Cleaning Your Refrigerator

The refrigerator seems to be the location that attracts some of the ugliest of grime.

Yet, it is one of the most important places to keep clean.

Many people put off cleaning their refrigerator until it is nothing short of a disaster. This makes it so much more difficult to clean. Instead of letting it get that bad, or perhaps even if it is, read through these tips to help you to clean it in the best manner possible.

There are numerous things to worry about including mold and bacteria. These things can make it dangerous to eat the food that is stored within the refrigerator. It is important for your family’s health and safety that you take good care of the refrigerator from the start.

Daily And Weekly Cleaning:

The first thing that you need to do is keep the weekly and the daily cleaning of the refrigerator up to date.

• Clean up any spills as soon as they happen. That means that you need to remove the drawers and clean under them. This is the location with the most potential for trouble as the stains are likely to stay.
• Always store food in covered containers. Open things can easily spill or be pushed to the back and forgotten about until they spill.
• Keep an eye on the leftovers. Throw out food when it expires or goes bad. Food that is stored too long will develop mold which could contaminate other foods.
• Monitor the temperature. You need to keep the gauge set accurately so that food does not spoil and bacteria does not grow.
• To stop odors, store an open box of baking soda in the refrigerator.
• Use a sanitized towel to wipe down the shelves, handles and door each day or week as needed.

If you take the time to keep up the fridge, you will have less trouble in deep cleaning it later. Of course, this means less scrubbing if you keep up on it from the beginning.

If you need a thorough cleaning, scroll down a bit and read a step by step method of cleaning your refrigerator for a heavy duty cleaning.

Heavy Duty Cleaning:

It doesn’t matter how it got so gross, just how to get it clean. Here are the steps to take when your refrigerator needs heavy-duty cleaning.

• Start by removing everything from the refrigerator. Put the food in a cooler or another refrigerator if you think the project will take you a while.
• Turn off the light bulb and raise the temperature.
• Remove all of the removable things such as the shelves and drawers. They will be washed in the sink later.
• Use a terry cloth, dish detergent and a bit of scrubbing to wash down everything inside. Try to remove any and all debris that you can. You’ll come back again to sanitize after you get the grime out. Get into all of the seams, edges and any other hidden areas.
• Use a sanitizing solution or just use a clean cloth to wipe down everything a second time. This will insure that there are no germs lurking.
• Air dry or use paper towels to dry off the inside of the refrigerator.
• Wash down the drawers and shelves thoroughly. Use dish detergent and hot water, rinsing well. Allow them to air dry or dry them with a paper towel.
• Reassemble the fridge, turn it back on and load the food back in.

Cleaning Frequency:

You should give your refrigerator a thorough cleaning at least every few months or more frequently if needed.

Keep it smelling fresh by placing a box of baking soda in it. Clean up spills as needed, keep the storage bins neat and clean and dispose of old food quickly. Don’t forget to watch the expiration dates!