When and How to Clean Your Refrigerator

The refrigerator is one of the most used appliances in our homes. It works constantly and is often subject to different smells, spills, and overcrowding. Having a clean refrigerator guarantees that your food will stay fresh and healthy, so make sure you do your best to clean it regularly. Proper cleaning requires removing everything from the refrigerator, so it can be cleaned from the inside. Before you start cleaning, check out whether there are some foods with expired dates. Toss away the food that is spoiled or past its prime. Another good way to clean your refrigerator is to pull it away from the wall so you can vacuum the piled up dirt and dust behind it.

Regarding when it is the best time to clean the refrigerator, there are a couple of things you should remember. Some things need to be cleaned on a weekly basis, while others should be done monthly. The following is what you need to do:

How and When to Clean Your Refrigerator:

Weekly Cleaning

• Use a clean towel to wipe up the sticky spots and common spills.
• Wipe the residue from bottles and food containers.
• Inspect the drawers and toss away spoiled foods.
• Wipe the door and the handle by using mild detergent and warm water.

Monthly Cleaning

Shelves:

• Empty the entire fridge shelf by shelf.
• Throw away the old foods.
• Wipe the shelves by using a combination solution of two tablespoons of baking soda and one-quarter of cool water.

Door shelves:

• Remove everything from the door shelves.
• Wipe the shelves down, together with all drippy or sticky food containers by using water solution and baking soda. Let them dry and then return the items back in the refrigerator.

Door:

• Use a clean cloth to wipe the door’s edges and handle, and you can also use a mild detergent solution. Refrigerators made of stainless steel can be cleaned with a soft cloth with coconut oil applied to it.

Drawers:

• Empty the contents of the drawers and remove them out of the refrigerator. Throw away spoiled items. Wash the drawers in a solution of mild detergent and warm water and then dry them thoroughly. You can remove odors by rinsing the drawers with a solution of two tablespoons of baking soda and one quart of water. Rinse with cool water and then wipe them dry. If you do not have or do not want to use detergent you can use one tablespoon of vinegar instead.

Water and Ice Dispensers:

• Both water and ice dispensers are places where mold and yeast can build up. Therefore they must be cleaned at least once a month or as needed. You can clean the spout with a small brush that has been previously dipped in a solution of warm water, distilled vinegar, and hydrogen peroxide.
• In order to clean the ice bin, first, you should turn off the icemaker, remove the bin and throw away the ice. Use lukewarm water and a mild detergent to wash the bin, rinse and dry. You can also substitute the mild detergent with distilled white vinegar.