We may all be guilty of this or have experienced it at some point in time, we peek inside the fridge searching for a snack only to find an odor. A strange, potent, funky odor. “What is that??” Could it be last night’s leftovers? Last week’s leftovers? Perhaps the milk has soured, or grandma’s homemade egg salad has turned into something unrecognizable. No matter what the culprit ends up as we vow at that moment to never allow it to happen again! Well, that is easier said than done if you do not know where to start. Luckily, I am here to share some deep cleaning steps that will guarantee your fridge will sparkle and be odor free once you are finished with it.
Get Started Now:
- Before you even open the fridge, start by cleaning out your sink and your trash cans! This ensures you will be able to wash out containers and throw away any spoiled food and drink you discover.
- Next, thoroughly examine all the food in the fridge. Throw away anything expired or suspicious, if it is not visually obvious, a quick sniff test is pretty effective at determining whether or not it is still edible. Do not forget to look at all those condiment bottles and jars in the door of your fridge either, sauces will stay fresh for a while after opening but not forever!
- Remove all remaining food and drinks from the fridge, and wipe down all remaining bottles and jars before putting them back. Remove all the shelves, drawers, and racks and wash them with soap and warm water either in your sink or bathtub (depending on how large they are).
- Wipe down the interior walls and surfaces of your fridge with a small concoction of two tablespoons of baking soda and hot water. You may need to scrub stubborn stains and hard-to-remove spots with a sponge or toothbrush. Otherwise, a regular washcloth will do the job fine. Once everything has been wiped down, go behind yourself and dry any wet spots left.
- Now that the inside of the fridge is fresh do not forget to wipe down the outside of the fridge as well. You can use the same baking soda mix as before, or simply a hot washrag. I recommend cleaning the top of your fridge as well (when was the last time that was cleaned, huh?). This spot in the kitchen can easily and often go overlooked as we can not see it very easily. (Pro Tip: check behind and beneath your fridge as well for dust and debris)
- Finally, put your fridge back together! Return the shelves, drawers, and food back to their proper places. Pro Tip: Use this as a chance to make a grocery list of things that may need to be replaced!
If cleaning your fridge or better yet, your kitchen, in general, seems overwhelming, or if you do not have the time, do not fret! Let Love My Maids handle it all for you! Refrigerator cleaning can be added to any deep house cleaning. Give us a call and we’ll gladly answer all of your questions! 512-813-0936
