Fridge cleaning tips

There is nothing worse than opening your fridge and smelling old, out of date or rotting food. The food may have already been removed from the fridge and thrown away, but sometimes the smell can remain. There are some sure fire ways to remove odour from your fridge and freezer, while ensuring you do not use harsh chemicals which are unsafe to handle around foodstuff.

Getting rid of fridge odours: Vanilla

Good old vanilla essence. This is the ultimate fridge and freezer odour killer, and is an edible substance itself, so is completely safe to administer around food. First take all items out of your fridge and wipe with a warm wet cloth. Then apply two to three drops of vanilla essence or vanilla bean extract to a dry towel. Rub the towel along all doors, shelves and walls of your fridge’s interior. Leave for 5 minutes with the door closed before replacing items in the fridge. You will be very happy with the results as vanilla smells delicious!

Cleaning your fridge: Brown vinegar

Brown vinegar is an old fashioned cleaning aid that will certainly banish all bad odours from your fridge or freezer, but vinegar itself has a rather strong smell, and may not be everyone’s cup of tea. To minimise the smell of vinegar take all items out of your fridge and wipe down the inside doors, walls and shelves with one tablespoon of vinegar diluted in 2 cups of water. Once you have done this, re-wipe the areas with a clean wet cloth, then a clean dry cloth. This should remove the odours, but also minimise the smell of vinegar itself. Replace your items in the fridge.

Cleaning tips: Bi-carbonate soda

This is another old-fashioned odour killer. Use 1 tablespoon of bi-carbonate soda diluted in 1 cup of water will not only kill the odours in your fridge when wiped on all inner areas, but will also cut any grease or grime that may be existent on the surfaces. Just be certain to mix and dilute the bi-carbonate soda properly before wiping it on any surfaces as it can scratch glass and plastic if granules are left undiluted.

Tips on cleaning your fridge

When aiming to remove all odours from your fridge and freezer it is important to remember to cover food properly, and throw out any jars of food that have reached their used by date. To minimise odours returning, use plastic containers to store food in when refrigerated.