How to clean a refrigerator – secrets of fast and effective cleaning

The refrigerator is the most important device in every kitchen. This type of household appliance is one of the most “visited” by all the household. So it gets dirty more often than any other object. In addition to household dirt, which is left by the touch of unwashed hands, yellow grease stains, marks from stickers or felt-tip pens can form on the refrigerator, and inside the cabinet can appear unpleasant odor and even mold.

Even the most meticulous hostesses periodically face the need to clean the refrigerator, especially if there are small children in the house. How to clean the refrigerator so that not a single spot is left on it and spend a minimum of time? Let’s find out.

How to clean the outside of a refrigerator

Cleaning the front of the appliance is actually very quick and easy. We have a number of effective tips and tricks for this, but first you need to do some preparatory work:

Inspect the refrigerator and find out how dirty it is

This will help you stock up on the right detergents and cleaners. For example, for ordinary dirt it is enough to buy a bar of laundry soap or use an ordinary dish liquid, but to remove old grease and yellow stains you will need more serious means.

Unplug the refrigerator from the mains

This is necessary to protect the equipment itself and the person who will be cleaning it – water during washing may cause a short circuit. At the same time, disconnection must be done correctly. If your equipment works on the cooling system “No frost”, then just pull the cord out of the socket, as defrosting these models do not need. In the case of conventional modifications, manufacturers recommend to first set the temperature sensor to 0 degrees, and after 30 minutes completely disconnect the device from the 220V network.

Remove all the contents from the refrigerator cabinet

To do this, find a place in advance where you will place the food, taking into account that it will lie there for some time (while you clean the refrigerator).

What can you clean the outside of your refrigerator with?

There are several proven methods and cleaning products, which we will tell you about:

• Special products for cleaning refrigeration equipment or kitchen appliances

They are sold in all household departments of stores and wash the surface as gently as possible, leaving no marks and microscratches. If the front of the appliance is covered with yellow stains from grease or natural aging processes, it is better to use special means.

• Dishwashing liquid

A simple, inexpensive and effective method. Squeeze a couple of drops onto the soft side of a damp sponge, work the surface, rub the yellowed and especially dirty areas well, leave it for 5-10 minutes and remove the foam residue with a clean damp sponge/rag. Then wipe the refrigerator dry.

The detergent will not damage the delicate surface and will refresh the appearance of the appliance.

• Soap

As they say, everything genius is simple! Grate the soap on a grater, warm it up a little, and apply the resulting mixture to the dirty areas. Leave the remedy for a few minutes until the end of the reaction and wash off. If necessary, lightly rub the stains, but not with the abrasive side of a washcloth! 

• Soda

You should never rub the refrigerator surface with baking soda – you can only treat stale stains with baking soda solution. To do this, dissolve 1 teaspoon of the substance in water to form a porridge, carefully apply it to the stain and let it stand for about 30 minutes. Then very carefully, so as not to scratch the surface, remove the rest of the soda. The stains tend to lighten very well.

• Toothpaste

Excellent fights stains without leaving scuffs and scratches due to its homogeneous and smooth structure. It not only gets rid of grease and yellowed areas, but also traces of children’s creativity (markers, ballpoint pen, etc.). Simply apply a little toothpaste to the dirty area, rub lightly, leave to stand for about 15 minutes, rinse off.

And we also want to share with you the secret to getting rid of stickers. In fact, it can be quite difficult to get rid of them, because the adhesive backing hardens over time and literally becomes one with the surface. To peel off the sticker and not leave a trace, use a regular household hair dryer. Blow it close to the sticker, the heated glue comes off very easily!

Once your refrigerator is completely clean from the outside, you only need to wipe it dry to protect it from rusting and treat it with antibacterial wipes to prevent germs from breeding.

How to clean the inside of the refrigerator from mold, dirt and odors?

Cleaning the inside of the refrigerator is the most responsible and important part, because the cleanliness of the cabinet from the inside directly affects the quality of food. Moreover, mold and fungus can provoke the development of health disorders caused by pathogens.

*For cleaning the usual dirt and grease, all the same products are suitable as for cleaning the refrigerator from the outside.

So, cleaning mold

It comes from high levels of humidity and is very dangerous. The most effective remedy for this enemy is 9 percent vinegar. To remove mold:

• apply the substance to the affected areas in undiluted form;
• leave it on for 10 minutes;
• rinse off with water.
• If not all the mold is gone, repeat the procedure again.

You can also get rid of mold inside the refrigerator with the help of alcohol and chlorine-based preparations. However, it is necessary to perform cleaning with such means only if it is possible to organize quality ventilation of the room. The cabinet itself should be rinsed with clean water after the cleaning procedure to wash off all the residues of the preparations.

Getting rid of odors inside the refrigerator

Odors from the refrigerator can literally poison our lives. For example, week-old shrimp or fish skeletons can give off a stench that lasts for years. And the odor is not only in the air, it permeates absolutely all products. What should we do?

The first thing to do is to find out what stinks and get rid of the source. It can be anywhere – drawers, freezer, shelves and the space between them, rubber seals. Be sure to find and destroy it! Otherwise, all efforts to clean the refrigerator will be in vain.

When the source of stench is eliminated, it remains to get rid of the most unpleasant odor. You can buy a special product for this purpose. It acts exactly on the cause of the problem. If there is no possibility to buy such a product, use the following methods:

• Sprinkle some baking soda in various places in the refrigerator cabinet and leave it for 24 hours. It will absorb the odors. You can wash the interior with a baking soda solution (dissolve 1 tbsp. of baking soda in 1 liter of water).
• Spread crushed activated charcoal in the refrigerator. It acts similarly to baking soda.
• Cut black bread into small pieces and also spread it inside the refrigerator cabinet.
• Leave bags of steeped tea in the refrigerator overnight, scatter rice or coffee grounds.
• Treat the interior surfaces with a solution of wine or ordinary vinegar (dilute 2 tbsp. of vinegar concentrate in 1 liter of water).
• Alternatively, you can cut a lemon in half and rub it on the walls and shelves of the refrigerator. Let it stand for a while, then rinse it off with water. Just do not keep the lemon very long on the surface, so that the acid does not corrode the surface.
• If everything has been washed, but the odor still remains, check the drain hole on the back wall of the equipment – it should be periodically cleaned, and stagnant water can be a source of stink. An ordinary medical syringe without a needle is suitable for cleaning the hole.

What to do to keep your refrigerator clean for as long as possible

To avoid spending half a day cleaning your refrigerator, all you need to do is perform timely preventive maintenance. Take good care of your refrigeration equipment and spend no more than 30 minutes for general cleaning.

So, 5 tips that will help in keeping your refrigerator clean on a daily basis:

• Clean it right away. If, for example, you spill food on a shelf, don’t wait for it to dry, brush it off with a damp sponge.
• Get rid of expired food. Don’t let your kitchen assistant turn into a storehouse of junk in the form of jars with jam on the bottom, dried sandwiches or rotted cabbage. Throw it away immediately! This will help prevent germs from breeding, the same mold, and free up usable space.
• Wash drawers before each new purchase. Stack the freshest foods at the very bottom and “yesterday’s” foods higher so you can use them before they spoil.
• Antibacterial treatment with special agents.
• Do not use abrasive sponges and too aggressive substances, so as not to damage the coating.

By following these simple rules, you will be able to enjoy a perfectly clean, tidy and safe for your health every day! We hope you found our tips useful. If cleaning is not for you, then contact us. Our specialists will perform everything to the highest standard at an affordable price.