Should I Unplug My Fridge To Clean It

Dan has been in the HVAC industry for 23 years with experience ranging from installation and service to sales and distribution.

Time to clean the refrigerator?

Cre8tor

Dryer Sheets in the Freezer and More Tips for Keeping Your Fridge and Freezer Make clean

Are you lot getting a less than pleasant odour coming from your fridge? If so, it may be time for a good cleaning and basic inspection of your refrigerator. From homemade cleaning products to a bit of "refrigerator 101," the following information can help you clean your refrigerator more efficiently and thoroughly. Information technology may even help y'all to notice problems that your refrigerator is having.

Aside from removing unwanted odors, this cleaning doubles equally maintenance that can help to increase the lifespan of your refrigerator and its parts.

When to Clean Your Refrigerator

Though any time of year is a good time to clean the refrigerator, information technology'southward best to clean when your "stock" is low. Having less nutrient to move around during the cleaning will get in easier to get effectually inside the cabinets.

It volition as well make it possible to relocate food from one shelf to another so that you can clean one section at a fourth dimension. Cleaning 1 section at a time volition go on y'all from needing the refrigerator door open up for long periods of time. We all know that isn't adept.

Become Rid of Expired Products in Your Fridge

It wouldn't do much proficient to clean our fridge and proceed nutrient items that have overstayed their welcome. Freezer burnt items autumn into this category as well. This is a good place to start getting rid of unwanted odors, wouldn't y'all agree?

Refrigerator cleaning products.

Cre8tor

What You'll Need

1. Saucepan or spray bottle
2. 3 or 4 rags - a couple for cleaning and a couple for drying
3. Towel - this will be to lay nether the front of the unit of measurement to catch water
4. Toothbrush - needed to scrub a few fundamental areas
5. Vacuum - one with a hose and zipper for hard-to-accomplish places
6. 1/4" hex wrench - yours may demand a unlike size or perhaps a screwdriver (see below)
7. Pliers or wrenches - ii pairs of small pliers may be needed if you take a water dispenser or ice maker
8. Scouring sponge - a Magic Eraser is quickly becoming 1 of my favorite cleaning products
9. Cleaning solution - The most pop product for this task is this Elementary Green 13022 solution. This solution really does an amazing job and is elementary if you lot don't feel like making something homemade to clean with. Only if you'd prefer something homemade, at that place'due south some other option for yous in this next section.

Homemade Fridge Cleaning Solution

There are many products that can be used to clean a fridge. Simple Green is probably the best store-bought choice, only you can also utilise a bleach and water mixture; fifty-fifty water and dish soap can do the trick.

But for those of u.s.a. who want something else, you can use this homemade recipe that is simple and doesn't require a rinse-down after using. You tin either pour this into a bucket or mix and add it to a spray bottle.

• 1 gallon of warm h2o
• 1 cup of ammonia
• Approx. ane/ii cup of vinegar
• Approx. 1/4 cup of baking soda

With some products, yous may want to utilise a divide bucket of warm water and a rag to do a rinse wipe. Brand sure yous read the instructions on whatever production you cull to see if information technology needs to be rinsed afterward. Regardless of what you use, be sure to dry down the areas you clean equally y'all go.

Remove the freezer rack for easier cleaning.

How to Make clean the Freezer

In that location is no need at this bespeak to unplug the refrigerator. If we work steadily and with a good plan of assault, the door won't be open up long enough to cause whatsoever problems or wasted food. Likewise, I always like to work from top to lesser to avoid having to re-clean areas that I've already done. With that in listen, allow'south start in the freezer.

Read More From Dengarden

• Step 1: Rearrange your frozen foods so that you can remove the rack for easier cleaning outside of the unit. And then, motion all the freezer food to one side or the other. For a side-by-side unit, you can put the nutrient on the door or in the refrigerator while y'all clean.
• Stride two: Once you've removed the rack(southward), you can begin to clean with whatsoever solution you've chosen to utilise.
• Step 3: Thoroughly dry this area and so movement the food to that side so that you can clean the other.
• Step four: One time the cabinet is clean and dry out, shut the door and clean the rack in a sink and so that your freezer isn't hanging open up while you do this. The rack will likely take longer than the cabinet since it has then many private surfaces, so nosotros don't want to keep the freezer open unnecessarily.

Once the rack is make clean and dry, identify it back into the freezer so that y'all tin put your nutrient dorsum where it was. This will also give you a place to prepare the food that was in the door since that will exist the last area we clean earlier finishing upward in the freezer.

Note: For those of yous with ice makers, exercise non tear downward whatsoever parts that y'all are non comfortable knowing you can put back together for cleaning.

Again, remove the shelving.

How to Make clean the Refrigerator

Staying with the theory of cleaning top to bottom, we'll make clean the fridge in the same style equally the freezer. The chief difference between the refrigerator and freezer is that commonly, the shelving in the refrigerator is more complex than that of the freezer. These will likely have drinking glass and trim that can be broken downward.

• Step 1: Move as much of the food as possible to ane side of the refrigerator and remove whatsoever racks or shelving. Every bit you can see in the picture, this one shelf has four different parts. Leaving these pieces on while we clean will undoubtedly leave behind what it is we're trying to remove.
• Stride 2: Clean the area within the refrigerator that is clear of food with your cleaning solution. Brand sure the area is make clean and dry out before moving on. As we work our manner down, y'all may notice that the refrigerator is slanted behind the "crisper" drawers. Laying towels down in front of the unit will help to catch whatsoever water that wants to run downward and out onto the floor. No incertitude this is where we'll too find much of our stinky culprit then the mess can be, well . . . messy.
• Pace 3: Clean any racks, shelving, or trim pieces thoroughly in the sink. Hither is where the toothbrush comes in handy. These trim pieces have multiple grooves that can be hard to get to with a rag. Our toothbrush volition make quick work of these crevasses and leave them equally clean as the balance of our appliance.
• Footstep 4: Now nosotros get into cleaning the door. This, as well, is a commonly dirtier area than others. Clean and dry it well, but don't forget to wipe off the lesser of the food containers that are likely going to have stickiness on them.

At this point, I would say, "Job well washed!" if we were washed. That was the inside, but let'southward non forget the very of import outside.

This is a typical saddle valve for a water line. Yours may exist built into the line itself.

Clean Nether and Behind the Fridge

Let's go ahead and unplug the refrigerator at this fourth dimension and then that nosotros aren't in danger of getting injure by running parts within the mechanical area of the fridge. Every bit long as the doors are shut, our food will be fine considering this won't take long. As well, be careful if yous have an water ice maker or water dispenser.

You may not have enough slack in the water line to pull the unit far enough abroad from the wall to access the mechanical chiffonier. If this is the case, yous volition need to disconnect the h2o line.

Start, locate the shut-off valve for your h2o line and plough information technology off. Y'all should be able to follow the water line to its origin, where the valve is located. (See example picture) Once the valve is off, you will need your wrenches to disconnect the h2o line. Be sure to put one wrench on the stationary male plumbing fixtures and one on the removable female plumbing equipment to avert twisting the line and causing a leak when reinstalling.

These vents are usually like shooting fish in a barrel to detach and remove the drip tray.

Clean the Bottom Vent

At the bottom front end of your fridge, there is likely a vent of sorts. This vent can be removed for cleaning besides every bit cleaning some of what is hiding in behind it. Your vacuum may be good to suck out some of those dust bunnies in hither. This is likewise where many refrigerators go along their drip tray. This tray is a prime number suspect for smells and clay. If y'all can admission it from here, it is probable it will slide out hands for cleaning.

It may be hard to see hither merely, YIKES! No incertitude this could be contributing to our scent.

Make clean Behind the Refrigerator

The rear of our refrigerator may have a little more than effort to go to, but let'south not stop now. Fifty-fifty if we don't find nasty food hither, there is likely a big corporeality of dust congenital up on the back of the unit of measurement and on the mechanical parts of our fridge. Much like our furnaces and ductwork, the fan is drawing air into the dorsum of the unit and, along with it, a large amount of dust.

This doesn't just go out it smelling dusty simply tin can likewise brand our fan motor and compressor run hot. This is not good for these parts and, if immune to build up also much, can shorten the lifespan of our refrigerator. Once again, this is where our vacuum will come up in quite handy.

This is where yous may need a hex wrench or screwdriver to remove the access panel to the mechanical components of your refrigerator.

Clean the Mechanical Components

Note: Usually, the back of the refrigerator is pretty elementary to have apart so you can access the internal mechanical components. However, don't take autonomously anything yous aren't confident you tin put dorsum together.

Cleaning out the mechanical components of your fridge might not but help it smell better but as well could drastically increase its life. Grit and dirt buildup in the mechanical parts of a fridge is i of the biggest reasons they fail.

Carefully remove the screws to the cover to gain access to the mechanical components of your refrigerator (see photos above). Once you have access, start by thoroughly vacuuming the area and getting every bit much of the dust and dirt out equally possible. Screw the cover dorsum on, and you're done!

The gasket is the rubber cloth between the door and the chiffonier.

Cre8tor

Checking the Refrigerator Door Gasket

At present that we've washed all this cleaning, now might be a good time to check the refrigerator door gaskets. Leaky door seals on your refrigerator or freezer tin crusade inconsistent temperatures inside the unit and ultimately allow better weather condition for smells to develop. This is quite easy to do and will let yous know if you need to supersede the gasket.

Tips for Preventing Unwanted Refrigerator Smells

1. Place a partially opened box of baking soda in both the fridge and freezer. Blistering soda is expert for arresting odor.
2. Placing a crumpled-upward piece of a paper handbag in your crisper drawers for a couple of days is as well good for absorbing odors.
3. Cotton assurance or a piece of extract dipped linen placed discretely inside the cabinet will offer a pleasant odour every time you lot open up the door.
4. A dryer sheet clipped in behind that vent at the bottom can act as a filter as well every bit absorb aroma.
5. Try to maintain a temperature between 36 and 38 degrees in your refrigerator.
6. If you lot don't keep much food stored in your refrigerator, try placing a gallon of water in it to assist reduce the amount of empty space to be cooled inside the chiffonier.

Cleaning the Refrigerator Thoroughly Is Important

Perhaps much of this information is common cognition, yet in my years of domicile service, I've seen some of the worst-case scenarios that you can imagine. I have seen the look on homeowners' faces every bit I tell them the lack of simply cleaning the mechanicals has probable caused them to spend hundreds of dollars in repairs or a new appliance.

As nosotros read daily most clean air, bad foods, and the dangers of mold, people notwithstanding forget how important a function the fridge plays in our habitation health.

Hopefully, this information has provided at to the lowest degree a couple of new tips and reminded yous how important information technology is to give our beloved nutrient storage appliances some tender dearest and care a bit more oftentimes.

This article is accurate and truthful to the best of the author's cognition. Content is for advisory or entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for personal counsel or professional communication in business, financial, legal, or technical matters.

Questions & Answers

Question: How can I get rotten chicken odor out of my fridge?

Answer: While I've never had to do this I know that baking soda is a great smell absorber. Beer works on skunk olfactory property so mayhap washing information technology down with a cold one is worth a try. At that place is too a product chosen "Clean-air" past Nu-Calgon that is an odor neutralizer. Dryer sheets besides absorb odors. Again, I'g not positive these things will do the trick merely they are inexpensive and easy and then maybe worth giving a try.

© 2022 Dan Reed

Dan Reed (author) on December 29, 2022:

And thank you for reading!

Bahanu Chandra Prasad on September 28, 2022:

Nice Article. Thank You so Much

Brandon Hart from Atlanta, Georgia, The states on January 09, 2022:

Thanks for the tips. I don't know why but my refrigerator volition offset to smell and I detest it. I'll be using your techniques.

BEEZKNEEZ on September 26, 2022:

My fridge actually has been smelling really interesting. I call back that this was amazing. Voted up! Thanks for the cracking hub.

Heather from Arizona on September 12, 2022:

What a great tutorial. I have to acknowledge-- I've never cleaned my fridge. We've had it for two years and our friends took neat care of it before giving it to us, but I'm certain it's due for a cleaning. I'm pinning this so I retrieve to make clean the vent and all that dust. And then helpful. Thank you!

Riviera Rose from South of France on February 27, 2022:

You've pricked my conscience here - my fridge needs a good clean, and I haven't cleaned behind information technology for years! Am certain there are a couple of expressionless mice back there...!

Joy from United States on February 26, 2022:

A much thanks for sharing this crawly hub. I am going to clean my fridge right now.

cartermadson on January 21, 2022:

My advice for cleaning whatsoever appliance or dish? Bathe information technology in bleach. hahaha but kidding.

http://www.westcoastappliance.ca

Fehl Dungo from close to you... on April 19, 2022:

Very first-class and well instructed details. Cheers for sharing this :)

Dan Reed (author) on April xviii, 2022:

Thanks Veg! A hats off to y'all every bit well.

veggie-mom on April 18, 2022:

Congratulations on your HOTD award, Dan, it is well-deserved for a great hub! Voted upwardly & useful.

Dan Reed (author) on April 16, 2022:

Existence a fisherman myself, I can imagine. I make clean mine the day they're defenseless and freeze 'em in double bags. My married woman strongly encouraged this method after realizing my love of line-fishing. The vinegar flim-flam may help you immensely with strong odor. Of course the air freshening volition brand a prissy bonus. Thanks for reading!

vickiturner on April 16, 2022:

But what I need. My boyfriend often puts fish he'southward caught that twenty-four hour period in the fridge and information technology stinks it out to hell. Thinking of putting an air freshener in there!

Nizam Khan from Hyderabad, India. on Apr 15, 2022:

This is really informative and wonderful. Excellent instructions and dainty pics. Cheers for sharing and voted upwards :)

reagu from Los Angeles on April 12, 2022:

Wow! This is very detailed.

editorsupremo from London, England on April 12, 2022:

Gret tips. I do non buy household cleaning products to clean my home as they contain too many chemicals. As a young girl growing up my mother taught me how to clean a fridge with basic natural cleaning products such as lemon, vinegar, bicarbonate of soda and blueish soap etc.

prasetio30 from malang-indonesia on April 11, 2022:

Y'all have cracking tips here. Thanks for writing and share with usa. I should looking at my refrigerator and offset to make clean it. Good job and rated upward!

Prasetio

Dan Reed (author) on Apr xi, 2022:

Thanks again everyone. I hope to go along creating hubs that you'll observe useful.

Robertgillbert from UK on April 10, 2022:

Thanks for this bang-up information

JP Carlos from Quezon Urban center, Phlippines on April 10, 2022:

I never really gave cleaning the ref much thought before, thanks for the tips and suggestions.

Vinsanity100 from Michigan on April ten, 2022:

This a very useful article. I bookmarked this one to read after when it's time to clean my refrigerator out. Congrats on the Hub of the Solar day!

raakachi from Madurai / Tamilnadu / India on April ten, 2022:

Thank you for your very useful tips. Congrats for the hub of the day. voted useful.

sopna557 on April ten, 2022:

Tanks

Xiomara on April x, 2022:

OMG!!!!!!!!!!! I hate cleaning the refrigerator.

Neat Hub.

Cheers for the tips. Moreover the DEMO

of how to clean the dorsum parts of the refrigerator.

Would you considered moving to New York?

A huge laid dorsum of clienteles.

Peace

Urmila from Rancho Cucamonga,CA, The states on April 10, 2022:

Cheers for the cleaning tips. Useful Hub. Voted up!

Congrats on getting Hub of the twenty-four hours award!

moonlake from America on April 10, 2022:

Congrats on Hub of the Day.

I clean my frige often from height to bottom. Hubby has to exercise the rest I'll show him this hub. Toothbrush is my favorite cleaning particular. Voted Upward.

Milli from United states on April 10, 2022:

Awesome suggest! We needed these tips then bad. Cheers for posting it. Useful and voted upwardly!

Congratulations for Hub of the Day!

Gregorious on April ten, 2022:

Great tips! I'm already using baking soda for bad smell prevention, but I volition try some of your other tips.

FitnessMarkLorie from Longs, SC on April ten, 2022:

Refrigerator and freezer are two of the hardest most irritating household appliances to clean!

mottiandbander from Chd on April 10, 2022:

Very helpful..Thanks for sharing.

Motti and bander

dbuddhika on April x, 2022:

Very helpful. Congrats on Hub of the Solar day.

SonQuioey10 on Apr 10, 2022:

Not bad Hub. I'm pleased the steps are so articulate. Shows how much work is necessary for a truly clean fridge and why I will never spill another liquid or food product in it always.

Vespa Woolf from Peru, S America on April x, 2022:

Wow, this is a very thorough hub and useful for many of u.s.. Congrats on Hub of the Mean solar day!

lovedoctor926 on April 10, 2022:

Your welcome:) Keep up the good work Cre8tor. I will definitely use this hub every bit a guide the side by side time I clean out my refrigerator.

Dan Reed (writer) on April 10, 2022:

Cheers and so much everyone for your support and congrats! I really love writing and even though I'1000 trying to put anybody to work (hehe) I am glad that y'all take establish something useful hither. I was shocked when I got the HOTD! My first one! It feels good I must acknowledge. Thanks again to everyone here at HP!

lovedoctor926 on April x, 2022:

This is an excellent hub! The tips that you have provided are wonderful. Thanks for this useful information.

kelleyward on April x, 2022:

You did an amazing job writing this hub. All the pictures are very helpful. I volition try to use your approach the next fourth dimension I clean my fridge! Congrats on the HOTD!

Carrie L Cronkite from Maine on April 10, 2022:

Cheers for this very useful information, information technology will definitely come up in very handy!

Huntgoddess from Midwest UsA. on Apr 10, 2022:

This is very squeamish and organized. Good information! Upwardly, useful, interesting!

Congrats on Hub of the Day.

Jassikaur on April 10, 2022:

Thank,southward a lot. I like ur all tips. Only i similar more toothpaste besides utilize to refresh our refrizrator.

Debby Bruck on April ten, 2022:

Whoo-hoo! Congratulations Cre8tor for HUB OF DAY Honor. What a thorough acme to bottom, inside to exterior task of cleaning your fridge. Need to get you over here to take care of my refrigerator. Actually, I do all yous said with the inside of fridge and freezer and doors, under grate and vacuum, pull out from location to vacuum and wipe down flooring. However, I won't showtime taking stuff autonomously in the back of these new appliances that have computers.

My original fridge lasted 25 years with niggling hassle. Then the new i from Sears had the computer components. Bomb! One little thing goes wrong and have to replace a $300 panel. And, all the water filters, leaks and frozen ice section gets very touchy.

Capeesh and then much your excellent presentation with illustrations. Bully Job! Blessings, Debby

David from Idaho on April 10, 2022:

We hate to make clean the fridge simply your tips are very useful in making the task a little fleck easier.

Thanks

Jill Spencer from United States on Apr 10, 2022:

Well written and useful! Congrats on HOTD!

Saadia A on April 10, 2022:

A very well written step by step caption.Your bootleg refrigerator cleaning solution seems good.Will surely try that i. Thank y'all for sharing the useful pictures as well and not to forget congratulations on the Hub of the day likewise :)

houseclearance from Preston, Lancashire on April ten, 2022:

some really good advice on cleaning the fridge. I like to go on check of my nutrient and expire dates, probably comes from me working in a store and dealing with engagement expired food all the time. I like the fact you posted a link to a folio explaining the dates as if your not used to them they can be a right pain understanding what all the numbers hateful sometimes and where to find them.

Comfort Babatola from Bonaire, GA, Us on April 10, 2022:

Great write-up and thoroughly written. The pictures always help. Skilful task, and congrats on the HOTD award,

Well deserved!

Rajan Singh Jolly from From Mumbai, presently in Jalandhar, India. on Apr x, 2022:

Excellent step by step explanation with dandy pics.

Thank you for sharing.

Dawn on April 10, 2022:

Great tips! Now I need to assault! Have a blest twenty-four hour period!

Uzma Shaheen from Lahore,Pakistan on April 10, 2022:

I was only planning to clean my refrigerator,thanks for sharing this data,will assist me. toothbrush tip is good,I never idea of it before,now going to apply it.pics are helpful.thanks again.voting upwards and sharing.

Marigeo on April 10, 2022:

Great! You certainly know quite abit virtually cleaning and maintaining. I'd like to see more helpful tips!

msorensson on April 10, 2022:

Very helpful..and you wrote it very well. Thanks.

Anoop Aravind A from Nilambur, Kerala, India on April 10, 2022:

Cheers for this ref cleaning guide.

Chin chin from Philippines on Apr 10, 2022:

Nosotros just bought a new fridge. Thanks for this ref cleaning guide. It will definitely help extend its lifetime. Voted up!

Simone Haruko Smith from San Francisco on April 09, 2022:

Oh brother, I actually need to exercise this @_@

I've been living in the aforementioned place for nigh a yr and a half and I've only WIPED DOWN the refrigerator in one case. That thing needs a proper cleaning. Thanks for the reminder- and the great guide!

FordeAhern from Broadford, Co. Limerick. republic of ireland on Apr 09, 2022:

Great hub, thank you for sharing. You lot are making me feel guilty because I should be out cleaning my fridge. voted and useful.

Dan Reed (writer) on April 09, 2022:

Well, you saw the pictures correct? Apparently, I was due too. I exercise try to do this a few times a year though. It gets bad fast though...especially with 3 boys and a Saint Bernard.

Dan Reed (author) on April 09, 2022:

Thank you Robie! Glad I come through articulate and easy to understand.

Dan Reed (writer) on Apr 09, 2022:

If you purchase the flight, I'thou on my style :-)

Mmargie1966 from Gainesville, GA on April 09, 2022:

Overnice! I effort to continue my fridge clean, but obviously, I'g not doing a very good task. ha ha

Thanks for the advice. Voted upwardly and useful

Robie Benve from Ohio on April 09, 2022:

Great step-by-stride instructions, I like your style, clear, detailed, and with a chip of sense of humour. :)

Holle Abee from Georgia on April 09, 2022:

Um, could you lot come over and show me in person?? lol

Great tips y'all've provided!

Dan Reed (author) on April 09, 2022:

Cheers roxanne and allie - I know cleaning isn't the funnest thing but with a plan and the feeling that I'yard maintaining it as well, I guess information technology motivates me a piffling more than to do these types of chores.

alliemacb from Scotland on April 09, 2022:

Fab hub. I would never accept thought to use toothpaste. Similar the step by stride instructions. When I make clean the fridge I ordinarily get at it lke a bull at a gate and terminate up with a mess, so will try your more than sensible, methodical approach adjacent time.

Roxanne Lewis from Washington on Apr 08, 2022:

Awesome! You just reminded me that it'south been a while since I cleaned my frige out.. time to go to it! ;)

Source: https://dengarden.com/appliances/How-to-Clean-a-Smelly-Refrigerator

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