Usually, when you buy something for the first time, you make a promise to take care of it wholeheartedly. Imagine opening your freshly stocked refrigerator for the first time. You tell yourself, “I’ll clean this weekly so it will keep looking like this.” You start well but as the months pass by and life inevitably gets in the way, you unintentionally go back on your way.
A dirty fridge makes the contents look unappealing to consume. When that happens, food is kept unnecessarily longer in it and eventually is thrown away. This leads to waste of food and money.
It is advisable to keep to a weekly cleaning routine and a general monthly one to ensure it is clean and smells right.
For weekly cleanup:
- Wipe up spills and sticky spots.
- Wipe sticky residue from containers and bottles.
- Check out the fruit and veggie drawers and discard spoiled produce. Wipe clean as needed.
- Wipe down the door with warm water/mild detergent solution. Dry thoroughly.
For monthly cleanup:
Shelves:
Empty the fridge one shelf at a time.
Toss out the old stuff. Check “use by” dates to determine what’s “old.” Wipe each shelf using a solution of cool water and baking soda. (Warm or hot water could crack the glass shelving.) Dry. Return items to the fridge.
Drawers:
Remove and empty fruit and veggie and meat drawers. Discard spoiled produce and meat.
Wash drawers in a solution of lukewarm water and mild detergent, then dry thoroughly. Remove stubborn odours by rinsing with a solution of one quart of water and two tablespoons baking soda, followed by plain water. Rinse and then wipe dry. Arrange produce and meat in drawers and return to the fridge.
Door shelves:
Remove items from door shelves. Wipe down all shelves as well as any sticky and drippy containers with baking soda and water solution. Dry and return items.
Gasket:
Wipe the gasket/seal with a mild detergent solution. Dry with a clean cloth.
Door:
Wipe down the door, edges, handle and top of the refrigerator with mild detergent solution. Dry.
For stainless steel refrigerators, apply coconut oil with a soft cloth. Buff to remove excess.
Water dispenser:
Because yeast and mold can build up on the dispenser spout, it should be cleaned every month or as needed.
Ice dispenser:
To clean the ice bin, turn the ice-maker off, remove the bin and discard the ice. Using lukewarm water and a mild dish detergent, wash the bin, rinse well and then dry.
Credit: Today.com
