Cleaning your refrigerator is a daunting task. The fear of discovering leftovers from 2 yrs ago or finding mold growing on the now un-recognizable food can be an awfully powerful argument to depart the fridge as is.
Here are the steps I took to clean my refrigerator:
- Remove everything from the refrigerator – this is a good time to check expiration dates and also to pitch anything that is old or that you will never use.
- Remove shelves and bins and wash them in warm soap and water – this step works best if you have a larger sink to accommodate the large bins and shelves (a laundry room wash tub works perfectly).
- While your shelves and bins are drying wipe on the inside of your refrigerator with an all-purpose cleaner. Make sure to clean your door gaskets as well and inspect them for damage.
- If you haven't replaced your water filter in a while, now is a good time to do so.
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- Once things are dry, replace your shelves and bins.
- Replace all food but first wipe down any jars or bottles before returning them to your refrigerator.
- Place a box of sodium bicarbonate or a Fridge Aid refrigerator deodorizer within your refrigerator to eliminate odors. I recently tried out the Fridge Aid deodorizer and found it to be significantly more effective at eliminating odors than the box of baking soda we normally use in our fridge. The extra deodorizing power the Fridge Aid deodorizer was very important to me while I was looking to get smells under control for my pregnant wife.
- Clean the outside of your refrigerator. If you possess a stainless steel refrigerator, consider using rubbing alcohol or vinegar to get rid of fingerprints and restore the shine to the exterior of your refrigerator. Make use of a condenser coil cleaning brush to wash your condenser coils in order to keep your refrigerator running smoothly.
- Get organized! Keep the items in your refrigerator sorted. Go through your refrigerator weekly and toss out things you are no longer using (it is best to do that on trash day to make sure you won't be attracting animals to your trash bin throughout the week). Make sure to clean up any spills or messes once they happen instead of leaving them for a later date.
Follow these steps and you will be able to keep your refrigerator clean for a long time!
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