How to get rid of unpleasant odors in the refrigerator: choosing an absorber

Even a good housewife who regularly cleans and cleans the refrigerator may experience unpleasant odors in the refrigerator emanating from inside the chamber. The reasons can be different, ranging from spoiled food to a condensate drain clogged with crumbs and food particles. The rubber seal may also smell bad. In any case, odors must be combated with all available means. Among them, refrigerator fresheners are very popular, they are also odor absorbers. They not only have absorption properties, but also have an effective antibacterial effect.

Causes of unpleasant odors inside the refrigerator

An unpleasant odor can occur for several reasons:

• long power outage. Because of this, air exchange in the refrigerator chamber stops and a musty smell appears;
• food spoilage. The most insidious in terms of odors is the chicken egg. It is also possible that the integrity of sealed packaging, for example, sauerkraut or other product with a strong odor, may be compromised;

  
  Unpleasant odors in the refrigerator may be caused by spoiled or strong-smelling foods.

• The refrigerator overheats, causing plastic parts to heat up and an unpleasant odor to appear. But it goes away on its own. Most often, new refrigerators are susceptible to this. If the smell does not disappear over time, this may indicate a manufacturing defect.

Ready-made refrigerator odor control products

Ready-made products have some advantages over homemade ones, for example, higher efficiency and longer service life.

Odor absorbers for refrigerator

The principle of operation of absorbers is based on the absorption of molecules, which carry the odor, by a special substance (adsorbent). In this case, the adsorbent itself is placed in a plastic case. These products differ from each other in the type of absorbent substance. They can be:

• gel with extracts of lemon and algae (there are products with silver ions that have antibacterial properties);

  
  Gel absorbers are made from lemon and algae extract

• dispenser - have removable filters with activated carbon;

  
  Dispenser odor absorbers are reusable

• silica gel - are plastic balls with silica gel sachets;

  
  The service life of silica gel absorbers is up to 9 months, which is much longer than other types

Some absorbents may have their own scent, most commonly citrusy. These types are called flavorings.

Ionizers

Ionizers are special devices for absorbing odors and pathogenic microorganisms. Thanks to this effect, the shelf life of products can increase. They cost more than conventional odor absorbers, but last much longer.

Ionizers not only eliminate unpleasant odors, but also disinfect surfaces in the refrigerator

Ionizers operate on batteries. Allows you to select different modes. The differences between the modes lie in the frequency of “emission” of ions into the refrigerator chamber. At the same time, a certain amount of active oxygen is produced. Thanks to this, all bacteria, many chemicals and odors are neutralized.

Video: experiment with an ionizer

Getting rid of mold and its fragrance

Mold fungi, colonies of which can settle in the refrigerator, cause a lot of trouble. They are not only sources of unaesthetic stains and musty spirit, but can also cause allergies, diseases of the respiratory system and gastrointestinal tract.

To get rid of mold yourself, you can use a combination of baking soda and vinegar. It is enough to wipe the surface with a soda solution and then apply a vinegar solution; It is advisable to wash off the mixture after a while. It is better to dry the treated shelves and walls using an ultraviolet lamp or a hair dryer with a stream of hot air.

Since the smell of mold quickly eats into plastic, even after removing it, it is worth using adsorbents and/or flavorings.

When treating surfaces, you should not use products based on toxic substances, such as copper sulfate. In this case, even thorough washing does not guarantee the safety of the products.

Review of the most popular brands of refrigerator odor removers

In specialized stores you can purchase the following ready-made absorbers (on Yandex.Market these brands received a rating of 5/5):

1. "Selena" is a granular absorber with activated carbon as an adsorbent. To activate, you need to remove the cover. It is recommended to use one container on each refrigerator shelf. Cost - 16 rubles.

   
   Odor absorber "Selena" is cheap but effective

2. General Fresh - activated carbon container. The declared period of operation is up to three months. One container is enough for the entire refrigerator compartment. Cost - 45 rubles.

   
   General Fresh absorber has activated carbon as a filler

   Read also:  How long should you soak potatoes before cooking to release the starch?
3. Snowter. This brand produces gel odor absorbers with their own scent (usually citrus). Cost - from 76 rubles.

   
   Snowter absorber has a citrus scent

4. Greenfield. The company produces absorbers in the form of eggs (2 pieces in a set, which are recommended to be used simultaneously). Activated carbon in the form of granules acts as an adsorbent. The cost is about 86 rubles.

   
   Greenfield absorber comes in egg form

5. Antella. It is a box with an adsorbent substance that has its own aroma. Dimensions - 12.5 * 6.5 * 3.7 cm. To aromatize the air in the refrigerator, only natural ingredients are used, so the smell and taste of the products are not affected. The cost is about 100 rubles.

   
   To activate the Antella absorber, you must open the package

6. ZENET. The company specializes in the production of ionizers, including those for the refrigeration chamber. The devices are designed for a household refrigerator with a capacity of up to 250 liters. Operates on three batteries. There is no control display, but it is possible to select a mode by twisting special knobs. The cost is about 2000 rubles.

Conclusion

The review included goods of domestic and foreign production. A popular brand among other representatives is “Topperr”; the manufacturer offers a wide range of products. Chinese and Russian manufacturers practically made up the entire rating list. Inexpensive models range in price from 25 to 150 rubles, the average price category: from 150 inclusive to 250 rubles, the rest are considered expensive devices.

Table - “Refrigerator flavor - the best models of 2022”

Note! Which absorber is best to buy is a choice for the buyer, which depends on a number of factors and personal priorities.

Homemade odor absorber

Natural remedies for eliminating unpleasant odors are available, cheaper than ready-made analogues, and safe. But there is one significant drawback - short-term action.

Such absorbers are:

• Activated carbon. The product has no odor of its own. Does not require special training. Several tablets whole (do not crush) should be placed in an open container, which should be placed anywhere in the refrigerator;

  
  There is no need to crush activated carbon

• baking soda. It also has disinfectant properties. To eliminate the unpleasant odor in the refrigerator, you need to pour a few pinches of powder on a saucer. The effect will be noticeable within 2 hours. Suitable for use in chambers with a normal level of humidity, otherwise the crust that covers the soda will prevent the product from performing its task;

  
  Baking soda is only suitable for refrigerators with normal humidity

• ammonia. This method is considered the most radical. Before use, be sure to open the window in the kitchen. All pre-cleaned surfaces should be wiped with ammonia. After this, leave the refrigerator open overnight or for a day;

  
  Ammonia can only be used in a well-ventilated area

• vinegar solution. This product is used to wipe surfaces when cleaning; rinsing with water is not required. For 1 liter of water you need to add 1 tbsp. l. vinegar.

  
  No need to rinse vinegar off refrigerator shelves

It is the vinegar solution that I use to eliminate and prevent unpleasant odors. I add vinegar to the water by eye, then taste the liquid, it should be slightly sour. And with this water I wipe all the walls of the refrigerator after defrosting (I do this once every 2-3 months). After this, I leave the refrigerator open so that the surfaces dry and the smell of vinegar dissipates. There have never been any problems with unpleasant odors, even if some product has spoiled.

Also, absorbent food products can be used as absorbers, for example, brown bread, apple or coffee beans (only beans can be used, since the ground product emits a strong aroma).

It is not recommended to use flavors as natural absorbents, that is, products with a strong independent odor. This applies to any dried or fresh herbs, ground coffee, citrus fruits. This is due to the fact that products are able to absorb these foreign odors, even if they are in sealed packaging.

Video: how to make an absorber from activated carbon with your own hands

Results

Anyone can encounter the foul odor of a refrigerator, therefore, for prevention purposes, it is recommended to defrost and sanitize it in a timely manner. If you want to maintain a persistent odor, use a professional absorber, but when choosing it, be sure to pay attention to the composition and expiration date. For prevention purposes, make your own flavoring, which, although it has a short-term effect, is safer.

Video: DIY natural odor absorber

DIY natural odor absorber

Watch this video on YouTube

Video: How to remove odor from the refrigerator method No. 2. Useful tips for the home

How to remove smell from the refrigerator method No. 2. Useful tips for the home

Watch this video on YouTube

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Step-by-step instructions for using odor absorbers

The effectiveness of odor absorbers of various types directly depends on the correct adherence to the instructions for their use.

Preparing the refrigerator

Preparatory work does not depend on the source of the unpleasant odor:

1. First you need to eliminate the obvious cause, such as spoiled food or new trays.
2. After this, intensively clean all internal surfaces of the refrigerator. Don’t forget to look into distant corners, for example, the back walls of the chamber or the tops of the shelves. Baking soda is best for cleaning as it removes dirt and absorbs odors at the same time.

   
   You need to wipe everything, even the most distant surfaces of the refrigerator.

3. Rinse cleaned surfaces with water.
4. Leave the refrigerator turned off until the chamber is completely dry, otherwise there is a risk that the unpleasant smell will return.

If the actions taken did not lead to the desired result, then perhaps the reason is a violation of the integrity of the coating of the walls of the internal chamber of the refrigerator. In this case, no absorbers will help, you need to purchase a new device.

Video: how to clean a refrigerator

Where should absorbers be placed?

It is better to place absorbers on shelves. If the latter are solid glass, then it is recommended to put one product on each. If the shelves are lattice, then one absorber is enough for the entire refrigerator. In addition, some models come with special hooks that allow you to hang them from the bars of the grill.

Some absorbers can be attached to the walls of the refrigerator

Frequency of change of absorbers

The effectiveness of any absorber (except ionizers) decreases every day, because the adsorbent substance cannot absorb foreign odor molecules indefinitely. This means that it needs to be changed periodically:

• store-bought products - once every 1-3 months (can be read on the packaging);
• improvised - preferably daily (does not apply to products used to wipe the walls of the refrigerator).

Removing stubborn stench

Polymers have the unpleasant property of quickly absorbing various odors, which can be removed with great difficulty. It is especially difficult to get rid of the stench absorbed from rotten meat and spoiled fish, which happens when there is a power outage during a long absence of the owners.

To correct the situation, first of all you need to turn off the refrigerator and get rid of the food. After this, it is necessary to thoroughly treat its internal and external surfaces with water and vinegar or detergent.

Particular attention should be paid to the following elements:

• the state of the wastewater system;
• containers for draining water;
• rubber parts.

It is also advisable to move the equipment away to thoroughly rinse the floor; in this case, it is better to use special preparations to neutralize odors.

In case of strong “fragrances”, it is recommended to repeat the procedure several times for at least 2-5 days, while it is better to leave the refrigerator door, as well as the window in the room, open.

If the stench does not disappear even after regular washing, it is necessary to disassemble the drainage mechanism. It is better to entrust this operation to the specialists by contacting the service center.

At least twice a year it is necessary to completely defrost the device. It is recommended to clean the main working chamber weekly

After processing, it is advisable to place a saucer with adsorbing agents and/or place flavorings on each shelf.

If the stench is pronounced, it is better to give preference to industrial preparations that have a more pronounced effect.