How to clean the inside of a refrigerator to eliminate unpleasant odors

The most important appliance in the kitchen, right after the stove, is the refrigerator. It is he who bears all the responsibility for preserving food in an unchanged, fresh form, available for consumption. Nevertheless, it is by no means a rare situation when, due to improper storage and untimely cleaning, the refrigerator stinks. The situation is not the most pleasant; in addition to purely external unattractiveness and discomfort, this situation is dangerous to health, because unpleasant odors can be caused by mold and dirt, as well as spoiled food.

How to prevent unpleasant odors from appearing in the refrigerator

In order to avoid spending time on washing the refrigerator from the aromas that have settled in it, it is better to carry out regular cleaning and cleaning. You can take the following tips as a basis:

approximately once every two months you need to disconnect the refrigerator from the power supply, open its door and leave it like that for airing for 2-3 hours;
wash the inside of this device once a week;
If liquid is spilled on the shelves, you should immediately wipe it thoroughly with a cloth soaked in warm water;
every day you need to look through the contents of the refrigerator and remove products that have expired;
if prepared dishes are put away for storage, they must be covered with lids or plastic bags;
in containers with vegetables, you need to line the bottom with film or bags;
inside the refrigerator there should always be a container with soda or activated carbon, which must be replaced with fresh ones every three months;
It wouldn’t hurt to put special odor absorbers on the shelf, purchased at hardware stores.
Prepared meals should be stored in the refrigerator, covered.

Useful tips

Cleaning should be done regularly to prevent a lot of dirt from accumulating. It’s better to wipe down the refrigerator more often than to spend half a day washing away hardened, stubborn particles.

The device is plugged into the outlet only after it has dried. The outer side is wiped with a damp cloth soaked in detergent, and then with a dry cloth. To prevent the holes from becoming clogged with dust particles, clean the back panel with a dry, soft brush. Folk remedies are rarely used for external cleaning.

To get rid of the unpleasant aroma, wash the refrigerator only after complete defrosting. It is not recommended to use abrasive products to clean the device, since the particles leave scratches on the surface, which subsequently accumulate dirt and, accordingly, odor. Traditional recipes, on the contrary, carefully and effectively wash the surface, leaving an aroma of freshness and cleanliness. We’ll look at how to clean a refrigerator later in the article.

Where to start cleaning your refrigerator

Before you get rid of an unpleasant odor in the refrigerator, you need to identify its source. Conduct a thorough audit of the contents of shelves and trays. Surely you will find stale products, which are responsible for this “aroma”. They should be thrown away immediately.
Empty the refrigerator compartment and freezer of food, and unplug the equipment.
Remove shelves, trays and racks and wash them thoroughly with detergent. Don't forget about the inner walls of the refrigerator compartment and freezer, as well as the tray where liquid is drained during defrosting.
Wipe dry and ventilate the refrigerator.

Before reloading food, place refrigerator odor absorbers on the shelves.

If you clean regularly and monitor the expiration dates of food, you will not have to think about how to get rid of the unpleasant smell in the refrigerator.

Review of effective means to eliminate odors inside the refrigerator

During the operation of the refrigerator, it happens that an unpleasant odor appears in it.
The reasons for this state of affairs may be different, and all of them will require elimination. Special medications will help eliminate the problem. In this article, we will look at what refrigerator cleaning products help effectively get rid of unpleasant odors inside a household appliance.

What to do if the refrigerator stinks

There are many reasons that can cause an unpleasant odor to appear in this important unit. Among them the main ones can be noted:

soiling of walls and shelves;
milk spilled inside and not wiped up in a timely manner;
fish or meat products that have been sitting inside the refrigerator for more than two days;
spoiled food;
the appearance of rot in vegetable or fruit compartments;
storage of some types of cheese.

Naturally, in order to prevent such a situation from occurring, you need to promptly check the freshness of the products stored in this household appliance. Any product that begins to deteriorate should be thrown away immediately without any regret. You shouldn’t leave jars, bags and other food containers on the shelves that are almost gone: the likelihood that someone will finish them is extremely low, but leftovers are quite capable of ruining the smell in the refrigerator.

To quickly get rid of such odors, you can use the following express methods:

Place some ground coffee on the shelves, which has an excellent ability to absorb odors.
An apple can have a quick and guaranteed effect, just cut it and place it on the shelf. Sliced raw potatoes give approximately the same result.
You can put a bag of baking powder in the refrigerator, it will also perfectly absorb unnecessary aromas.
Vanilla sticks placed in trays will emit a wonderful smell, thereby neutralizing the bad one.
Eucalyptus oil, which can be purchased at a pharmacy, can not only remove bad odors, but also disinfect the air inside equipment and act as a preventive measure against its occurrence.

Top best drugs for removing unpleasant odors

After determining the cause of the problem and eliminating it, it is necessary to use special drugs . This will freshen the air inside the refrigerator.

SmellOFF

The odor eliminator TM SmellOFF can be used in the kitchen not only to treat the refrigerator, but also to clean the air from burnt food, trash cans that were not removed on time, etc.

To treat the refrigerator:

Disconnect the device from the network.
If surfaces are dirty, they must be cleaned before using the special SmellOFF product.
Treat all surfaces with the product, including seals.
Leave to air for 12-24 hours.

If the result is not achieved the first time, the treatment must be repeated.

Advantages:

suitable for both domestic and professional use;
high efficiency;
pH-neutral composition;
ease of use;
the drug is water-based;
does not harm kitchen surfaces;
Available in various volumes;
does not contain toxic ingredients.

Flaws:

high price;
Doesn't always help 100%.

Price:

0.5 l (packaging with a spray) – from 620 rubles;
1 l (packaging without spray) – from 1,200 rubles.

You will find reviews here, here and here.

Selena

Selena is a refrigerator cleaner with antibacterial action. Manufacturer - Russian Federation. Available in 500 ml bottles.

Advantages:

Elimination of unpleasant odor.
Cleaning surfaces.
Antibacterial effect.
Non-toxic composition.
Prevention of mold.
Available remedy.
Without a pronounced strong aroma.

Flaws:

may leave an odor after treatment;
re-processing may be necessary.

Price: about 120 rubles. Read reviews here and here.

Unicum

Unicum is produced in Russia according to the formula and under the control of an Israeli company. The product allows you to carry out comprehensive refrigerator care - eliminate dirt and remove unpleasant odors without masking them. The composition contains an absorber.

Advantages:

removal of odors;
removal of contaminants;
Suitable for processing refrigerators inside and outside;
efficiency.

Disadvantages : high price. Price: about 300 rubles. Read reviews here and here.

Premium House

Premium House product made in the Russian Federation with an antibacterial effect. The drug is produced in recognizable packaging with a characteristic sticker design.

How to clean the refrigerator from the smell of rotten meat

Every housewife is always faced with the question of how to clean the refrigerator so that there are no odors that cause annoying discomfort to all family members. This is especially true when the meat has spoiled, which creates such a pungent bouquet of aromas that it is quite difficult to deal with.

It is worth noting that the culprits of this smell are bacteria, which themselves are considered uninvited guests in the place where food is stored.

To preserve the internal microflora of the refrigerator, you need to immediately get rid of spoiled meat (you should not put it in the freezer in the hope of giving it to dogs as food, as the smell will also migrate to this compartment). Even the trash can where the rotten product goes should be immediately taken out of the apartment or house.

Next, you should proceed according to this scheme:

Disconnect the refrigerator from the electricity and remove everything that was on the shelves and in the trays. Then, using a detergent, preferably with a strong scent, thoroughly clean all surfaces in the refrigerator. The next step will be to treat the electrical appliance using one of the means listed below:

a solution of soda, which includes 2 tablespoons and a liter of warm water;
vinegar mixed with water in equal proportions;
ammonia diluted in water;
lemon juice diluted with ten parts liquid.

It is best to remove all removable structures and soak them in the bath, carefully washing them with cleaning agents. After washing, these elements can be tightly stuffed with old newspaper sheets and left in this form for some time. As soon as the washing process is completed, you will need to place one of the known adsorbents on the shelves.

Chemicals

It will not be enough to simply rinse the refrigeration unit with water, and with a damp cloth you will never be able to wipe off stubborn stains. To do this you will need to resort to chemicals. They do not always have to be designed for refrigeration units; household chemicals for cleaning dishes or ovens are suitable. Only with them will it be possible to wash the shelves, completely removing stains and possible rot.

Clean your freezer thoroughly, ideally by defrosting it first. If you find ice build-ups on it, get rid of them, and apply chemicals to the free chamber walls. Strong chemicals are used extremely rarely. They are needed to destroy deep-seated stains when they are applied to surfaces and left there until they dissolve. After which, the walls of the refrigerator should be rinsed several times with clean water so that no chemical foam remains inside and the food is stored without harm to human health.

Don't forget to clean the outside. Equipment must be thoroughly washed to remove biological fluids, such as blood. Often it remains on the freezer trays after cutting the meat and freezes.

How to remove fish smell from the refrigerator

Fish, especially when fresh, has a pungent and intrusive “aroma”. How can you remove fishy smell from the refrigerator? To eliminate it, you must perform the following steps:

Defrost the unit. If it is equipped with a “no frost” system, simply unplug and unload all products.
Wash the shelves with detergent and then wipe the surfaces dry.
Squeeze the juice from 1 lemon and thoroughly treat all internal surfaces with it.
Leave the refrigerator for 3 hours and then remove any remaining substance with a damp cloth.
Ventilate the camera for 2-3 hours.
Start the equipment by first installing odor absorbers.

Now all the secrets of how to eliminate unpleasant odors in the refrigerator at home have been revealed. But to prevent its occurrence, it is necessary to carry out preventive actions.

How to clean properly

Before providing information on how to clean a refrigerator at home, let’s consider the general rules for keeping the device clean:

First, you need to turn off the power to the unit so that it defrosts a little before washing. It is recommended to clean the device at least once every 2-4 months; this applies to all models of household appliances.
Remove all contents from the refrigerator, since the washing process may take a long time, and place the food in a cool place. If cleaning is planned several days in advance, it is better not to purchase perishable products.
Shelves, additional elements and plastic stands are removed from the device chamber. Without them, cleaning the refrigerator will be much easier. They are thoroughly washed and dried separately.
To get rid of the smell, wash the most contaminated and hard-to-reach areas first. For washing, you must choose a gentle and effective substance. Usually these are improvised folk remedies and household chemicals. They penetrate well into dirt, dissolving it, returning yellowed plastic to its former whiteness, and washing away food stains. Folk remedies, in addition to their effectiveness, are distinguished by their bactericidal effect, as a result of which harmful microorganisms will die, and products will remain fresh longer.
To completely wash the inside of the unit, special attention is paid to recesses and bulges, the sealing rubber bands are removed from the doors and washed, often pockets of bacteria are localized under them.
Finally, all parts are wiped with a damp and then dry cloth.

What to put in the refrigerator to remove unpleasant odors

When a housewife thinks about what to put in the refrigerator to eliminate an unpleasant odor, store-bought products probably immediately come to mind. There are a lot of them now in hardware stores, and you can choose an absorber to suit every taste and budget.

Neutralizers come in various types:

with activated carbon filler (the most common);
gel-like (suitable for those who are looking for a way to quickly get rid of the smell in the refrigerator);
ionizer absorbers (not only allow you to keep the air in the refrigerator fresh, but also prolong the life of products by stopping the rotting process).

The validity period of such absorbers is from 2 months to a year, depending on what type of filler is present in the product and how many replacement capsules are included in the kit. You can read in the instructions how quickly they will cope with the unpleasant odor.

But if you do not want to buy a ready-made composition, check out the methods on how to remove odors from the refrigerator using folk remedies. These include:

Lemon. Just place a few slices on the shelves of the refrigerator. The main thing is to replace them with fresh ones in time. You can use orange in the same way.
Baking soda. Place a few pinches on saucers and place them on the refrigerator shelves.
Activated carbon. Place the crushed tablets in saucers and arrange them inside the chamber.
Salt. This tool does the job well. Salt, like soda, is placed on shelves in small containers.
Crusts of black bread. You need to take those that are already slightly dried and place them in the refrigerator. The main thing is to ensure that mold does not appear on the crusts, and when this happens, replace the “absorber”.
Onion. Despite the pungent and tear-jerking odor, this vegetable is able to absorb other aromas. Cut the onion in half and place on a shelf.

Coffee beans. They absorb foreign odors well and do not “interrupt” the aroma of other products.
Aromatic herbs and spices (basil, turmeric, cinnamon and others). Place the spices on saucers and arrange them on the shelves.
Rice. It will help in the fight against odor if you take the non-steamed version. You can place the cereal in saucers or gauze bags.

When using these products, it is important to know that household “absorbers” need to be changed frequently, perhaps daily.

In most cases, after cleaning the refrigerator, a general cleaning of the apartment with bleach is required. If the smell of rotten meat is still noticeable, there is a possibility that it has penetrated inside the appliance. In this situation, only a specialist who can disassemble the equipment can help.

Using odor absorbers

Nowadays, the lines of household chemical manufacturers include a variety of products that can absorb odors in the refrigerator. They come in ball form that can be placed directly on shelves, or in cartridge form with a grid hanger.

They contain seaweed extracts, deodorizing additives, activated carbon, and mineral salts in the form of crystals - all of which effectively neutralize unpleasant “odors.”

One of the latest developments is an electric ionizer for a refrigerator . This is a device that saturates the chamber space with useful ions. They act not only as absorbers and fresheners, but also destroy pathogenic bacteria.

Some foods also have absorption properties, in particular:

lemon - arrange citrus peels on shelves;
salt - place in open jars;
rice - place in a wide saucer;
apple - cut and put on a shelf, change the fruit as it dries;
black bread - cut into pieces and place in the chamber.

Aromatic spices and ground coffee can neutralize and eliminate the “odor.” They are scattered into small containers and placed inside the unit in random order. But you should keep in mind that all dishes and products can be saturated with such spicy aromas.

An interesting option is to combine lemon with baking soda. The lemon is cut into two halves, the pulp is scraped out, and a spoonful of soda is poured into the resulting cavity. This improvised air freshener is placed vertically on a saucer and placed in the refrigerator.

How to clean a new refrigerator

A big purchase like a new refrigerator always fills the house with pleasant excitement. In the heat of joy, do not forget that you need to gradually and competently adapt a new family member to life in an apartment and continuous work.

There are several stages in preparing this equipment for work:

Newly delivered equipment must stand for at least 3 hours without being connected to the network.
During this time, you need to wash its internal contents using special cleaning products that are not too aggressive. Ordinary soda can do a good job for this purpose.
After washing, you need to ventilate the refrigerator for 2 hours, and only then connect it to electricity.

It should be noted that taking care of the refrigerator is very important, because it is responsible for maintaining food in an edible state. That is why it is so important to promptly clean it from any contaminants, wash it and ventilate it. If you follow these simple recommendations, you will never notice the unpleasant odor emanating from it.

Cleaning No Frost

Modern refrigeration equipment is equipped with a No Frost system, which allows you to freeze food without the formation of ice. As a result, the device does not require constant defrosting, as is the case with outdated models. Despite all the advantages of this system, users often encounter the problem of unpleasant odor. Why does this happen? How can I remove the smell from the refrigerator in this case?

The reason for this may be a condensation tray. It is located in a hard-to-reach place and to clean it you have to remove the panel from the back of the unit or unfold it. To prevent such a situation, users of household appliances must follow the rules for storing products and monitor their expiration dates. The device must be defrosted at least twice a year.

To avoid damaging the internal coating, it is recommended to clean the refrigeration unit using gentle detergents. Moreover, harsh chemicals may not have the best effect on the quality of food.

We wash a regular refrigerator:

Use a cloth soaked in soapy water to wipe all surfaces of the equipment.
This includes cleaning the back wall of the freezer.
Trays and containers in the door are removed and thoroughly cleaned.
After this, the soap solution is washed off and then wiped dry.
If the smell remains, wipe the surfaces with lemon juice, table vinegar or soda.
A clean refrigerator is connected to the network after four hours in the cold season and after two in the hot season.