Your fridge is one of your most essential kitchen appliances because it stores your groceries, cooked food, and sauces and keeps them fresh for a longer time. But no matter how healthy your diet and habits are, you are likely to get sick if you fail to clean your refrigerator regularly.
Fridges can become a breeding ground for dangerous bacteria like E. coli, salmonella, and listeria. Their outside surfaces, inner drawers, and shelves can also be filled with stains and food residue, and perishables can give off funky smells. To ward off unpleasant odors, keep food-borne illnesses away, and keep your appliance in good condition, deep clean your fridge every two months. Here are some steps to clean it inside and out:
Wash shelves, drawers, and other removable parts
The first step to deep cleaning your refrigerator is to gather natural cleaning ingredients and equipment, like baking soda, dry cloths, and dish soap. Avoid using scented cleaning products because their smell might transfer to your food. Next, move all the contents of your fridge to a cooler.
Remove refrigerator shelves, wire racks, and drawers, then handwash them using hot water and mild dish soap. Prevent glass components from cracking by warming them up to room temperature before washing them with hot water. To get rid of stubborn food stains, soften them with a warm, wet cloth for several minutes and clean them with a non-abrasive scrubber.
Clean the refrigerator gasket
The rubber gasket around the fridge door requires special cleaning attention to maintain a tight seal. First, clean it using warm water and liquid dish soap. If you find mold, utilize a bleach-based cleaner. Afterward, rinse thoroughly, wipe dry, and coat the seal with a thin layer of petroleum jelly.
Eliminate the mess from the interior
Combine one part baking soda and seven parts water, then use it to clean the drawers, shelves, internal compartments, and other non-removable parts of your fridge. Work from top to bottom to prevent drips. Don’t forget to use a toothbrush or toothpicks to clean hard-to-reach areas, such as hinges and other hardware. Once the interior is clean, wipe everything dry with a soft towel.
Wipe the exterior
The exterior of your refrigerator can accumulate grime and dirt over time, especially on its handles and doors. Keep them spotlessly clean by wiping them with a cloth sprayed with an all-purpose cleaner.
If you have a stainless steel mini fridge on a carpet, eliminate fingerprints and smudges on the exterior by wiping it with a damp microfiber cloth, then with a dry one. Don’t forget to occasionally wipe down the top of the fridge to get rid of dust.
Deodorize
Your fridge can create an environment for foul odors. The good news is that you can get rid of any bad smell in your refrigerator without harsh chemical cleaners. All you need to do is fill an open container with dry baking soda and leave it on the bottom shelf. This will deodorize your appliance by absorbing odors.
After cleaning and deodorizing your fridge, it’s time to declutter and organize. Throw away expired or spoiled food, group similar items together, and place them in your refrigerator.
Conclusion
Regular fridge deep cleaning is key to keeping yourself and your loved ones healthy and extending the lifespan of your appliance. Start maintaining the cleanliness of your refrigerator by following these steps. To learn more about other fridge cleaning hacks, explore helpful resources like ours.
Whether you are interested in learning more about cleaning a fridge freezer without a water dispenser or the latest mini fridge reviews, you can find the information you need at Pixel Fridge. We offer a comprehensive blog with practical tips, informed recommendations, and more about refrigerators. Read our other articles to take care of your own refrigerator or find one that best suits your needs.