How to Clean Your Refrigerator

"That's right, how many of you out there in flickrland will admit you hate cleaning out the Refrigerator. Refrigerator cleaning ranks up there with toilet cleaning, which is even with picking up dog poop in the yard. OK, I feel better now, I will go back to cleaning the Refrigerator...... right after a cold beer."

Here are some tips to get you over this predicament!

• Baking soda (by the way, check out the book with over 500 uses for baking soda that you never thought of, featured just below),
• Some rags, and
• Your vacuum cleaner with hose attachment

1. Remove everything from the fridge

2. If you think it will take a while, put whatever stuff that needs to be kept cold into a cooler

3. Pull the fridge away from the wall, unplug it and vacuum the coils on the back (it helps you gain back some efficiency that is lost due to dust and dirt)

4. Put a piece of tape over the light switch, or unscrew the light bulb (fridge lights are not made to stay on for a prolonged period of time) and turn up the temperature

5. Take all the removable parts (shelves and drawers) and place them in the sink (they need to be washed thoroughly)

6. Use a mixture of baking soda and water to clean the interior; make sure to get into all of the seams, edges and any other hidden areas

7. Rinse with warm water and allow to dry; meanwhile wash the removable parts that are in the sink

8. Wipe them down well with a dry rag to get rid of extra moisture, as well as any leftover moisture inside the fridge

9. Now you are ready to start putting things back: put back the parts you removed, and turn the temperature back down

10. Start adding things back into the fridge, wiping bottles and jars to get rid of condensation, spills and moisture

11. While you're at it check all expiration dates and toss all the expired stuff

12. You can keep it smelling good by placing a fresh box of baking soda in it

Having a clean fridge is important for your family's health and safety. Make sure to clean up spills as they happen, keep the storage bins neat and clean and dispose of old food quickly. It is a good idea to put all the leftovers on a dedicated shelf (that way you can find them easily and either eat or toss). 

Do not use any strong chemical cleaners! No 409, no PineSol, no bleach, etc. (If you wouldn't clean your dining plates with it, then don't use it to clean your fridge)!

You want to ensure that the food you freeze is stored safely. As opposed to a fridge, the more your freezer is kept well stocked, the better it will work (think of the frozen food as acting like ice blocks). So keep your freezer about 75% full and the better its efficiency will be.

Its temperature should be 0°F or below, for better preservation of your frozen food items. If your freezer doesn't come with a thermometer installed, you will want to buy one for that purpose. Don't put warm food in the freezer to cool it down, as it makes your freezer work much harder. Also, never re-freeze an item that has already been frozen and defrosted once.

As for defrosting a freezer (if it's not the kind designed to defrost itself automatically), it is better to wait until the ice has built up to around a quarter of an inch in thickness. Try not to leave it any longer than that will, as it will reduce its efficiency. It is a good idea to time defrosting to coincide with the point at which your freezer isn't too full.

For more tips on cleaning your refrigerator as well as ensuring its safe operation, you should refer to your fridge's owner manual.