How to Deep Clean your Fridge

How often do you deep clean your fridge, one of the hardest working appliances? You should get into the habit of doing a thorough deep cleaning of the interior of the refrigerator at the perfect time before you do your weekly food shop removing perishable items from the contents of the fridge. You can get rid of anything that has past its best date and use up old leftovers of food waste or ingredients that need eating due to expiration dates. Also, tidy the fridge once cleaned of stubborn stains and harmful raw chicken bacteria with hot water or cleaning solution ready for all the new food. In an ideal world, this cleaning process is what would happen weekly, but when you are busy, a deep clean of your fridge and drip pan can often be low on the priority list. However, it can be much simpler to do than you might think. I wanted to share with you some of the ways that you can achieve a regular cleaning routine for the dirty fridge and best practices. 

Don’t deter from a weekly wipe down

It is important to get into the habit of a weekly wipe down with clean water in simple steps on the inside of the fridge. This is where you empty all removable parts and everything from the back of the fridge. Give the removable shelves and all areas of your fridge a wipe using a dry cloth and an antibacterial spray bottle. Cotton buds are a good idea for hard to get areas like the rubber seal to remove food residue together with a clean cloth with warm water. It helps to clean up spills and food items and avoid bacteria building up close to fresh food and even in the bottom of the fridge or on the door handle. It doesn’t have to be a deep clean each time; as long as you keep up with the cleaning services, it can take place every few months. 

Where to start with your fridge deep clean

As a first step is to get into the habit of doing a weekly clean of the entire fridge and glass shelves with hot soapy water, and that includes removing the vegetable drawer and wiping down the shelves and sides of your fridge on a regular basis. You could also take the trays out at this stage and soak them in warm soapy water and give them a good clean. The shelves on the door could also be taken off at this point and soaked in your sink. Wiping them weekly is great, but when it is deep clean time, washing them separately will ensure they are thoroughly cleaned. 

Check the drip tray

There is one part of the fridge that you may not give too much attention to, and that is the drip tray where old food particles can collect, so paper towels would be ideal. It will likely be full of water so remove the tray, empty it, and then give it a good clean from tough stains before reattaching it to the fridge. 

The door seals

Another part of the fridge that we don’t consider enough is the door seals. The easiest way to clean these seals thoroughly is to get a cotton bud and use an antibacterial spray, all purpose cleaner or white vinegar and then rub the cotton bud or old toothbrush along the cracks of the seal. This will get rid of any sticky messes lingering first that you can’t reach with a sponge, cloth or magic eraser. 

Dust the coils 

There will be condenser coils at the back of your fridge that, if freestanding, you will be able to reach with a coil brush so you can give them good dust. This helps to ensure that your appliance continues to work well and improve the cooling process protecting the food products in the interior of your fridge. Always check the user manual prior to cleaning this area of the fridge.

Clean the exterior 

Finally, give the exterior of the entire outside of fridge, especially stainless steel appliances, a good deep cleaning with a clean towel and vinegar spray in a water dispenser bottle or stainless steel cleaner. Take time together with a damp cloth to spray the doors and the handles with antibacterial spray or another alternative white vinegar. Make sure you get inside the handles at the front of the fridge door, as this is where harmful bacteria can also build up over time. 

Hopefully, this will help you to deep clean your fridge.