Tips for Cleaning Your Refrigerator

By Maid Brigade of Northern Connecticut

It may not be your favorite task, but it’s something that has to be done.

Cleaning the refrigerator.

Here are some tips to help keep your fridge clean and safe.

First, remove all food before starting. Even if you’re only using natural products, you don’t want to be reaching around objects. Having an empty fridge makes the process so much easier, and removes the possibility of contamination.

The next thing to do is to take out all of the removable parts, such as shelves and drawers. Fill a basin with warm water and regular dishwashing soap and leave these parts to soak before wiping and rinsing them off.

Wipe all surface areas with a combination of dishwashing soap and warm water. You will want to use a microfiber cloth or a good quality sponge. These will not fall apart and leave little particles behind in the fridge.

For stubborn stains, mix a small amount of baking soda with a little water to produce a thick paste. Apply the paste to the stain and leave it for an hour before wiping it with a damp sponge or cloth. The baking soda should loosen the stain, making it easy to wipe away.

To deodorize a smelly fridge, dab lemon juice or vanilla extract onto a cotton ball or sponge and leave it in a corner of the refrigerator. After several hours remove the cotton ball or sponge and your refrigerator should smell clean and fresh.

To reduce the hassle when kitchen-cleaning time rolls around, there are a number of quick and easy ways to maintain the cleanliness of your refrigerator on a day-to-day basis.

The first thing to do is to regularly check through the items in the refrigerator and throw out anything that out of date. Moldy foods can contaminate other items.

Clean up any spills as soon as possible. Spills can drip onto other foods, and can cause bad smells – especially if a bottle of milk leaks.

To absorb strong odors, keep a small plastic box filled with baking soda at the bottom of your fridge.

Remember, disinfectants – like bleach – should never be used inside refrigerators. As with other kitchen cleaning products, any disinfectant that comes into contact with food could make people ill because of the strong chemicals they contain.

Need some help around the house? Give Maid Brigade of Northern Connecticut a call at 860-645-6243 and we’ll help you out.