If you are like most of us, your refrigerator takes a great amount of abuse. If you think about how many times leftovers become science experiments or how many times a spill becomes a crystallized mess before it gets cleaned up or the numerous boxes of baking soda we keep open to clear up that nasty odor, it makes perfect sense that a good cleaning is warranted every once in a while. Here’s a quick and easy method to get your refrigerator back to its pristine glory before you forget the next series of Chinese take-out containers with mystery contents.

Remove the Food

The best way to clean your fridge thoroughly is to remove all the food. That’s right, ALL the food. Throw away any food that has passed its expiration. If it doesn’t have an expiration date and you can’t remember purchasing it, it’s safe to say it should go into the trash.

Clean the Interior and Exterior

Wipe down the interior space of the refrigerator going from top to bottom so you won’t drip on already clean surfaces. Use hot soapy water. If you have a stainless steel refrigerator, you want to take care not to scratch the stainless steel surface and clean it in the direction of the grain. For those areas that have hardened spills, you may want to use a non-abrasive scrubbing sponge. Pay attention to any crevices where food residue may have accumulated. Make sure to clean the rubber gasket that seals the refrigerator door. Dirt that accumulates here can cause the gasket to crack over time. Change your water and use multiple cloths or take time to clean your cloth often so you are not using a dirty cloth or dirty water. Wipe down the interior doors last. Place the food back into the refrigerator taking time to clean off any food residue around the lids of jars. Then clean the outside of the refrigerator.

Remove the Shelves

Remove any shelves and drawers that are removable. Let glass or ceramic shelves come to room temperature before washing in hot water as these may crack going from cold to hot temperatures. Those that are plastic or metal can be washed right away. Be careful when handling glass as it may be slippery.

Perform Routine Maintenance

Maintaining your clean fridge can be as simple as wiping up spills as soon as they occur and taking an inventory of leftovers each week. This is also a perfect time to conduct some periodic maintenance of your refrigerator. If your refrigerator has a drip pan, remove it and clean it out. Vacuum your refrigerator coils. If your refrigerator has coils on the back, use your brush attachment to get them clean. If your coils are covered with a vent, your vacuum crevice attachment is good for this. When you need refrigerator repair or maintenance, call the San Diego appliance repair experts! We are just a phone call away when you need appliance service or installations in the San Diego county. Contact us:

(619) 719-5005

[email protected]