How Often to Deep Clean a Refrigerator

Posted in Food Safety,Our Blog on September 1, 2024

It is so easy to let the fridge get out of control, especially when life gets hectic. We go to the store and just toss things inside or forget things we already have and buy more creating an excess of items cluttered inside. The fridge is an area in the home that I feel is sort of out of sight out of mind because the door stays closed until we need something. We are, of course, notified when the filter needs to be changed, or I put a reminder on the calendar to replace the baking soda box inside, but as far as a deep cleaning how often should this be done? I decided to take to Google since that seems to be the answer to most any question with many pages of information right at our fingertips pretty much anywhere we go. I found some of the answers to be pretty accurate to what I thought about the query “how often to deep clean a refrigerator,” but I thought that some fun facts would be a good idea to share here.

I know deep cleaning a fridge would be so much work, but it is recommended to do this chore every 3-4 months. That means emptying everything out, checking expiration dates on everything before putting it back and a general wipe down of the inside. When I do the fridge I end up doing the freezer too since it’s right there and I am already fully involved.

Southern Living gives some great tips for that deep clean, especially if it’s your first time diving in.

What you need:

• Clean warm water
• Baking Soda
• Rags
• White Vinegar

Step 1-

Some suggest since you are using water and soap to unplug the fridge before beginning to reduce the risk of being electrocuted while cleaning the fridge. I personally think this is a great idea.

Step 2-

“Any shelves, drawers, or other removable parts that can be cleaned individually and subsequently replaced should be taken out. Cleaning the goods will be much easier if they are not in the refrigerator. Since many of the shelves and drawers fit into a standard kitchen sink, cleaning will be easy,” says Maria Ivanova, founder of Master Maid.

Before you start washing the shelves and drawers, let them come to room temperature; using warm water on fridge-temperature plastic or glass can result in cracking and splintering. When the pieces are at the proper temperature, wash them with warm water, gentle dish soap, and a soft sponge or dishcloth. Use towels to thoroughly dry the shelves and bins.

Step 3-

A mixture of warm water and a few drops of mild dishwashing soap will give you a gentle yet effective cleaning solution for the fridge’s interior. Soak a clean dish rag or a soft sponge in the solution, and wipe down the inside of the refrigerator, focusing on areas with spillage and stains. If you come across a particularly sticky or unyielding mess, create a paste with baking soda and water, and scrub the paste into the stain with the dish rag until it lifts.

To disinfect the inside of the refrigerator without bleach or other chemicals, mix one part of white vinegar and two parts of hot water in a spray bottle. Liberally spray the inside of the fridge with this mixture, then wipe it clean with a dry dishcloth.

Once the inside of the fridge is fully cleaned, the drawers and shelves can be returned to their rightful positions. As an extra safeguard against fridge odors, place an open box of baking soda in the back corner of the refrigerator’s top shelf. We like to use the baking soda products that say they are fridge/freezer specific. I find they work best and they are as easy as pulling a tab off of the box and sitting them inside.

Step 4-

Wipe the door gasket-

The rubber seal (or gasket) framing the interior of the fridge door is often overlooked during refrigerator cleaning sessions, but, as Barrigan tells us, “the folds on the door seals can collect crumbs and debris” and can even develop mold and mildew. Adding a gasket wipe to your fridge deep clean will also “help keep the seal tight, allowing your fridge to work at maximum efficiency.”

Luckily, this phase of the deep clean is one of the easiest. Just “wipe the gasket down with a damp cloth” to remove any food particles and dust, says exposure scientist and writer Samantha Radford, PhD, of Evidence-Based Mommy. Radford doesn’t encourage the use of any cleaning agents aside from warm, clean water, explaining that vinegar or bleach “can damage the gasket, causing your fridge to cool less efficiently.”

Step 5-

Clean the outside. If our fridge is stainless steel there are awesome liquid cleaners or even wipes that help with the cleaning of the front and sides. I like to use the wipes personally because they are easy to grab and dispose.

How To Keep Your Refrigerator Cleaner For Longer

We all know it doesn’t take long after a deep clean for the fridge to get messy again. A couple of nights of takeout and a lingering gallon of milk may be all it takes to create a dirty and smelly fridge. Here are a few tips you can implement between deep cleans to keep your refrigerator sparkling.

• Once a week, check expiration dates and remove anything old, such as takeout boxes, expired food, and leftovers from last week.
• About twice a month wipe off any spills from shelves, sticky jars, or bottles.
• Before putting something in the fridge, ensure it is clean and in a good container that won’t spill easily.
• Utilize refrigerator organizers and bins to provide a place for everything that is going into your fridge. This not only helps you easily navigate your fridge but also prevents things from getting knocked over and spilling by securing them in place.

For more food safety and cleaning tips please follow Make Food Safe as we update our database daily with tips, tricks, and recall information.