How to Deep Clean Your Fridge
Regularly wiping down the interior of your fridge is a cleaning best practice, but twice a year it’s a good idea to give your fridge a deeper clean both on the inside and the outside. Read on for how-to deep clean your fridge.
Tools for Deep Cleaning Your Fridge
- Recycling bin / compost bin / trash bag to collect expired food items
- Sponge or cleaning cloth for scrubbing
- Microfiber cloth for drying
- Multipurpose cleaner or dish soap with water
- Vacuum and soft brush attachment (for cleaning exterior condenser coils)
How to Deep Clean Your Fridge Interior
- Remove all food and condiments and toss any that have expired.
- Remove any shelves or removable drawers and wash with soap and water
- For more scrubbing power, sprinkle surfaces with baking soda before scrubbing with a damp sponge
- Use a sponge, warm water, and dish soap to wipe down the interior of the fridge and freezer
- Wipe dry with a microfiber cloth
- To eliminate lingering odors, spray a mix of one part water, one part vinegar, and a few drops of lemon essential oil and let sit for a minute or two before wiping dry
How to Deep Clean the Exterior of Your Refrigerator
- Unplug your refrigerator and pull it away from the wall
- Locate the condenser coils – according to GE Appliances, they will be located either under the refrigerator behind the base grille, on the back of the refrigerator, or on the top of the refrigerator (NOTE: not all refrigerators have condenser coils in a location that can be cleaned by the consumer)
- Brush, vacuum, and wipe down the condenser coils (I recommend following these more detailed instructions by GE Appliances)
- If you have a plastic covering at the base of your fridge, remove it and vacuum underneath
- Wash the plastic covering with soap and water then dry completely before reattaching
- Cleaning tips for stainless steel appliances
- Clean enamel fridge exteriors with soapy water, a 1 part vinegar 1 part water cleaning solution, or rubbing alcohol for stubborn grease stains
Ready to put everything back? Here is a helpful article from Real Simple about how to organize the contents of your fridge.
