To properly disinfect a fridge, start by emptying all food items into a cooler. Remove shelves and drawers, letting cold glass items come to room temperature to prevent shattering. Wash the components in warm, soapy water. Wipe the fridge interior, then apply a disinfecting solution.
The best way to disinfect your fridge is to first clean it with a safe DIY solution of 1 part white vinegar and 1 part warm water, or hot soapy water. For true disinfection—especially after raw meat contamination—wipe surfaces with a solution of 1 tablespoon bleach to 1 gallon of water.
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.
Yes, you can use Clorox wipes inside your fridge. However, because the fridge stores food, it is important to take safety precautions to avoid chemical residue:
Spray the interior of the refrigerator with a non-abrasive, degreasing cleaner to help kill mold, mildew and germs. You can also dip a clean sponge or cloth in a mild detergent mixed with warm water, white vinegar or a mix of baking soda and hot water. Spray or wipe the walls, door and permanent shelves.
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.
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.
8 mistakes to avoid when deep cleaning your fridge
Use Lysol® All-purpose Cleaner or Lysol® Disinfecting Wipes to help clean the sink and surrounding surfaces. When used as directed, both products kill 99.9% of bacteria and viruses. The fridge needs to be deep cleaned at least once a month. Wipe down the shelves using a disinfectant cleaner.
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.
How to Clean a Fridge with a Refrigerator Cleaner
What foods should not be refrigerated?
USE A SOLUTION OF 1 TABLESPOON OF LIQUID BLEACH IN 1 GALLON OF WATER TO SANITIZE YOUR REFRIGERATOR. DO THIS AFTER CLEANING IT WITH HOT, SOAPY WATER.
Yes, you can use disinfectant spray in your fridge, but it must be done safely to avoid contaminating your food.
Tips for Cleaning Your Fridge
While there is no standard for how often to clean a refrigerator, a complete cleaning every couple of months will help to prevent food spoilage and cross-contamination of Listeria Link is external, a bacterium that causes foodborne illness and that can survive at 40º F.
Samsung and LG are the refrigerator brands with the highest volume of consumer complaints. Repair technicians and major consumer databases frequently flag these models due to specific, recurring design flaws.
To quickly clean a dirty fridge, empty it completely and discard expired items. Remove all shelves and drawers, soaking them in warm, soapy water. Wipe the inside from top to bottom using a mix of 1 part white vinegar and 1 part water. Dry completely before restocking.
The best cleaner for the inside of a refrigerator is a safe, DIY mixture of warm water and white vinegar (1:1 ratio) or baking soda (2 tablespoons per quart of hot water). These options cut through grime and neutralize odors without leaving behind toxic chemical residues that could contaminate your food.
Mixing vinegar, dish soap, and baking soda causes a rapid, neutralizing reaction that generates carbon dioxide gas. This produces a thick, bubbly foam because the dish soap traps the escaping gas. While the fizzing looks powerful, it neutralizes both ingredients and effectively leaves behind salt water.
People put crumpled aluminum foil in the dishwasher primarily as a hack to make silver or stainless steel utensils and cutlery look shinier.
Never taste food to know if it is safe to eat. When in doubt, throw it out. Throw out perishable food in your refrigerator (meat, fish, cut fruits and vegetables, eggs, milk, and leftovers) after 4 hours without power or without a cold source like ice. Throw out any food with an unusual smell, color, or texture.
The best and safest cleaner for the inside of a refrigerator is a simple DIY mix of warm water and mild dish soap or a 1:1 solution of white vinegar and water. These all-natural, food-safe options cut through grime and neutralize odors without leaving behind toxic chemical residues.
Yes, but proceed with extreme caution. Fabuloso is a multi-surface cleaner that can be used on plastic and acrylic, but its strong perfume easily absorbs into food. If you use it, you must heavily dilute it and wipe the fridge down thoroughly with clean water to prevent your food from tasting like chemicals.