When it comes to cleaning your kitchen, you would want to clean all the appliances from a food processor or a juicer to a refrigerator. In this post, we shall deal with cleaning the refrigerator be it a single door or a double door refrigerator. Keeping your refrigerator is of utmost importance because this is where you have plenty of your food items – right from raw and cooked food along with a host of other products like condiments and drinks. If you want to avoid even a minimal possibility of food poisoning, the proper cleaning of your fridge is quite essential.
Now, let us see some great cleaning tips and methods that would keep our refrigerator clean and free from bad odor.
Contents
- 1 Can you Use the Normal Kitchen Cleaning Products for Cleaning your Refrigerator?
- 2 How to Clean a Moldy Refrigerator?
- 3 How to Clean Condenser Coils in the Refrigerator?
- 4 How to Clean a Refrigerator Rubber Seal?
- 5 How to Clean a Refrigerator Ice-Maker?
- 6 How to Remove Rust Stains From the Refrigerator Door?
- 7 How to Remove Bad Smell From the Refrigerator?
- 8 Concluding Thoughts on How to Clean a Moldy or Rusty Refrigerator
Can you Use the Normal Kitchen Cleaning Products for Cleaning your Refrigerator?
Well, a few surface cleaners like those using citrus agent may be permissible. However, using any chemical cleaners may not be a viable solution. Kitchen cleaners may be a good option against the other kitchen hygiene regime, but something of that sort may not be a good option for a refrigerator.
You would not want the smell of chemicals to linger inside your refrigerator. That can perhaps contaminate your food as well. Make sure you can use the normal cleaners that come from natural resources.
How to Clean a Moldy Refrigerator?
Now that you keep your food inside a fridge, you may come across the formation of mold inside it. The moisture inside the refrigerator and no ventilation can be one of the major reasons for the accumulation of mold inside the refrigerator.
It was recommended to use chlorine bleach for cleaning the moldy refrigerator. But, the recommendation has now been withdrawn after it was found to have adverse effects on the food stored inside the fridge. The best options to control the mold would be to remove the moisture content, keeping temperatures lower, and providing enough ventilation. In case you think you need to use a cleaner or disinfectant, use vinegar.
The best cleaning procedure would be as discussed here –
- Remove all the removable components and wash them with soap and water.
- Use the same water and soap solution to clean the inner components.
- Ice and water dispensers are the most common causes of mold and moldy smell. You can use a cotton swab with a water-vinegar solution for reaching up to orifices and hard to reach regions.
Door gaskets are the most common breeding grounds for the mold. Using hydrogen peroxide or vinegar can be a good option for cleaning the gasket. Use a spray bottle to remove the mold and then clean up all the blackened parts with a clean cloth. You can even use a toothbrush to clean up a few areas that may not be easy to reach. Leave the door open until everything inside the refrigerator dries up – including the gasket.
With this method, you can easily remove mold settled in the refrigerator. Now, let us see cleaning certain parts of the refrigerator to ensure its in-depth cleaning.
These were some cleaning tips for the in-depth cleaning of a refrigerator. Now, let us see how to remove rust stains from a refrigerator door and bad smell from a refrigerator.
How to Remove Rust Stains From the Refrigerator Door?
The prime reason for the formation of the rust formation is the moisture and condensation. Since your refrigerator is always cool and moist from inside, it can cause issues like rust formation on the door from outside.
How would you be able to prevent this issue? Well, you can follow a few options in terms of an effective cleaning regime.
The tips here should be helpful enough –
- Mix warm water and detergent. Create a mixture that is soapy enough.
- Remove any of the rusted areas using a sponge.
- Remove any of the flakes.
- Next, prepare a mixture of baking soda and white vinegar to create a paste.
- Apply the paste on the rusted spot and let it dry for a couple of minutes
- Scrub the area gently.
Repeat the procedure of applying the paste in small quantities and rubbing it clean – each time after three minutes or so. Once the rust is cleaned off, wipe the place with soapy water. This will help you remove the residue of the baking soda paste.
Let the area get dried enough. Once it dries up, you can paint the affected area. Make sure you are seeking assistance from the professional painters for an effective repainting.
Yet another mixture that can be helpful in taking care of rust from your refrigerator doors would be to use a mixture of lemon juice and baking soda.
How to Remove Bad Smell From the Refrigerator?
Does your refrigerator smell of stink when opened? Of course, it is only you who should be blamed for the stinky odor inside your refrigerator. Maybe some leftover meat or other food that has stayed inside the fridge for a longer period should be what causes the odor inside your refrigerator.
How to remove the smell? Well, there are a few steps you can follow to take care of the issues.
Step 1 – Clean Your Refrigerator
The first option would be to clean up your refrigerator. Remove every component that can be removed and clean it up with hot water and soap solution.
Clean up the non-removable parts with soapy water and vinegar combination. Dry up everything before you place all the things back into the refrigerator.
Step 2 – Use Baking Soda
Use baking soda for deodorizing the fridge. Place an opened container of baking soda inside the refrigerator. It is advisable to keep the baking soda in the fridge for at least 24 hours.
Throw away the baking powder after that period. Do not use the baking soda for any of the coking purposes.
Step 3 – Use Fresh Coffee
Freshly ground coffee can be yet another excellent option for deodorizing the refrigerator. Spread the coffee on a plate evenly and place it inside the fridge for a period of 24 hours. This should ideally help.
Another useful tip – the coffee used inside the fridge can be an excellent option as a fertilizer for your garden!
Charcoal, lemon, and oatmeal are the other few options for ensuring an odor-free refrigerator. Follow the same steps and procedures as with the other methods featured here. Charcoal kept in the refrigerator for three days is said to produce better results.
Using airtight containers for food items may be a good option to avoid these issues in the future.
Now that we know how to clean the refrigerator to make it perfect and long-lasting thus improving its efficiency, let us conclude the post.
Concluding Thoughts on How to Clean a Moldy or Rusty Refrigerator
Well, cleaning up your refrigerator isn’t an easy task as it would appear to be especially when it comes to huge double door refrigerators. We assume the tips shared here would be helpful enough to arrive at the best solutions for cleaning up your refrigerator. Of course, these tips are equally helpful for single door refrigerators.
Follow each off those tips and get the better results in keeping your fridge cleaner for prolonged periods. Remember, following a regular cleaning regime would help you achieve the best results. And avoid the need for a thorough and complete clean up that can make it messier. You can also use some of these tips to clean a washing machine. If you have any other methods of cleaning a refrigerator, write to us in the comments section below.
