Unpleasant smells coming from your refrigerator can make you lose your appetite. It is also a sign that your refrigerator needs cleaning. Find out not only how to clean, but also how to remove smells from the fridge.
Unpleasant smells coming from your refrigerator can make you lose your appetite. It is also a sign that your refrigerator needs cleaning. Find out not only how to clean, but also how to remove smells from the fridge.
Why does my fridge smell?
There are a number of potential answers to this question. Quite often it is simply a matter of food being left too long.
Another reason could be specific products. Many types of food, such as cheese and fish, have an intensive aroma. Of course, this in itself is often a desirable trait, and only becomes an issue if the smell mixes with that of other foods in your refrigerator.
So what can you do if opening your fridge is an unpleasant experience? First of all, have a look at what’s in your fridge, and check that nothing is out of date.
Make sure there are no bowls and plates of food that were supposed to be put aside “for later”, but you then forgot about. Also check the fruit and vegetable drawer, as rotting fruit or vegetables are a common issue.
How can you make a fridge smell nice for longer? Sufficient air circulation will definitely help. Try not to push food too close to the back of the fridge, as this may interfere with the correct functioning in the long run, and even be a reason of unpleasant smells.
How you store your food is important. Food kept in plastic will not last as long. This applies particularly to fruit and vegetables, but also, for example, cold cuts.
Use glass or plastic containers to keep food fresh for longer. Airtight containers will also prevent the aroma of a specific product from mixing with other smells.
How should you clean your fridge to keep it fresh?
Regularly checking the contents of your refrigerator is a good start, and will help keep it smelling fresh. Commercial refrigerators should also be washed regularly, preferably at least once a month.
How should you clean your fridge to keep it fresh? There are a few ways to do this. Before cleaning it, remove all the food. You can also take out the shelves or drawers, making it easier to clean the walls.
To clean the refrigerator you can use a mixture of water and vinegar. Another solution is to use water with baking soda or lemon juice. But check one thing before you start. Read the instructions to see if the walls are covered with a special antibacterial coating.
If so, then the use of water and vinegar is not a good idea. In the case of refrigerators with an antibacterial coating, you should use a designated refrigerator cleaner or water with washing-up liquid. However, the washing up liquid should not have any granules, as this could scratch the surface.
Do not use too warm water, especially for washing the cold glass shelves. A sudden change in temperature could cause the glass to break. After you have finished washing, wipe the refrigerator dry or leave the door open for at least half an hour.
You can also wash the outside of the door. And make sure you wipe the seals, as scraps of food often fall into the gaps.
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Fridge – 590 L 1,499.00 €
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Fridge – 540 L – Stainless Steel 1,399.00 €
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Fridge with Two Stainless Steel Doors – 1168 L 2,499.00 €
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Refrigerator – 170 L – Royal Catering
A fridge odour absorber
If the odour is still present after washing the refrigerator, or if you want to prevent unpleasant smells in the future, you can use an odour absorber. But what exactly is an odour absorber?
As the name suggests, it is a special air freshener that absorbs the smells of food products. It is kept in plastic packaging in the form of a small box, or intended for hanging.
The absorber usually contains activated carbon. Sometimes, after being used for some time, a small amount of carbon dust may emerge from the inside of the packaging. This is nothing to worry about, and you can simply wipe it with a cloth.
The absorber should work for about half a year. Instead of buying a disposable freshener, you can install one with a removable filter. Such equipment not only neutralises unpleasant odours, but it also gets rid of bacteria, thanks to the use of silver ions.
Easy ways to get rid of fridge smells: how to make the fridge smell nice?
You can also make an air freshener for the fridge yourself, using traditional methods and ingredients you probably have lying around. This is a more environmentally friendly solution, because you won’t not need to purchase commercially produced absorbers in plastic packaging. But what can you use as a fridge smell absorber?
The bad smell in the fridge can be absorbed by freshly ground coffee beans. A small amount on a plate, placed in the refrigerator, will neutralise the smell for several days. Of course, you should not use them later on for making coffee.
Baking soda will also do the trick. Just like ground coffee, it can also be put on a plate in the refrigerator, will similar results. Instead of coffee or baking soda you could also use vinegar poured into a bowl. Some fruits will also help get rid of the smell.
Putting some lemon in the fridge should also get rid of the smell. Lemon peel itself will also work. Another idea for removing the smell from the fridge is a cinnamon stick split in half or half an apple. Cloves can also have the same effect. You could even combine several ingredients with each other. For example, you could put some lemon peel on a plate of baking soda.
What about unpleasant smells from the freezer?
Unpleasant odours may also come from inside the freezer, despite the much lower temperatures than in the refrigerator. Checking the contents of your freezer regularly is a good idea, to make sure your ice-cream does not smell like roast lamb.
You may need to defrost the freezer to remove unpleasant odours, as the smell may stick to the frozen walls. As in the case of the refrigerator, start off by washing it. If cleaning does not help, you can try the previously mentioned methods, i.e. absorbers or other natural smell neutralising ingredients.
An alternative to lemon or coffee could be silicone cat litter. It absorbs moisture and even intense odours. Or maybe a piece of barbecue briquette wrapped in a newspaper?
Also check and empty the drip tray. The source of the bad smell could be here.
To summarise
If you want to get rid of the bad smell in the fridge, there are many ways to do so. Most importantly, keep the refrigerator tidy. Remember to check the contents regularly and store food properly. This should help keep the fridge smelling fresh. Read our next article if you’d like to find out how to get rid of bad smells in the washing machine next.
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