Your refrigerator does a lot of heavy lifting in your kitchen. From preserving ingredients for tonight’s dinner to storing the leftovers for a meal on-the-go, you rely on your fridge for a lot. Keeping your refrigerator smelling fresh is important to maintaining the quality of your food. This guide will explore various methods to eliminate refrigerator odors, from regular cleaning and maintenance practices to using natural remedies such as lemons or baking soda.
WHAT CAUSES A FRIDGE TO SMELL BAD?
A fridge might smell bad for a number of reasons. Some causes of refrigerator odors might include bacteria, food spills, food odors, expired items, mold and more.
HOW TO ELIMINATE FRIDGE ODORS
Eliminating unwanted smells from your refrigeratordoesn’t have to be a daunting task. You may be able to get rid of the odor with a few simple steps and a natural deodorizer. Explore these possible remedies to help you get your fridge smelling fresh again.
1. REMOVE SPOILED FOOD
One possible cause of refrigerator odor may be spoiled food. Remove and discard anything that has spoiled and keep your refrigerator organized to help eliminate the chance of forgetting about items before they go bad. You can also double check that lids are on completely for food items that have stronger smells.
2. CLEAN THE DRIP PAN
One way to potentially remove odors from your refrigerator is cleaning the drip pan. To do so, first, carefully remove it from the bottom of the fridge. Then, wash the drip pan with warm water and dish soap, adding baking soda if needed to neutralize odors. Rinse it with water and then dry it with a clean towel or let it air dry.
3. CLEAN THE INTERIOR
In addition to wiping up spills as soon as they happen, deepcleaning the inside of your fridge may help eliminate more stubborn odors. Unplug your refrigerator and remove all food items, as well as any removable drawers and shelves. Wipe down the interior of the fridge with warm water, dish soap and a soft cloth or sponge. Be sure to clean every nook and cranny, including the door seals, shelves and drawers. Rinse the interior with clean water and dry it off with a clean towel. Do not put any of yourrefrigerator’s parts in the dishwasher, as this can damage them.
4. AIR IT OUT
To help your fridge smell fresher, unplug it and clean the interior with a baking soda paste(baking soda + water) and a soft cloth. Wipe it clean with a damp cloth. Let it air out with the door open for a day before plugging it back in.
5. REPLACE YOUR REFRIGERATOR AIR FILTER
Replacing your refrigerator air filter as often as your owner’s manual calls for can help keep it smelling fresh.
6. REPLACE THE WATER FILTER
Unpleasant smells coming from your fridge could be the result of an overdue water filter replacement.It’s important to keep an updated replacement per themanufacturer’s instructions to help keep odors at bay.
7. CLEAN YOUR REFRIGERATOR’S COILS
Dirty evaporator coils may also be the culpritfor unpleasant odors. These coils are often situated at the back of the freezer and circulate cold air to both compartments. If they are clogged with dust and dirt, your appliance may stink and not function properly. You can vacuum your refrigerator coils with a brush or crevice tool to help remove the dust and dirt.
HOW DO YOU GET RID OF FRIDGE SMELLS NATURALLY?
There are many natural remedies that may help you keep your fridge smelling fresh such as baking soda, activated charcoal, newspaper, lemons and vinegar. Read on to learn more about how to get rid of fridge smells naturally.
1. ACTIVATED CHARCOAL
Place a paper bowl of activated charcoal inside the refrigerator and another inside the freezer. For particularly powerful odors, you can use more than one bowl per compartment.Leave the charcoal in your refrigerator and freezer and replace it any time you notice odors forming again.
2. BAKING SODA
After giving your fridge a deep clean, place a box of baking soda on one of the shelves to help keep things fresh. This natural deodorizer will help absorb and eliminate lingering smells, and the same goes for your freezer, too.If you notice the smells returning, you can replace the baking soda with a fresh box.
3. NEWSPAPER
Grab some newspaper and roll the pages into loose balls. Place a few on a paper plate and add a drop of cooking vanilla to each. The carbon in the newspaper ink can help eliminate unwanted smells.
4. LEMONS
Lemons can be another helpful tool to remove unpleasant fridge smells. Just clean up the source of the smell and then wipe your shelves with lemon juice on a towel, rinsing when you are done. You can also leave a few slices in a bowl inside the fridge for a few hours or up to a week.
5. VINEGAR
To combat persistent fridge odors, another possible solution is to gently clean the interior with a mixture of water and white vinegar. Thanks to its natural deodorizing properties, vinegar can neutralize stubborn smells.
WHY DOES MY FRIDGE SMELL BAD EVEN AFTER CLEANING?
Really strong odors may take time to disappear, and some may have sunk deep into your refrigerator insulation. If you are having a difficult time removing them, you may want to clean the interior of your refrigerator with lemons, baking soda or vinegar.You may also try placing charcoal or lemons inside the fridge for a longer period of time.
HOW DO I PREVENT MY FRIDGE FROM SMELLING?
Once you have cleaned your fridge and eliminated odors, you may be able to prevent smells from reoccurring with the following:
Keep all foods tightly wrapped or covered
Clean up spills and messes right away
Clean the refrigerator and freezer about once a month
Organize your refrigerator, freezer and all shelves and drawers so items are easy to find and keep track of
Throw out spoiled or expired food
- Clean under the refrigerator, making sure to remove anything trapped under it
- Some Maytag® refrigerator models come with an air filter which is 15 times morepowerful than baking soda at reducing common food odors inside the refrigerator. If your refrigerator has an air filter, regularly replace the filter based on the indicator tab or instructions in your owner’s manual
HOW DO I GET RID OF FREEZER SMELLS?
If your freezer has an unpleasant smell, you can use the same remedies that you would use for a refrigerator. Start by cleaning up any food messes and cleaning the interior of your freezer, including door seals and gaskets.If there is any frost built up inside your freezer, you will need to defrost it before you can thoroughly clean the interior. If that does not remove the smell, you can try solutions like baking soda, vinegar, newspaper or activated charcoal.
SHOP MAYTAG® REFRIGERATORS
If it’s time to upgrade your refrigerator, consider a dependable model from Maytag brand to store your favorite foods and keep them fresh. Explore select models with features like PowerCold® to quickly drop refrigerator temperatures and the Wide-N-Fresh™ Deli Drawer, perfect for party platters and trays of food.
LEARN MORE ABOUT REFRIGERATORS WITH MAYTAG BRAND
Related Pages:
Browse All Info Hub Articles
