How to Never Clean Your Fridge Again
Tips on Maintaining a Tidy Appliance
As you clean your house, it's natural to ignore the inside of your fridge. But if you change your habits and include it in your regular home cleaning routine, you'll see world of difference.
You'll also be able to avoid those bi-annual pull-everything-out insane top-to-bottom fridge cleanings because you won't need them.
Here's some ideas to put into rotation regularly.
Immediate Stuff
These are things that you should do all the time. Keep it up and there'll never be any reason to have to clean your fridge.
Spills
If you spill something, clean it up immediately before it dries and cakes on the shelf. If left, these messes are the hardest to clean and can also harbour bacteria and mould.
Clean What Goes In
Throwing the peanut butter back in the fridge? Give it a quick once-over to make sure there's no cling-ons on the base or the rim. This goes for any sauces, drinks and bottles you put in the fridge.
Be Vigilant of Spoilage
Constantly scan for food that's going bad. Aside from being stinky, deteriorating food can turn to liquid, making huge messes and contaminating other food.
Use Plates
Anything that's likely to leak should be placed on a plate. It's way easier to throw a plate in the dishwasher than it is to wipe down the shelf in your fridge.
Weekly Items
Try to work these items in every time you're cleaning your kitchen.
Clean the Exterior
The outside of your fridge can host as much grime and bacteria (if not more) than the inside. Take time every week to clean the exterior with a damp cloth and mild dishwashing liquid. Don't forget to get the creases and edges of the doors and give attention to the handles too.
Stainless-Steel
Some people with stainless-steel fridges like to use commercial stainless-steel spray on the exterior. If you're going this route, don't forget to wipe in the direction of the grain otherwise you might leave unsightly marks.
Deep Cleaning
If you haven't kept up with the above items, shame on you! But, here's a step-by-step deep-cleaning guide that'll bring your fridge back to its pristine state.
- Unplug your fridge.
- Take all the contents out and place them in a cooler or box. Pull out all the shelves, drawers and any other removable accessories. Also, you should let them acclimatize to the temperature of the room so there's no risk of cracking when you go to wash them.
- Create a solution of baking soda and warm water. It should be about 3 tablespoons of baking soda mixed with 1 litre of water. Wipe the interior of the fridge with the solution and then dry it off with a towel. It's not advised to use soap or detergent since they'll leave behind scents that can be absorbed by your food. Also, bleach, ammonias and other cleaners are a no no.
- You'll likely encounter areas of caked-on gunk. Stay calm. Put lots of the baking soda solution on the trouble areas and let it dry a bit (about 10 minutes). Then, take a damp towel and apply elbow-grease to remove the stain.
- Make another large batch of the baking soda solution and soak all your shelves, crispers and other accessories in it. Then dry it all really well before putting it back in.