HOW TO CLEAN YOUR FRIDGE

Even though you do not need to clean your fridge monthly, you still need to clean it regularly; it is highly recommended you clean your fridge once every few months, which is for the following reasons:

1. Food Safety
When cleaning your fridge, you throw away rotten foods, those about to get spoiled, and expired items. This reduces the risk of cross contamination and the growth of harmful bacteria, keeping stored food fresh and safe for consumption.

2. Preventing Odors
Spoiled ingredients and food spills always announce themselves with unpleasant smells. Make sure to clean your fridge to keep it smelling fresh, pleasing your appetite rather than diminishing it. Pay extra attention to fridge cleanliness if you tend to store foods with strong odors, because bad smells can affect the taste and smell of other foods.

3. Energy Efficiency
Dirty interior surfaces, coils, and vents strain the fridge’s compressor, pushing it to use excessive energy to keep the temperature cool. On the contrary, a clean fridge reduces strain on the compressor, keeping energy consumption levels at a minimum while maintaining the desired temperature.

4. Performance and Longevity
Regularly cleaning your fridge helps prevent mechanical issues that result from clogged drain lines and reduced airflow, extending its longevity and improving its performance.

5. Visibility
Cleaning your fridge and getting rid of spoiled items help you recognize its contents much easier, so you notice which items you need to buy next.

Follow the below steps to clean your fridge:

1. Empty the Fridge
Start by emptying the fridge and getting rid of spoiled and expired items.

2. Unplug the Fridge
You must unplug the fridge to avoid electrical mishaps to keep yourself and your home safe.

3. Remove Shelves and Drawers
Take out all removable shelves, drawers, and bins, and soak them in warm soapy water to make their cleaning easier.

4. Clean the Interior
Gently scrub the interior using a sponge or cloth dipped in warm water and dish soap. Clean the walls and door compartments thoroughly and remove any spills or stains. If you face a stubborn stain, make a paste of baking soda and water, apply it to the stain, and scrub it off after letting it set for a few minutes.

5. Clean the Gasket
The gasket is the rubber seal around the fridge door; it accumulates lots of dirt and debris, so wipe it well with a cloth soaked in warm soapy water.

6. Clean the Coils
Fridge coils are made of metal tubes, and they are responsible for facilitating the cooling function of the fridge. They are typically located on the back of the refrigerator or beneath it, near the front. Before cleaning, gather a vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment, a long-handled brush, and a microfiber cloth.

First, you have to remove loose dust and dirt from the coils using the brush attachment. As for more stubborn dirt, use the long-handled brush to reach and loosen the debris, then clean the coils using the vacuum cleaner’s brush attachment. Finally, take a microfiber cloth and wipe the coils to ensure thorough cleaning.

7. Clean the Vents
The fridge vents are small openings that facilitate the airflow within the refrigerator. Their location enables proper cold air circulation through different fridge compartments, typically located on the back wall or at the top of the compartments. If blocked, the cooling process gets disrupted, resulting in uneven temperatures and inefficient cooling.

To clean the vents, remove debris from the vent openings using a soft brush, like an old toothbrush, and soak removable vent parts (if any) in warm soapy water to clean later. Then, wipe the vents using a dampened microfiber cloth or sponge with a mixture of mild detergent and warm water. This process will help get rid of whatever is blocking the vents, as they typically get blocked with dirt, dust, and food particles.

8. Clean the Exterior
Wipe the doors, handles, and control panel using a damp cloth, then dry these parts with a dry one.

9. Clean the Shelves and Drawers
After having them sit in warm soapy water, rinse them and use a sponge to remove any stubborn stains. Let everything dry before reassembling the fridge.

10. Plug the Fridge Back
Once everything is dried and reassembled, put your items and foods back in the fridge and plug it back into power.