How to clean your fridge (step-by-step)

5 minutes of reading /

Five steps to cleaning a stinky fridge:

What is that stank coming from my fridge?

What did I spill in my fridge and now it’s all stuck? These are the first two questions we all ask ourselves when opening up the fridge and boom an odor hits you in the face. Don’t worry though we have a few pointers on cleaning your fridge faster and riding the odor asap. Cleaning your fridge is easiest when you are about to go grocery shopping again or leaving for a trip. The less amount of food in the fridge the easier it is to clean.

Step 1 – Get rid of leftovers:

First before you can get started it’s best to check all the expiration dates in your fridge and toss any old leftovers in the trash. This is the perfect time to see what you have left a little of and come up with some easy meals to get rid of them in your fridge faster.

Step 2 – Remove the shelves and drawers:

Dishwasher time, yes you read that right we are going to use the dishwasher to clean the small shelves and door bins for you. You can do multiple loads and do not have to run a full dishwasher cycle either for the shelves/drawers to be clean with these steps listed below:

  1. Remove all food from the shelves/drawers and place in the bottom of the fridge.

  2. If you have too much food for it all to fit on the bottom of the fridge you can clean a few shelves at a time to shuffle the food around

  3. All shelves/drawers that fit in the dishwasher (even if they overlap one another) are placed in the dishwasher with a dishwashing pod and put on the fastest cycle your dishwasher has.

  4. When the cycle is finished leave the door open to air dry or place in the sun for faster drying time.

Step 3 – Use your sink or bathtub:

If you are blessed and have a farmhouse sink then the bigger drawers and shelves can be cleaned in the kitchen sink. If you do not have a larger sink don’t worry you can use a bath tub or take them outside and use the water hose. Either method you choose they all will get sparkly clean the same way. All you need is dish soap and a sponge:

  1. Get the shelves/drawers wet

  2. Spray/drizzle a decent amount of dish soap on them

  3. Take your wet sponge and do a wipe down of both sides of the drawer/shelves.

  4. Rinse with water to get all the soap and debris off of them

  5. Let them drip dry or place in the sun for faster drying

  6. When cleaning the glass if you dry it off after washing it they will be streak free.

Step 4 – To wipe down the inside of the fridge:

  1. Use a damp soapy rag to wipe the inside of the fridge out. Starting from top to bottom then the door itself.

  2. Use a clean dry microfiber or dish towel to dry the inside of the fridge

  3. By drying the fridge any leftover crumbs will stick to the towel and can be shaken into the sink.

Step 5 – Now let’s put that sparkly fridge back together

  1. Place all shelves/drawers back in their desired spot in the fridge

  2. Place all the food back in their desired spots

(Optional) Step 6 – Invest in an Appliance Thermometer

Let’s face it: In Florida, it’s hard to stay cool, especially in the summer. An appliance thermometer can ensure that your food stays cool enough to stay safe and fresh as long as possible.

Pro tip – Stuck on food spills:

Any stuck on food spills you can’t get off a shelf/drawer just use a plastic razor blade to loosen the debris up. You can also let the shelf/drawer soak in hot soapy water if needed for a longer period of time. To prevent future smells use an open box of baking soda to absorb any odor smells that may appear in the next few weeks. Change the baking soda box every month to prevent smells lingering. You can always add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to the baking soda if desired. Don’t have baking soda laying around coffee beans that work just fine, just remember no matter which you choose to change them monthly.

Now no lingering smell will hit your nose when you’re trying to get a quick bite to eat with a clean fridge. Check out our next blog with tips on cleaning the freezer. It’s only right to clean both.

Pro tip #2 – Lining the shelves

Now that you’ve tackled the hefty job of cleaning your fridge, you may want to consider reading our blog post on choosing shelf liners. It goes over all the different types and the pros and cons of each.

If this job seems too daunting, contact us for a Cynsationally Clean fridge and home. As always, quotes are free of charge!

For the best house cleaning services in Pensacola, visit our residential cleaning page

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Thanks for reading! Let us know if you’ve used any of our tips!

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