How To Deep Clean Your Fridge and Keep It Fresh

We all enjoy grocery shopping, ordering food for takeout or simply buying grub and produce for our daily consumption. And where does all this stuff go straight to? Yup, the refrigerator.

The refrigerator might only take up a tiny space in your house, but this is surely one of the most important appliances at home. This is simply because it stores many essential items that we need.

Being the main storage of raw and cooked foods, as well as drinks, it is expected that every homeowner takes extra care of the refrigerator, keeping it clean and hygienic to avoid the risk of food poisoning.

Maintaining your refrigerator can be easy, yet also messy and wet. Tidying up your refrigerator may also take a little planning in order to not leave frozen foods out for too long.

Below are five easy steps to help give the glory back to your ever reliable (not to mention expensive) refrigerator:

Step 1: Make sure to unplug before clearing out
It is a major no-no to start cleaning your refrigerator while it is plugged in, unless you don't care about the money it will cost to pay for the electricity it will consume? But seriously, unplugging it will save you some cash and avoid a possible accident.

Now if you see your fridge close to the Antarctic, then go ahead and defrost it first. While defrosting, start removing the items from the inside and sort out what should be thrown out and which ones to keep.

If it is possible, detach the refrigerator trays and shelves so you can wash them separately.

Step 2: Let your DIY solution do the trick
All you have to do is mix a half cup of vinegar or lemon juice with water, pour it into a spray bottle, and spray inside the surface of your refrigerator. Leave the mixture for about 3 to 5 minutes. While waiting for it to absorb, you may start washing off the trays and shelves using soap and water and rinse it using water. Make sure to let them dry or wipe them off before placing back in the refrigerator.

Step  3: Scrub, scrub, and scrub
Once your DIY solution has sat for a while on the surface, you may start wiping the interiors using a wet soft cloth.  If you found yourself stuck scrubbing a stubborn stain, finish it off by spraying it with pure white vinegar, let it sit for a few minutes and wipe it out. For tricky corners with stubborn stains, you may also use an old toothbrush to clean it off.

Step 4: Deodorize
Once your done, and sure that everything is squeaky clean, wipe the entire refrigerator with a clean dry cloth. Put back all the shelves and trays and place a cup of baking soda inside. This will help absorb the future mixture of odors inside the fridge.

Step 5: Check the back
Before plugging the refrigerator, try checking the back of the machine first. If it is dirty or filled with accumulated dust and cobwebs, better use a vacuum to clear that off. Remember, an improperly maintained coil will make your refrigerator work double time leading to an increased electricity bill.

Pro tip: Defrost your refrigerator at least once a month to maintain its functionality and make sure to clean it at least once a week by throwing out old foods and unnecessary items.