Aside from keeping up with messy spills, you should give your fridge a thorough cleaning at least once a season. Not only will it keep odors from permeating your foods, but it can also protect you from unknowingly consuming spoiled food.
Cleaning the Fridge
Turn control dial to "0"
in both freezer and fridge. Do not unplug (unless you are defrosting) since you need the light to see by.
Ditch old food
and store good food in a cooler or on a side counter. An overcrowded fridge cuts down on the flow of air, making your fridge work harder—and raising your electric bill.
Place shelves in sink,
scrubbing with soap and water. Then wipe clean.
Clean the inside of fridge
using mild soap and water and wipe down with a cloth or paper towel.
Remove vegetable and meat compartments:
clean up all spilled juices and thoroughly rinse.
Clean corners and rubber gasket
with a toothpick.
Clean door racks
and reinstall.
Clean outside of bottles and jars
and replace saved food in
Ziploc® Brand Containers and
Ziploc® Brand Storage Bags.
Wipe the top of the fridge
with a feather duster.
Clean the exterior
door and sides.
Clean hinges and nameplate
with a toothbrush.
Move fridge out from wall,
vacuum and brush up dust, lint and pet hair on floor and around coils (check your manual for instructions). Cleaning the coils underneath your fridge will help make it run more efficiently and last longer.
Sanitize your drip pan
with
Antibacterial fantastik® All Purpose Cleaner Lemon Power®. The drip pan at the base of your fridge is designed to catch spills, so it can easily become a breeding ground for bacteria.
Put fridge back into place – and keep it clean!
Weekly cleanings help reduce spoiled food odors. A box of baking soda left open on a shelf absorbs odor. Some cleaning experts suggest placing a coffee can filled with charcoal in your fridge and replacing it every six weeks to two months.
Cleaning Your Freezer
Unplug freezer
to begin defrost. (If you have tremendous ice buildup, you might consider unplugging overnight.)
Leave freezer door open
after removing everything and storing in cold chest.
Catch dripping water
or chunks of frost by placing a baking pan on the kitchen floor just outside the freezer. Old towels placed on the floor also catch liquid.
Wipe with wet cloth
after 10 minutes using only clear water, never soapy.
Dump ice trays;
then rinse with soap and water.
Clean icemaker
by turning off water while cleaning.
Evaluate all products
and ditch what is out of date.
Replace all icemaker parts,
ice trays, etc.
Cleaning a Non-Self-Defrosting Freezer
Remove food.
Toss out old food or spoiled food. Store what you’re keeping in a cold chest.
Unplug freezer
to begin defrosting. It’s time to defrost when the frost is about 1/4-inch thick. If you wait any longer, the melting ice could cause a bit of a flood. If you want to see into the crevices while the freezer light is off, consider wearing a headlamp while cleaning (they are really useful for blackouts, too).
Melt ice and frost.
Leave door open until all ice melts (this might take a couple of hours). Or take a pan of hot water and place it in the freezer, shut door and check after five minutes.
Use an ice pick
or chopstick, if necessary, to break up ice. (Caution: be careful not to damage appliance or hurt yourself.)
Catch ice and dripping water
in a baking pan or on old towels placed at the base of the fridge.
Mop up melted ice
with paper towels or a cloth. Place a pan or bowl close by to squeeze out cloth.
Wipe inside walls.
After all ice and water have been removed. Wipe away any residue with a clean cloth or paper towel. (Avoid direct contact with food.)
Wet-dust exterior
(top, door and sides) with
Pledge® Multi Surface Duster or wipe down with
Pledge® Multi Surface Cleaner.
Close door and turn freezer on
for about 15 minutes before placing cold food items back in. Clean ice trays and refill.