How to remove the smell from the refrigerator: 3 effective and proven methods Unpleasant smell from the refrigerator: how to quickly get rid of it and choose an effective solution 24.06.2024, 11:24

Why does the refrigerator smell?

The appearance of foreign and unpleasant odors in the refrigerator can be caused by various reasons. The most obvious of these is spoiled foods or ready-made foods that have expired. Freshly prepared foods can also be a source of strong odors. If you don’t store them in airtight containers, your entire refrigerator can get smelly pretty quickly.

In addition to expired food, an unpleasant odor in the refrigerator may be caused by:

• The drain hole is clogged. The presence of a system for removing accumulated moisture is typical for drip-type refrigerators. If the owners do not pay attention to its condition, over time the water drain hole formed on the rear wall of the refrigerator can become clogged with dust, dirt or food particles. This causes an unpleasant odor inside. To avoid this problem, it is worth periodically checking and cleaning not only the drain hole, but also the water collection container.

• Appearance of the mold. It occurs when the refrigerator is washed rarely and poorly. If traces of spilled liquids and food residue remain on the shelves and are not cleaned for a long time, mold can quickly grow. The most typical place for this is rubber seals. Mold often causes an unpleasant odor and is quite difficult to get rid of, so you need to keep the refrigerator compartment clean and wipe the shelves at least once a week.

• New refrigerator. A strong “chemical” smell may appear in a new refrigerator if the owners did not properly wash the rooms after purchase.

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How to properly clean the refrigerator?

Before you start getting rid of unpleasant odors, you need to properly prepare your refrigerator. What you need before wet cleaning make sure you turn off the refrigerator and defrost. It doesn’t matter which device is washed: old or modern.

1. Remove all food from the refrigerator and freezer. High-quality cleaning can only be achieved with completely empty cells. Even if they store sauces in containers with tightly closed lids, sealed canned fish and meats, sealed juice bags – all this needs to come out of the storage area.

2. Wash all shelves and drawers thoroughly. Even if they look clean. Shelves, drawers and trays should be removed, each container and surface should be washed thoroughly with soapy water, wiped with a dry cloth and dried completely. It is better not to put wet shelves and drawers back into the refrigerator.

3. Clean the refrigerator and freezer. In addition to the drawers, the refrigerator compartment also needs to be thoroughly rinsed. Look in all corners, walls and side panels to remove unpleasant odors. Various tools can be used depending on their durability. This can be a special gel, dishwashing detergent or folk remedies (we will tell more about them below).

4. Clean the drain hole. To do this, you can use a cotton swab or a disposable syringe. In the second option, you need to fill it with the solution used for cleaning, insert it into the hole and add the composition. Repeat the procedure 2-5 times. Then clean water should be given to the hole in the same way. Dirt and unpleasant odor coming from the drain hole will be eliminated.

5. Ventilation and drying. This is a mandatory procedure after washing the refrigerator and freezer. It will take at least an hour to air out and dry. Then you can place all the products in their original places and turn on the refrigerator.

How to get rid of persistent odors in the refrigerator: 3 best ways

The most effective and safe way to get rid of unpleasant odors in the refrigerator is to use vinegar, ammonia or citric acid solutions during cleaning.

Vinegar

Vinegar helps neutralize any pungent or unpleasant odors that absorb into the refrigerator’s plastic over time. This effective solution will cope with the problem even if the food in the refrigerator has rotted.

To prevent vinegar from damaging the coating of household appliances, you need to prepare a weakly concentrated solution.

Dilute one tablespoon of vinegar in 250 ml glass of water. Then dip a soft cloth into the resulting solution and treat all walls and tray of the refrigerator. It is not recommended to wipe the seals with vinegar solution.so as not to spoil them. Other means such as ammonia are suitable for cleaning rubber elements.

After washing, ventilate the refrigerator for a few hours.

Ammonia

This method also perfectly removes even strong odors. To prepare the product, you need to dilute alcohol with water in a ratio of 1:2. Using the resulting solution, wipe the shelves, walls and freezers of the refrigerator using a cloth or gauze.

You can use a cotton swab to clean hard-to-reach places, such as rubber edges. The product helps kill pathogenic microorganisms, so by wiping hard-to-reach places in the refrigerator, you reduce the risk of mold formation in the rooms.

After processing the compartments, drawers and trays, the internal surfaces of the refrigerator need to be wiped with water to remove any remaining alcohol.

Then you need to leave the refrigerator doors open for a day to remove the pungent ammonia smell. If this is not possible, leave the refrigerator on at least overnight.

lemon acid

Citric acid solution is one of the most effective ways to combat fishy odor.

To prepare the solution, add two teaspoons of citric acid powder to a 250 ml glass, pour the contents. warm water and mix well. Then use the resulting solution to rinse all surfaces, walls, tray and drawers of the refrigerator.

Citric acid has a less pungent odor, unlike vinegar and alcohol solutions, so you don’t need to ventilate the refrigerator for a long time. It will take about an hour for the smell to completely disappear.

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Another useful refrigerator cleaner is baking soda. It will help remove even old stains, eliminate unpleasant odors and return surfaces to their original whiteness. You can also find suggestions to use. tooth paste. It is applied to contaminated surfaces, left for half an hour and wiped with a damp cloth. It neutralizes a slight odor, but is considered not very effective if the odor stagnates.

How can you remove the odor quickly if you don’t have time for a full cleaning?

If you do not have time to thoroughly clean your refrigerator, you can use other methods to maintain its freshness. Unpleasant odors are effectively absorbed by absorbers. Both public and privately purchased products can act in this capacity.

folk remedies

Tea bags. Place unused tea bags on different shelves in the refrigerator. Also don’t forget about closed compartments. This product helps remove foreign odors and freshen up the space. Tea bags need to be replaced once a week.

Coffee beans. The coffee flavor does a great job of neutralizing subtle unpleasant odors in the refrigerator. ​Place some coffee beans, ground coffee, or coffee grounds in a small bowl and leave it in the refrigerator. for a few days.

Black bread. To get rid of foreign odors, you need to put pieces of black bread on the shelves of the refrigerator. This method effectively helps neutralize the smell of garlic.

Vegetables and fruits. To get rid of the unpleasant smell in the refrigerator, you can cut raw potatoes, onions, apples or lemon into slices. After that, fruits and vegetables need to be placed in the refrigerator.

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Modern store facilities

Special odor neutralizers. Such products can clean the refrigerator from foreign odors. Neutralizers can be purchased from hardware stores or markets. Service life is generally 1-2 months.

Ozonizers. These special devices destroy pathogenic microorganisms that cause unpleasant odors. Ozonizers also help get rid of molds and extend the shelf life of products.

Silica gel sachet. You can purchase special deodorizers and absorbents for the refrigerator or use silica gel packets often found in shoe boxes. The bag needs to be changed every two weeks.

Preventing unpleasant odors in the refrigerator

To prevent unpleasant odors in the refrigerator, you need to:

• Check the expiration dates and freshness of products every day, and destroy spoiled food immediately.

• Do not put hot plates in the refrigerator as this will cause condensation. It is important to remember that high humidity is a favorable environment for mold and mildew growth.

• Remember the shelf life of food. For example, snacks or salads with mayonnaise should be stored in the refrigerator for no more than a day, fresh meat and fish – up to 72 hours.

• Place natural or special absorbents (tea bags, citrus peels, brown bread or ozonators) in the refrigerator to absorb odors.