How to clean the fridge? The refrigerator is one of the house’s most used and abused appliances. It is constantly being open and closed. During holidays, it is packed. Sometimes, even on regular days, the fridge is always full. You understand me if you are like me, who goes to Costco regularly. I don’t know why, perhaps it’s my comfort, in my head, when my fridge is full of food, I’m happy. Growing up in the Philippines, we did not have a refrigerator. My mom had to shop for our daily meals. It is inconvenient and time-consuming. So now that I have my own family, I live in the US, and I have the luxury of having two refrigerators in my house. I use my fridge to the fullest.
But to be honest, I am guilty of neglecting my fridge. I hardly do the proper care to maintain this helpful appliance. The funny part is that I teach the cleaning and maintaining of the refrigerator to my employees at my cleaning company. Part of the service we offer is refrigerator cleaning. So today, I will share with you the process we use to clean the fridge.
As always, gather the tools for the task before you start cleaning. You will need the following; trash bag, recycle bin, dry microfiber cleaning cloth, dish soap, baking soda, warm water, sponge, cooler (if deep cleaning), and small toothbrush for the hard-to-reach crevices (bleach or vinegar optional) and vacuum with a brush. I love using the vacuum to capture the small food debris in hard-to-reach corners.
To clean the fridge, you have to decide if you want to do a deep cleaning or a regular cleaning? The difference between the two cleanings is the time required to do the job. Deep cleaning the fridge is more time-consuming and detailed. Meanwhile, regular cleaning requires less time. Either way, planning a cleaning day can save you time.
Let’s start with deep cleaning the fridge. First, you have to unplug the refrigerator. Use the vacuum brush to clean the coils, drip pan, and the panel in front of the refrigerator. Next, empty the fridge. The frozen food should go to the cooler. While removing the food, check for expiration. Discard the old and expired. Use the recycle bin for the expired condiment and the garbage bag for the non-recyclable items.
Once the fridge is empty, remove the shelves. Use warm water and dish soap to clean the refrigerator. Submerge the sponge in the solution and wipe the inside of the fridge from top to bottom. Wash the removable shelves using the water and soap solution from the sink. Loosen any hardened food stain using the sponge or the small brush. Rinse with fresh warm water using the sponge. Dry the refrigerator using a microfiber cleaning cloth. Replace the old baking soda with a new, freshly open box.
To finish up, clean the top of the refrigerator and the front. Pay extra attention to the door handle. Use a damp, wet microfiber cleaning cloth to remove the dirt. Plug the refrigerator and return the food. Now you have a happy refrigerator.
https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/pdfs/5-steps-to-clean-your-refrigerator.pdf
https://www.homedepot.com/c/ah/how-to-clean-a-refrigerator/9ba683603be9fa5395fab90121f10fb9
