How to Keep Your Fridge Clean and Working

Your fridge is the hardest working appliance in your home – it’s practically a safe for your most valuable items (chocolates) – so make sure it gets the  TLC it deserves!.

A dirty fridge can contaminate your food and stink up the kitchen, especially when you leave foods sitting in there during long periods of travel.Here’s how to make sure that your refrigerator is always a welcoming sight (and smell) – yes, especially for those late night visits!

This process of sifting through and cleaning out your fridge is going to take a while so we suggest you unplug the fridge to avoid energy wastage.

Take out everything in your fridge and place them on a cleared table surface. Make sure to have an ice box ready for items that were in your freezer like meat, seafood, and ice cream.

Once you’ve removed all the food items, take your time and sift through them, making sure to toss what is old and expired. Sort items into groups to make organisation easier when you return them to the fridge.

Once the food items have been sorted, it’s time to get to the nitty gritty. As fridges are  prone to spillage,stains, and foul odours, they need a thorough clean every few months.

Remove all compartments and shelves in your refrigerator to allow for easy cleaning access.

Use a gentle and non-toxic cleaner, an easy DIY option would be mixing some baking soda with warm water. Use this mixture to wash the interior of the fridge along with the shelves and compartments that you’ve removed. Wipe down all the surfaces and make sure you get into every nook and cranny as moss from old food can infest your fridge.

SOURCE: seriouseats.com

Give your shelves and compartment a good dry or place the trays under the sun to dry them before placing them back in the refrigerator.

Before returning the food items to the fridge, give jars, containers and bottles a good wipe down to remove residue or crumbs. Organize and arrange all items so you know where to look for them the next time you have a hankering.

Don’t pack your fridge to the brim – this hinders proper air circulation, preventing food from staying cool and fresh. To boost your fridge’s cooling function,  fill a bottle with water and leave it in the fridge.

Since you keep a variety of foodstuff in your fridge, you are bound to have lingering odours. Keeping activated charcoal, coffee grains, or even a brown paper bag in the fridge to help absorb and eliminate odour. Just be sure to switch them out every now and then.

SOURCE: blog.helpling.ae

Make it a point to check your fridge regularly for spills and expired food. The best way to work this into your routine is by checking the contents of your fridge before you go grocery shopping. This not only prevents unnecessary or extra purchases, but also helps maintain the cleanliness and freshness of your refrigerator.