How to Deep-Clean Your Refrigerator

How to Deep-Clean Your Refrigerator

Your typical refrigerator can get a little bit messy from time to time. Whether it’s food, drinks, or mineral deposits building up in the water dispenser, there are quite a few different things that can go wrong with a refrigerator.

The big problem that your face is that all of these things can actually make your fridge smell and have to look quite grim. This can affect performance, as well as having an impact on lifespan, so it does require you to pay attention and keep your fridge in regular condition. Let’s take a look at some of what you need to do in order to deep clean a fridge.

Surfaces

cleaning the glass shelves

You might think that you can get away with just a quick wipe down of the surfaces of your fridge. However, this isn’t the case. Instead, it is heavily recommended that you take the shelves out, because this means that you won’t have to have the door of your fridge left open while you clean. This actually makes the compressor have to work twice as hard just to keep your fridge cold, which isn’t what you want to happen.

With that being said, now is the right time to remove the gunk which is stuck onto the shelves and ditch the spoiled food. If you have shelves and storage boxes that are made of glass and plastic can be washed with warm water and a sponge. Be careful with frozen shelves though, as temperature changes from one extreme to another can cause breakages.

If your shelves are made from clean wire and baskets, use a bristle brush. Don’t go in for abrasive cleaning materials, because these will have the consequence of removing any coating there might have been, and this will lead to rust. Oh, and make sure that you clean the freezer cavities using hot water and a sponge too.

Freezer walls, storage areas, shelves and other areas will need to be left to dry out completely after you’ve washed them. This prevents a buildup of leftover moisture which will invariably freeze and create sticky areas.

Water Dispensers

A typical water dispenser can suffer from a mineral buildup, which can come from the water in your home. The dispenser will therefore need a water/vinegar solution to effectively clean. When the dispenser is struggling with a buildup which is too thick, you’ll need to take it, remove it from the fridge and then soak it in the mixture for best results.

It’s a good idea to change the water filter as well if you haven’t already done so. The filter can become stagnant if left for more than six months at a time. One other thing – don’t forget to clean out your ice bin by removing it, wiping it down, and washing it soap and warm water if necessary.

Door Gaskets

cleaning the door gasket

Okay, so what is a door gasket? Well, it’s a piece of rubber which is responsible for lining the door of your fridge to seal it. This prevents the cold air from escaping. Most people will overlook any dirt and grime which builds up here, but that’s not a smart move. The only thing it accomplishes is making your device have to work harder.

You can clean these gaskets by taking a damp sponge or a cloth and then pressing it into the folds to wipe them clean. Remove any moisture in them with a dry cloth, and then finally make sure there’s no water left in the creases.

The Condenser Coils

cleaning the condenser coil

Your typical condenser coil will take heat from the fridge and dissipate it – this is to make sure that it remains cold. You will usually find them on the back of the fridge or underneath it. They need to be cleaned, however, so it is important to check it out.

You need to remove any dirt, dust and debris which has built up inside the system, because this affects the performance. You can do that with a soft brush attachment for a typical vacuum cleaner.

Final Thoughts

So, to wrap this all up, it’s not difficult to see how cleaning your refrigerator takes time and effort. You need to do these things at least once a year to keep it in good condition, so it is important to be on the ball with your cleaning endeavours. Remember to be thorough and take your time.