Food can be messy—there’s no way around that! However, this doesn’t mean that your refrigerator needs to pay the price. Follow these four key refrigerator cleaning steps from the Morris County Appliance Repair team to maintain a tidy, grime-free fridge and prolong its longevity as a key kitchen appliance.
Five Steps to a Sparkling Clean Fridge
1. Set a regular cleaning schedule
The key to getting your fridge clean—and keeping it that way—is to clean it regularly. The frequency will depend on your specific situation but doing a deep clean every three months or so is a good rule of thumb.
2. Prepare your space
Doing a refrigerator deep clean means that you’ll need to take all the things that are in the fridge out of the fridge. Set yourself up for success by arranging where you’re going to put everything once it’s out. If you don’t have a lot of kitchen space, you can work shelf-by-shelf instead of doing it all at once.
If you think you’ll have things out of the fridge for more than a few minutes, it might be a good idea to prepare a cooler to keep things chilled while you clean. You’ll also want to make sure your sink is clean and empty so you can use it to wash down containers and/or refrigerator fixtures if they need a little extra TLC!
3. Gather your cleaning supplies
It’s way easier to clean your refrigerator efficiently if you have all your cleaning supplies at your fingertips. You’ll want to have on hand:
- Sprayable cleaning solution
- Sponges, cloths, and scrubbers
- Drying towels
A white vinegar solution is a great food-safe choice to dissolve grease and grime from fridge shelves. You can make your own or buy a pre-made option.
4. Empty, clean, dry, and repeat!
Once you have everything set up, you’re ready to get down to some serious fridge cleaning! Let’s assume you’re working shelf-by-shelf. You’ll want to take everything off the shelf and move it to the staging area you prepared so that you can reach every nook and cranny of the shelf you’re tackling.
Next, clean the shelf surface by spraying on the cleaning solution. If the shelf is extra-grimy, you may even want to take it out to be able to scrub it down in the skink so you’re not leaving your fridge open for more than a few minutes at a time.
Give the cleaning solution a few moments to start dissolving any caked-on mess, then use your scrubber of choice to scrub it clean. Wipe down with a damp cloth, and then dry the shelf so that you’re not introducing any extra moisture into your fridge.
5. Triage your food
Next, it’s time to deal with your food items. Give them the same treatment as the shelf—cleaning solution, scrub, wipe down, and dry. Also, go ahead and toss anything that’s past its expiration date!
Once the shelf and the food are clean and dry, put the items you’re keeping back in and move on to the next section. This same process can be repeated for drawers, door shelves, and any other areas in your fridge. Don’t forget any seals or the door gasket either—those all benefit from a good wipe-down too!
A Clean Fridge is a Healthy Fridge
Keeping your refrigerator clean isn’t just about getting rid of those sticky rings at the base of your condiment bottles. It’s also about optimizing your refrigerator’s performance and extending its lifespan.
Regular refrigerator cleaning lets you keep an eye on any parts that might be acting funny so that you can get the appropriate refrigerator repair help you need before it becomes a major issue. Removing any extra grime or buildup also ensures that your fridge doesn’t end up working harder than it has to.
When you do a refrigerator deep clean, you get a sparkling clean fridge and you get to feel great about taking care of your investment in that appliance. It’s a win-win!