(Newswire.net — June 28, 2021) —
What is the most important thing for a healthy life? Yes, you guessed it right. Healthy food. While you are spending so much time at the market to buy those fresh fruits and vegetables from the market, are you keeping them at a hygienic place?
Your fridge is perhaps the most significant appliance not only in your kitchen but in your entire house too. But, it is also the most important as your family’s health depends on it. If your fridge has any stale food in it, the other fresh foods can get spoiled too. I know fridge cleaning may sound very tiring, but if you are cleaning your fridge regularly, it will not be as tiring as cleaning the fridge after a long period. If left for a more extended period, the chance of the accumulation of harmful microbes is too high. Therefore, it is of utmost necessity that you keep your fridge as clean as possible. At the same time, always clean your fridge before and after a big festival. It will give you ample space to keep all that extra food during the festival days and will lessen the chances of having spoiled food in your fridge after the festival. Here is a step by step guide of how to clean your fridge easily:
Get the right cleaning products:
This is the very first step of your fridge cleaning mission. Get hold of a dish towel or washcloth, dish soap, some hot water and baking soda. First, you have to prepare a mixture of water and baking soda. Add 7 parts of baking soda in 1 part water and mix them until the baking soda dissolves into the water. You can use this mixture in a squirt bottle. If you do not have one, then you can also dip the dish towel into the mixture. You can also use white vinegar in place of baking soda. Just mix both in a similar amount. You might have to use an old toothbrush if your fridge has particular unreachable small crevices.
Also, try to avoid using chemicals as they usually have a strong smell. This smell can linger for a long time and can also transfer to your food.
Turning off the fridge:
You do not generally need to turn your fridge off to clean it. If you are cleaning the outside of your fridge or it has removable shelves, you do not need to unplug it while cleaning it. Use the hot water mixture, and this will make it easier to clean the cold surfaces. Also, try not to keep the door open for a more extended period. If not anything, it can waste electricity.
Empty the refrigerator:
Cleaning the inside of your fridge requires an empty fridge. Take all the foods out of the food and check if they are okay or not. This is the perfect time to throw out all the old or expired food items. If certain foods or containers are taking up unnecessary space, you might get rid of them too. However, cleaning a fridge inside out might take longer than you think. Therefore, keep the perishable foods like milk in a colder place.
Clean the removable shelves and drawers:
Now, it is time for some actual work. Pull out all the removable shelves and drawers from your fridge. Clean them with some dish soap and hot water. If you have some glass shelves, you do not want to wash them with hot water while it is still cold. A quick temperature change can crack your glass shelves. Keep the cold glass shelves at room temperature for some time and then clean them. If your foods have left any stubborn spills on the shelves, you may need to soak them in water for some time before washing them. This would make removing the stains easier.
Always dry the cleaned shelves and drawers with a clean towel before putting them back in their places.
Cleaning the interior:
Clean the fridge’s interior surfaces and irremovable parts with the baking soda solution and a dishtowel. Next, dip the towel into the solution and clean the refrigerator’s interior from top to bottom. This would make your task easy. You can also use a spray bottle. For the small trouble spots, scrub using a toothbrush. Oftentimes, there are many stubborn stains on the inner surface of the refrigerator. In such cases, soak the spots with the baking powder solution for a few minutes before trying to remove them.
Cleaning the exterior:
For the exterior, wipe the surfaces with a damp cloth and some warm soapy water. Do not use abrasive scrubbers as they can put a scratch on the surface. If you are dealing with a stainless-steel surface, you might need to buy a stainless-steel cleaner instead of soap water. A designed cleaner will also help with any stains on the exterior surface. For the door seal, use a cloth dipped in warm soapy water.
The condenser coils can accumulate dust very quickly. Therefore, you will need to clean the condenser coils using a condenser cleaning brush.
Conclusion:
Now you have learned how to clean the fridge; So it’s time you know how to keep any strange odour away from your fridge, especially after washing. There is a simple solution. Keep an open jar of baking soda in your fridge. Baking soda has natural odour absorbing power. A pot of baking soda can leave your fridge odourless for more than a couple of months. Furthermore, an article about fridge cleaning is incomplete without telling how often you should clean your fridge. A straightforward answer to this would be to try to deep clean your fridge once every 3 months.
FAQs:
How can I remove the sticky labels from my new fridge?
Oils can break down the adhesive quickly. So apply any oil on the sticky labels and remove them. Also, clean the surface with some soap water after that.
How often should I clean the condenser coils?
Condenser coils can accumulate dust very quickly, but it depends mainly on where you live. Keeping that in mind, it would be safe to say that you should clean them at least once in 6 months.
How long should I wait before starting to use the fridge after cleaning?
You do not need to wait at all. You can start using it right after cleaning it. However, please make sure the removable shelves and drawers are dry before putting them back in the fridge.
Should I turn my fridge off before starting cleaning?
No, there is no need to turn your fridge off. However, if you need to move your fridge to clean the condenser coils, you may turn it off.
Do I need to clean my fridge after a festival?
Yes, you should. This way, you can get rid of all those expired foods or leftovers in your fridge. Also, if there are any stains due to the overcrowding of the foods, it will be good to get rid of them as early as possible.