Cleaning the Refrigerator—Tips to Get it Done Right, and Get Done Fast

There not too many worse smells than that of a refrigerator that hasn’t been cleaned out and sanitized in a while. Sure the Chinese food you ordered two weeks ago was really great at the time, and all those fresh veggies you meant to cook already were on sale when you bought them; but now, something has started to grow on them, and despite how much you would love it to be a set of legs so they can walk out of your fridge and into the trash on their own, chances are its just mold and bacteria, and the main cause of that pungent odor that has started to permeate your kitchen. It’s time to clean out the fridge.

So while maybe not the most pleasant of chores, cleaning and sanitizing your refrigerator doesn’t have to be the most daunting on your cleaning checklist. With a little patience, a little elbow grease, and of course, a little baking soda, you can once again have a clean and sanitized fridge that you and your family no longer dread to open. Just follow these easy steps.



• Empty it out—and this means everything, including the drawers themselves.

• Check all expatriation dates and throw away anything outdated.

• Sprinkle the empty fridge with baking soda, and with a wet sponge or cloth, clean all of the shelves, the walls, the doors and the drawers, using a circular motion.

• For really tough smells and stains, sanitize with bleach and water solution.

• While you’re doing this, it’s a good idea to have a bowl filled with boiled water and sliced lemons on the top shelf to add freshness.

• With a clean sponge or cloth and a bucket of warm water, thoroughly wipe down the inside of the fridge, to remove the baking soda residue. If using bleach, be sure to rinse the refrigerator very thoroughly with clean water.

• Wipe down all items that are still in-date with a damp cloth and put them back neatly in their place.

• After the fruit and vegetable bins have dried, sprinkle each with a small amount of baking soda and line with a paper towel.

• On the top shelf, toward the back, place an open box of baking soda to absorb odors. Change this box once every three months.

• Be sure to wipe the top and all four sides, and remove the dust from underneath and by the fan.

This routine, performed twice a month, plus weekly maintenance to assure you’re getting rid of spoiled and expired items before they start to leave their mark, will help you to keep your refrigerator clean and sanitary!





Sources:www.housekeepingmatters.com

www.homelife.com.