How to clean your refrigerator: tips to get your fridge sparkling clean and keep your food safe and ready to use
The fridge is one the most used household items of all. Powered up 24/7, it is what keeps our food safe so making sure it is clean and fit for the job is of paramount importance.
Cleaning the refrigerator is a recurrent household cleaning task and it may seem like a daunting one, however, it doesn’t have to be.
With some preparation and the tips below you will know how to clean your refrigerator easily and with not stress. By the end of the task, your fridge will be cleaner, safer and if you choose our tips for refrigerator produce storage, it will even look amazing!
These are our top tips for cleaning a refrigerator.
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How to clean your fridge: before you start
Your main challenge when cleaning a refrigerator is time. Bacteria multiply fast at room temperature so you need to make sure anything that comes out of the fridge goes back in as soon as possible, to avoid contamination and possible health consequences.
The best way to do this is:
- Plan your fridge cleaning before you go for a big grocery shop. A half-empty fridge takes less time to empty and clean than a full one and you will mean minimizing the time items are at a potentially dangerous temperature
- Make space: before you take anything out of the fridge, make sure you have enough space for all the foods that need to come out. Make sure the space you choose, may it be the kitchen counter or a table, is clean so the food doesn’t accidentally pick up dirt or juices from previous cooking endeavors.
- Get your kit ready: sponges, cleaning products, rubber gloves. Make sure you all you need with you so you don’t waste time fishing for stuff once the fridge is open
Basically, once that door is open all systems are ‘go’: make sure you are ready and the cleaning task will be a breeze!
Cleaning a fridge: what you need
The main thing you need when cleaning a fridge are:
- Rubber gloves
- Clean sponge
- A good fridge cleaner: we love mixing hot water and dishwasher soap or you can go completely natural and choose a combination of white vinegar and water
The 5 steps to a sparkling clean fridge
Cleaning the fridge: step 1
Make sure you have a large area suitable to hold all your fridge items and empty the fridge entirely. Then, start removing the drawers and wash them in the kitchen sink with hot water and dishwashing liquid, like you would a normal plate, then dry well.
Cleaning the fridge: step 2
Do the same with the fridge shelved and any part of your refrigerator you can take out, including door trays and holders
Cleaning the fridge: step 3
Now it is time to tackle the inside shell of the fridge. The easiest way to do this is to spray your cleaner of choice, let it soak for a couple of minutes and then wipe clean with a clean sponge/cloth.
Start from the tops and work your way to the bottom of the refrigerator, making sure you get into all the nooks and crannies. For grooves, a small cotton bud can work really well and removes the dirt you didn’t even know was there!
Cleaning the fridge step 4
Put back your trays and drawers and you are almost done! All you need to know now is to put tour stuff back and enjoy your clean fridge!
Top tip: when you put food back in the fridge, take a moment to check expiry dates and get rid of all the food that has gone bad or looks/ smells unsafe for consumption. Then, make sure you start putting back the longer-lasting items first and keep those that are about to expire at the front. This way, you make it easy to reach for things that need to be used first and you minimize waste as well as avoiding old produce to fester hidden at the back of your refrigerator!
We hope you found this how to clean your refrigerator tutorial useful. Happy homemaking!
Don’t forget to check out all of our kitchen cleaning & organizing tips here.
