The refrigerator needs to be cleaned from the inside from time to time. The shelves should be cleaned to remove any milk leaks, and food should be thrown away if it is no longer suitable for refrigeration. Even if it is not the most enjoyable activity, you must be able to do it right to save a lot of time and effort.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Part One: Cleaning the Refrigerator
Step 1. Remove all food from the refrigerator
Remove all food from the refrigerator and place it on the table. You empty it in order to assess all the damage.
Step 2. Throw away all old, moldy and missing food and put it in bags so food does not start leaking and prevent mold from spreading
Cleaning the refrigerator annually or seasonally helps remind us of foods we have forgotten about and which, unfortunately, have lost their battle with time. Throw away or restock food.
Do not embarrass yourself by throwing away foods that you have never touched. Those pickles that are at the very end of the refrigerator since the days when your grandmother didn't have a denture probably deserve to be thrown away, unless you want to get yourself in trouble
Step 3. Remove all shelves, food containers and other removable parts from the refrigerator
Putting your head directly into the "stomach" of the refrigerator to wash it is not very pleasant, and certainly not effective. In order to do everything quickly, you need to take out all the shelves and other things and put them next to the kitchen sink, where it will be much easier to wash them.
Step 4. Wash shelves, drawers and other surfaces by hand
Most of what you take out of the refrigerator either won't fit or shouldn't be put in the dishwasher. Instead, soap everything well, use a good brush or sponge, and rinse out all removable parts of the refrigerator.
- Never wash the freezer shelf under hot water. Due to the sudden change in temperature, the glass may crack. Instead, wash it under cold water or take it out of the freezer and wait for it to warm to room temperature and wash it.
- For old streaks and stains, don't be afraid to use the power of hot water and ammonia. Dilute a small amount of ammonia in hot water (a 1: 5 ratio is sufficient) and soak the portions in this solution before wiping it off.
- Be sure to let the shelves and racks dry completely before putting them back in the refrigerator.
Step 5. Wash the inside of the refrigerator with the selected cleaning agent
Wipe off any large or stubborn stains and other surfaces with a clean cloth or sponge.
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It is best not to use soap or chemical cleaners inside the refrigerator, as food can absorb the smell of the chemicals. Instead, use one of the following cleaning agents:
- 2 tablespoons of baking soda in a quarter of hot water
- 1 part apple cider to 4 parts hot water
- Try using toothpaste for stubborn stains and build-up. The toothpaste acts as an abrasive cleaning agent and has a rather pleasant smell.
Step 6. Remember to wash the refrigerator door
If your refrigerator door has room for foods you frequently use, be sure to wash it with either a strong cleaning agent or a mild version (as mentioned earlier).
Step 7. Dry the shelves before putting them back in place
Wipe them dry with a clean rag, then put them back in the refrigerator.
Step 8. Return food to refrigerator
Wipe down any jars, bottles, or other utensils and place in the refrigerator. Recheck the expiration date of all perishable foods before returning them to the refrigerator.
Method 2 of 2: Part Two: Keep Your Refrigerator Clean and Tidy
Step 1. Check your refrigerator every season to keep it smelling fresh and looking good
Remove most food from the refrigerator every three months and wipe down the shelves with baking soda or vinegar. Regular grooming will save you time and effort in the future.
It doesn't even need to be mentioned, but if you notice spills or stains in the refrigerator, quickly clean them up and remove the source of the problem. If you don't get rid of smudges and smudges quickly, it will be harder to clean up later
Step 2. Use a home air freshener to get rid of unpleasant odors in your home and refrigerator
Before food goes to waste and fills the fridge with a foul smell, you must deal with it. Here's what you can equip your refrigerator with to combat these odors:
- A clean sock filled with activated charcoal purchased from an aquarium store, not taken from your BBQ briquettes. Charcoal can absorb bad odors for up to three months.
- An open box of baking soda. Soda is also very odor-absorbing. Most packages say you can change the baking soda every 30 days, but you can probably extend this to 60-90 days.
- Freshly ground coffee poured into a small bowl in the back of the refrigerator also absorbs odors very well.
- Odorless chlorophyll litter box is also an excellent odor absorber. Put some sand in a flat saucepan and place it in the back of the refrigerator to get rid of most of the nasty odors.
Step 3. Fill your refrigerator with a pleasant scent
It's certainly not for everyone, but some people may like the subtle scent of, say, vanilla when they open the refrigerator. The key word in this step is "subtle" smell. You don't want to smell of vanilla when you open the fridge, do you? As with cologne or perfume, a light scent is more pleasant, especially when combined with food:
Soak cotton wool with vanilla extract, tea tree oil, or lavender, lemon, or even bergamot essence and place it in a small bowl by the back of the refrigerator. Change it every couple of weeks
Step 4. Crumple a piece of brown paper bag into a ball and place it along with fruits and vegetables in a drawer to prevent unpleasant odors
The crumpled paper bag is incredible at removing odors in the fruit and vegetable drawer.
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Advice
- Store a small (open-lid) jar of baking soda in the refrigerator to absorb excess moisture. Be sure to remember that it should be a jar, not a box.
- Arrange food so that it is easier to find them. Place milk, juices and other drinks on one shelf and salads, sauces, and similar foods on another shelf.
- Clean your refrigerator approximately every month.
- Once you've cleaned your refrigerator, you can easily keep it clean by removing only 1 or 2 shelves at a time. The entire refrigerator may not stay perfectly clean, but you don't have to wash it every day. At least remember to wash the shelves.
- Inspect the food every week to ensure it doesn't go bad.
- Be careful not to drop or break the removable parts.
Warnings
- Do not let water or cleaning agent get into the inner openings of the refrigerator.
- Old food should be placed in separate bags before being thrown into your trash can to avoid attracting pets and vermin if the bag is not properly sealed or torn apart.