How To Keep Your Refrigerator Gleamingly Clean In 5 Easy Steps
1. First, take all removable components out of the fridge
Many people make the mistake of trying to give their fridge a good, deep clean without taking out all the drawers and shelves. You can’t do the job properly unless you remove them, so this is the very first thing to do (obviously after removing all of your food and drink stuffs).
Take all the removable components out and soak them in warm water. You can use your washing up liquid if you wish; however, bicarbonate of soda works just as well, if not better because there is no lingering after smell. Please note: it is probably a good idea to let the components come up to room temperature before soaking them in hot water, especially if made of glass.
Be sure to check all evidence of grime and food is removed from these items. Take particular care to make sure all the shelving brackets are free of grime, as these are ideal places for bacteria to flourish. Never put anything back into the fridge until it is 100% dry.
2. Work your way down – top to bottom
Cleaning your fridge is going to be a lot more straightforward if you start at the top and then work your way down. Simply because if you start at the bottom, you’ll only have to clean it again since scum and dirty water from the top will probably be knocked off and drip down as you start cleaning the top of the fridge.
3. Make sure you clean all food containers before putting them back in the fridge
There is no point spending time cleaning your fridge and getting it gleaming with cleanliness if you’re going to put dirty containers back into it. Take time to clean the outsides of all your jars, tubs, tins, crockery and anything else you store in your fridge.
This is also a very good time to check all containers are tightly sealed and that the foodstuffs within them are still nice and fresh. People often forget about the old ham in the plastic container at the back of the fridge, or the baked beans that have been in the bowl under some foil for weeks. Keeping gone off food in your fridge will cause other food to turn bad.
4. Aim to do the following at least once a week:
– Take out every shelf and removable compartment, soak and then wash them in a warm water and bicarbonate of soda (or washing liquid) mix. Make sure they are rinsed off fully.
– Use a warm water and bicarbonate of soda mix to clean up the entire inside of your fridge. Use paper towels (kitchen towels) to dry off the inside of the fridge. Make sure it is dry before putting anything back.
– Take time to really get into all the small sealant areas around the door. A top tip is to use an old toothbrush for this grimy job.
– Give the exterior of your fridge a good wipe down too, especially the door handle!
5. Aim to do the following at least twice a year:
– Take everything out of your fridge (and freezer if you have a combination.) Note, if you have a fridge/freezer, it is a good idea to do this cleaning activity when you don’t have a lot of foodstuffs. Aim to do it when you’re due to go on a big grocery shop.
– Turn off your appliance.
– Take your duster and give the cooling elements at the back of the fridge a good clean. You may even need to resort to getting the vacuum cleaner out if you haven’t done this before. Not only does this make your fridge a lot cleaner but it also makes it a lot more efficient too.
Laura writes for Accessible Hire. When not writing about AHR cold storage, she can often be found cleaning out her fridge–over and over.
