Let the fridge sit upright for 3–4 hours before plugging it in so the compressor oil can settle. Then, remove all packaging, wash removable shelves and drawers with warm water and mild dish soap, and wipe the interior with a safe, odor-free mix of 2 tablespoons baking soda per quart of warm water.
Step 1: Let It Settle
If you power it up too soon, that oil may not have returned to its correct place, which could impact performance, or worse, damage the appliance. At Hotpoint our recommendation is to wait 2 hours before plugging in your new fridge freezer.
There are a variety of household cleaning products that you can use to help refresh your refrigerator, including dishwashing soap, warm water and a vinegar solution.
No, you should not put food in a new fridge immediately. It takes time for the unit to settle and cool down to safe food-storage temperatures (below 4∘C4 raised to the composed with power C4∘C for the fridge and 0∘C0 raised to the composed with power C0∘C for the freezer).
You should wait at least 2 to 4 hours before plugging in a new fridge if it was transported upright, or 12 to 24 hours if it was laid on its side. Once plugged in, let it run empty for 2 to 24 hours until the temperature stabilizes below 40∘𝐹.
If it was on its side for more than a day, leave it standing upright for 24 hours before running the refrigerator. If laying on its side just briefly to service, clean or adjust, just a few minutes of stand time will be enough.
Some cleaning tips recommend you clean your refrigerator with vinegar and/or lemon juice, but these solutions lack the surfactants needed to help penetrate and loosen sticky spills and gunky spots. Bleach should never be used inside your fridge, as lingering chemical residue could come into contact with your food.
Dish soap has the ability to lubricate and break down the bonds of fats and grease. When poured into the toilet, dish soap helps lubricate the waste causing the clog, while also breaking down its structure, allowing it to easily flow down the drain.
People put crumpled aluminum foil in the dishwasher primarily as a hack to make silver or stainless steel utensils and cutlery look shinier.
Things You Should Not Do After Buying a New Fridge
After you have installed your refrigerator it will take 6 to 12 hours for the fridge-freezer's ice maker to produce ice. You should throw away the first three batches of ice cubes that the ice maker dispenses (approximately 30 cubes) to ensure that all the ice cubes you use are made from clean water.
To keep your fridge or freezer working properly, it's recommended to wait a few hours, at least 4-6 hours, before plugging it in after it's been moved. This allows the compressor oil, which lubricates the internal components, to settle back into place.
To clean a new fridge before first use, wipe down the interior with a soft cloth and warm, soapy water to remove factory residue. Avoid harsh chemicals that leave behind strong odors. Finally, dry all surfaces completely, and if your fridge has an ice or water dispenser, run a few gallons through the lines to flush them.
The 20-minute rule in cleaning (often combined with the 10-minute break as the 20/10 Rule) is a productivity method where you set a timer and clean as quickly and intensely as possible for 20 minutes. When the timer goes off, you immediately stop cleaning and take a mandatory 10-minute break.
8 mistakes to avoid when deep cleaning your fridge
People put aluminum foil in the toilet as an internet-famous cleaning and maintenance hack, though its actual effectiveness is highly debated. The reasons for doing it generally fall into two categories:
🧼 How It Works: Take a bar of soap (or cut one into smaller pieces). Drop it into the toilet tank—not the bowl. Every flush releases a small amount of soapy water, helping to break down stains and keep the bowl fresh.
Plumbers recommend cleaning toilets using distilled white vinegar for safe, natural maintenance, or commercial acidic/enzymatic cleaners for tough mineral buildup. They strictly advise avoiding harsh chemicals like drop-in bleach tablets, which can corrode internal rubber flappers and flush valves over time.
Refrigerating the wrong items can ruin their flavor, alter their texture, and cause them to spoil faster. Avoid keeping produce like tomatoes, onions, potatoes, and garlic in the fridge, as well as pantry staples like bread, coffee, and honey, to maintain optimal quality.
No matter how tidy your fridge is, there's probably something in there that should be thrown out. Examples include condiments that have been opened for over 12 months, leftovers older than 4 days, and fresh meat and seafood past their prime.
The Amish generally use propane (gas) refrigerators, solar-powered appliances, or traditional iceboxes stocked with harvested pond ice. Because their Ordnung (community rules) forbid direct connection to the public electrical grid, they rely on alternative energy and low-tech cooling solutions to keep food fresh.
Common Mistakes To Avoid When Moving a Fridge
Avoid these common fridge-moving mistakes: Moving alone: Attempting to move a fridge by yourself is dangerous and can lead to personal injury or damage to the appliance. Always have at least one helper.
Wait 4 to 24 hours before turning on a new fridge, depending on how it was transported. This resting period allows the compressor oil and refrigerant to settle. Turning it on too soon can cause compressor failure due to a lack of lubrication.
The average lifespan of a refrigerator is 10 to 15 years. However, this number varies based on the type of fridge, how well it is maintained, and whether it relies on extra high-tech features (like complex smart displays or door-ice dispensers) that require repairs.