How to Deep Clean Your Refrigerator

Cleaning your refrigerator can help you prevent food waste and odors and save money on your electricity bills. You should regularly remove food from the fridge, check expiration dates and wipe up spills and crumbs. Every few months, your fridge will require a deeper cleaning.

Clean the Inside of the Refrigerator
Start by removing everything from the fridge and discarding expired foods. Inspect produce and get rid of anything that’s rotten or moldy or that has an unpleasant odor. Carefully remove the shelves and drawers so you can clean them and the areas around them.

It’s best to use natural products to clean the inside of the refrigerator. Bleach can remove stains and extremely stuck-on food, but you’ll have to air out the fridge for several hours before you put food back inside. A solution of vinegar and water is an effective, safe and affordable way to clean your fridge. You can also use a mixture of baking soda and water to clean the refrigerator and eliminate odors.

Wipe all interior surfaces with a sponge or microfiber cloth. Use a toothbrush to scrub away stuck-on grime. Wash the shelves and drawers in the sink with a solution of dish soap and warm water. After you clean surfaces, rinse them to remove any residue, then wipe with a clean and dry microfiber towel. Return the shelves and drawers to the refrigerator when all surfaces are dry.

Clean the Outside of the Fridge
Your refrigerator’s exterior is probably covered with food residue, oil from people’s hands, dirt and dust. Wipe the outside of the fridge, including the top, with a solution of dish soap and water. Be especially thorough when cleaning the door handles since they’re the parts of the fridge that get touched the most.

Don’t Forget to Clean These Important Areas
The gasket forms an airtight seal that keeps cold air inside the refrigerator, but homeowners often overlook the gasket when cleaning the fridge. You can clean your refrigerator’s gasket with baking soda, vinegar or dish soap mixed with water. Use a toothbrush or cotton swabs to get into every nook and cranny.

When refrigerator coils get covered with dirt, dust and pet hair, a fridge operates less efficiently, which can cause utility bills to rise. Check your owner’s manual or the manufacturer’s website to find out how often you should clean your refrigerator’s coils and how to do it.

Homeowners rarely move their refrigerator away from a wall and look at the floor underneath it. When they do, they’re usually shocked by how dirty the floor is. Unplug the fridge, pull it away from the wall, sweep or vacuum any crumbs and debris, then scrub the floor with a mop and the cleaner that you regularly use for your kitchen floor.