Have you ever opened the fridge and all of a sudden you get this really bad smell that just comes right at you? Do you think your food should last longer than what you are currently observing? To clean and disinfect the fridge is very important and it is not just a mere cleaning process but it is a health concern as well.

Whether you are a house owner or a professional chef, let’s go straight to the most efficient tips on how to clean the refrigerator properly and remove bacteria.

Catching The Culprit: Reasons for Musty Smell

Understanding why your fridge starts to develop a musty smell is key to keeping it clean and efficient. Let's look at some common causes and preventive tips to keep your fridge fresh.

Common Causes of Bad Odors

• Leftovers Forgotten: Those containers hidden in the back of your fridge can turn into science experiments over time. Regularly clearing out old food helps prevent mold and odor build-up.
• Spills and Splatters: From dribbles of milk to bits of sauces, spills that aren't cleaned up promptly can lead to persistent smells.
• Vegetable Drawers: Sometimes they are left to store unnoticeable fruits and vegetables that end up rotting; these are major sources of bad smells.
• Condensation and Drip Trays: Humidity usually forms in trays for dripping or in the form of condensed water within the fridge. If these areas are not cleaned regularly, they become so damp that they start to produce mold and bad odors.

How Bacteria and Mold Take Over

Despite the fact that everyone knows that moisture and heat are the perfect environment for bacteria and mold, people do not pay attention to this fact until their refrigerator becomes a horror, especially if the seals and compartments are not cleaned regularly.

In addition, air circulation in the affected areas should be improved in order to reduce these problems. If there is not enough airflow, specific segments of a fridge can heat up, which will also contribute to mold and bacteria development. These circumstances can jeopardize the hygiene and security of the refrigerator that is inside your house.

Exploring the Steps to clean and disinfect fridge

How to clean a refrigerator? For those out there who believe that cleaning your refrigerator is a big deal, you will be surprised to hear that it is one of the easiest things you can accomplish in your day to day life today provided you follow the best way to clean fridge. First move off the refrigerator section as this will help reduce on electricity bills as well as ensuring that no shorts are created the section when cleaning the entire appliance.

Empty the fridge; this provides a good chance of throwing away any foods that have gone bad or are beyond their recommended shelf life. The first step is to remove all the removable storage components such as shelves, bins and any other part that can be detached.

Wash these parts in warm soapy water using your sink or bathtub but ensure that any glass or acrylic part is at room temperature because they may crack due to differences in temperature.

How to clean and disinfect fridge with vinegar

Cleaning the interior walls of the fridge and the inner part of the door requires warm water with a small amount of dish soap. For general cleaning, one can prepare a natural cleaner by using equal parts of water and white vinegar. This mixture is very useful in washing utensils with greasy surfaces and also in washing utensils with strong food odors.

How To Deep Clean Fridge

To deep clean your fridge with baking soda, start by removing the food, washing or discarding it if it has gone bad. For wall and shelves Cleaning, use one quart of warm water with two tablespoons of baking soda and wipe with a sponge or microfiber cloth. On some very strenuous ones, one can apply baking soda directly on the garment then scrub well.

Once done, wash with regular water and thoroughly drain off all the surfaces. Do not forget to wash the door gaskets and the exterior part with the same solution . Last of all, place an open box of baking soda inside to help remove odours and to maintain nice smell within the fridge. Daily, weekly, and monthly cleaning are crucial, but deep cleaning, from the rear to the front – should be a routine done every 3-4 months​ (Hello Glow)​​ (Chef’s Resource)​.

Time to Disinfect: Here's How!

When cleaning is done, it is also beneficial to sanitize your refrigerator as this gets rid of germs and bacteria that cause smell and wastage of foods. They can be risky, especially when sprayed on the surfaces of foods; thus, they should not be used while employing safer substances such as white vinegar or hydrogen peroxide. If necessary, you may dilute your disinfectant with water and then, using a spray bottle, apply the liquid to the interior of the fridge uniformly.

It is advised that the solution should be allowed to act on the surface for at least 5 minutes to ensure that it kills the bacteria and germs. Finally, the disinfectant should be wiped with the clean damp cloth to remove any traces of the disinfectant to ensure that foods stored in the fridge are not affected.

Increase the Shelf Life of Your Food: Preventive Measures to Note Down

Increasing the shelf life of your food involves more than just keeping your fridge clean. It's about proper food storage and managing the internal environment to prevent premature spoilage.

Do not pack your fridge too full because this will hinder the circulation of air and thus lead to some areas being cold while others are not. This often leads to the early spoiling of food. Ensure that you stack your groceries in a manner that allows proper circulation of air around each of them.

Relative humidity and temperature are the two factors that help to maintain the freshness of the food items. Suggested refrigerator temperature range should be 34°F – 38°F, and the suggested freezer temperature is 0°F. Handle the drawers of humidity based on the requirement of the fruits and vegetables, which will minimize the rate of moisture evaporation and, at the same time, avoid bacterial or mold formation.

Every time you introduce new groceries, you potentially bring in new bacteria. Wash fruits and vegetables before storing them to remove dirt and bacteria, Also add using a refrigerator cleaner regularly in your practice.

However, do not put cooked foods close to raw foods, this is one of the areas you should never go wrong with. It is also important to mark your foods, especially when putting the purchase or opening date. This practice is quite useful in determining which of the items have been stored for the longest time.

Closing Up The Fridge Clean Out

There you have it! A fridge can be a very valuable tool that can improve your day if it is clean and well maintained. If these steps are performed regularly, your fridge will always stay free from all sorts of pests and bacteria that may spoil your food.

So, as the saying goes, a clean fridge is a happy, clean and disinfect fridge! Please feel free to post your own fridge cleaning tips and all the questions that you might be having. We should follow the same steps and stay calm together as a team!

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