How to clean a refrigerator inside and out: 30 best home remedies

Regardless of the model, the refrigerator requires regular maintenance.
When cleaning, not only dirt is eliminated, but also unpleasant odors. To maintain the hygienic condition of the refrigerator, you can use one of the special products purchased.

We will tell you in the article what detergents to choose for cleaning the refrigerator inside and outside, and how to use them correctly.

How to properly clean a refrigerator

The refrigerator requires constant maintenance of all chambers. Be sure to keep the outside of the unit clean:

The entire space of the refrigerator is cleared of contents. Frozen and perishable foods should be moved to a cool place. Spoiled food should be thrown away.
The device is disconnected from the network.
All removable elements are pulled out and taken to the bathroom for further washing.
Open all doors and wait for complete defrosting.
First, wipe off the dust. Be sure to go through all areas, including the capacitor.
Water from the defrosted ice is poured from the pan.
Use a suitable product to clean the refrigerator inside and out.
Wait for the surfaces to dry completely.
Return all products to their original places.

If the recommendations and consistent actions are followed, no problems in care should arise.

Drying equipment

After washing, the surfaces are wiped with moisture-absorbing material. Paper towels, flannel cloth, and microfiber cloths are suitable.

Features of drying the refrigerator:

the chambers are dried with the doors open;
removable elements are dried outside the refrigeration chamber;
In summer, the chamber and removable elements are dried for 90 minutes, in winter - up to 3 hours;
Products are loaded into the chambers half an hour after the equipment is turned on.

The refrigerator is washed regularly, taking into account the recommendations for operating the equipment. Clean with folk remedies or household chemicals to care for this equipment. The drugs are used according to the manufacturer's instructions.

What are your secrets for cleaning your refrigerator? Comment and share the article with your friends on social networks. All the best.

We use folk remedies

Folk recipes contain components that can be found in every home. They are safe and inexpensive.

Vinegar solution

Vinegar removes dirty stains of any complexity, disinfects the surface and removes odors:

Vinegar is diluted with water. The components are taken in equal quantities.
Treat the surface with the resulting composition using a sponge.
In heavily contaminated areas, leave the composition for 6 minutes.

Soda

Soda solution copes well with stains:

Dissolve soda in warm water.
Soak a sponge in the solution and wipe all the walls of the refrigerator.

A positive property of this product is the ability to destroy pathogenic microorganisms.

Ammonia

A composition based on ammonia is effective. The component copes well with dirt, disinfects surfaces and removes odors:

35 ml of ammonia is dissolved in 350 ml of water.
The composition is applied to the walls of the refrigerator with a sponge or clean cloth.
In case of heavy contamination, leave the mixture for 14 minutes.

Lemon juice or citric acid

Lemon juice or essence can quickly remove dirty stains and unpleasant odors in a short period of time. Lemon juice should be dissolved in water and the walls of the unit should be treated with the solution.

Citric acid is often chosen to clean the refrigerator:

the component is diluted with water;
use a sponge soaked in the composition to wipe all parts;
if necessary, leave the composition for 8 minutes;
then rinse the walls with clean water.

Toothpaste

Toothpaste can easily clean even the dirtiest areas. Apply a small amount of paste to the sponge. It is advisable to choose a paste without abrasive components. The composition is applied to the stains and after 3 minutes wiped with a damp cloth.

Chemicals

On store shelves there is a wide range of products designed to clean the surface of the refrigerator from various contaminants.

Magic Power

You can wash the refrigerator from all sides with Magic Power cleaning liquid. The product simultaneously destroys germs and prevents the appearance of mold. The composition is odorless, non-toxic and does not leave streaks on the surface.

Top House

The Top House product can quickly remove any kind of dirty stains from the surface of all cameras. The components carefully care for all parts, remove grease stains, destroy pathogenic microorganisms, and eliminate strong odors. After cleaning, there is no need to rinse the surface with clean water.

Topper

Effective liquid for refrigerators "Topperr" returns cleanliness and shine to the entire surface. It has antibacterial protection, eliminates odors and removes stains of any complexity. Cleaning your refrigerator is easy with this product. It is enough to spray the composition evenly and wait 2 minutes. Then wipe all the walls with a clean rag. There are no streaks or streaks left after cleaning.

Electrolux

The Electrolux product will help you clean your refrigerator in a short period of time. The composition is easy to apply with a convenient spray nozzle. The spray is odorless, leaves no streaks and does not damage the surface. Immediately after application, begin wiping with a dry cloth.

Luxus Clean refrigerator

Cleaning with Luxus Professional A clean refrigerator will not take much time. The product easily removes all types of dirty deposits, eliminates strong odors, prevents the spread of germs, and does not leave dirty streaks or scratches. Based on safe herbal ingredients.

Sano Refrigerator Cleaner

The product can clean any dirty stains from the surface without using water. Eliminates unpleasant odors and has an antibacterial effect. The product is sprayed all over the walls and wiped off with a napkin.

Bon

All refrigerator compartments can be successfully cleaned using Bon. Quickly removes any, even stubborn dirt. Destroys bacteria, prevents the formation of mold, eliminates odors, does not leave streaks and does not scratch the surface.

Sidolux Professional

The product easily removes dirt, eliminates odors and reduces the risk of microbial growth. After cleaning, a film remains on the surface that repels dirt. The walls of the device are sprayed with liquid and left for two minutes. Then the composition is washed off with a damp sponge.

Helfer

The product copes with various dirty deposits. It is convenient to apply to the surface and there is no need to wait for the composition to take effect. Simply wipe with a damp cloth and leave until completely dry.

Zumman

It is convenient to maintain your refrigerator with a whole range of Zumman products. The kit includes the cleaning agent itself, an odor absorber and microfiber cloths. The product stops the spread of germs. The composition is sprayed onto the surface and wiped off with a napkin after three minutes.

Edelweiss

The washing liquid does not contain alkali or acids, so no additional protection is required during operation. The product is sprayed evenly onto the walls and shelves and wiped off with a cloth after 30 seconds. After treatment, there are no traces left, no chemical smell, and the surface is not damaged.

Tortilla Eco

An effective product for refrigerator care is Tortilla Eco. The composition has an antibacterial effect and does not require rinsing with water. It is enough to spray a small amount of the product and then wipe with a dry cloth. If the contamination is severe, then it is advisable to leave the composition for 1.5 minutes.

EFSTO product

You can quickly clean your refrigerator with EFSTO. There are no abrasive components in the composition, so cleaning is gentle, without streaks or scratches. The entire surface is sprayed with liquid and wiped with a napkin.

Limpiya

An effective product designed to clean the surface of the refrigerator inside and out. The composition disinfects and deodorizes the surface, destroys pathogenic microorganisms. The product wipes off easily, without streaks or stains.

Denkmit Feuchte

Disinfecting wet wipes are used for daily care of all refrigerator parts. Use a napkin to wipe all walls and shelves. The only drawback is the rather high price.

House Lux

You can quickly clean your refrigerator using House Lux wipes. The active ingredients can remove even old grease stains. After treatment with napkins, you need to wipe the surface with a clean damp cloth.

Making a refrigerator cleaning schedule

Cleanliness is the key to health. This statement becomes an axiom when using household kitchen appliances. A clean refrigerator is the key to keeping food fresh and free from unpleasant odors.

To prevent the unit itself from causing food poisoning, it is necessary to monitor the condition of all compartments of the refrigerator and freezer.

In order not to risk the health of your household and not to neglect the condition of your kitchen assistant, experienced housewives recommend sticking to a simple cleaning schedule.

Features of daily care

Maintenance comes down to the timely removal of “fresh” drips and stains - removing dried stains is much more difficult.

It is advisable to wipe the refrigerator handle with a disinfecting cloth or treat it with an antibacterial spray after 1-2 days.

Do not underestimate minor contamination - pathogenic microorganisms and pathogenic fungi quickly develop, spread and infect stored products

Weekly task

Before the test purchase of products, an audit of the contents of the refrigerated cabinet should be carried out. You need to get rid of stale products and clean the shelves of traces of dirt.

General cleaning of the refrigerator

The frequency of cleaning depends on the frequency of use of the refrigerator, its load of food and the type of cooling system. The frequency of general cleaning of the refrigerator compartment is once every 3-4 months, the freezer is every six months.

In order not to spend half a day on cleaning, you can wash different parts on different days, for example: clean the vegetable boxes on Wednesday, clean the shelves on Friday, etc.

Eliminating unpleasant odors

The fight against unpleasant odor is carried out using both folk remedies and chemicals.

Lather

To work, you will need any soap that is at home. It is best to choose laundry soap:

Soap is immersed in warm water and foamed.
Apply the composition with a sponge to the walls of the refrigerator.
It will take 14 minutes for all contaminants to be removed.
Then all that remains is to wash the foam with clean water and wipe the surface with a clean cloth.

If there is severe contamination, then the soap is ground on a grater. The chips are poured with water until a paste forms. The mixture is applied to dirty spots and left for 11 minutes.

Toothpaste

Old stains of dirt and strong odors can be eliminated with toothpaste:

The paste is applied to a sponge and distributed evenly over all walls.
After 16 minutes, wipe the composition with a damp sponge.

Cider

Apple cider will quickly remove the glue from the sticker. Eliminates pungent odors and cleans the surface from dirty deposits:

Dissolve 200 ml of cider in one liter of water.
Moisten a sponge in the prepared solution and wipe the walls of the unit.
Then wipe off the product with a damp, clean sponge.

Fresheners and aroma absorbers

Since different foods are stored in the refrigerator, an unpleasant odor may appear even with regular cleaning. All odors collide with each other, mix and as a result the refrigerator begins to smell unpleasant. To eliminate odors and prevent their occurrence, various means and methods are used.

Gel granules

Granules are plastic containers containing gel compounds. The device removes all odors without changing the aroma of the products. The effect of the granules lasts for three months. The absorber is installed on the door or wall of the refrigerator.

Indicator egg

This device not only neutralizes unpleasant odors, but also gives a signal in the event of a sharp change in temperature inside the refrigerator. When the temperature increases, the device turns blue, and when it decreases, it turns white.

Strong odors are eliminated using a carbon filter. Its effect lasts for 1.5 months.

Dispensary neutralizer

There is a carbon filter inside the plastic case. The device lasts for 5 months. It contains only safe components, so it can be installed near products.

Ionizer

The device runs on batteries. It is not necessary to keep it in the refrigerator all the time. 14 minutes a day is enough. The ionizer not only eliminates odors, but also prevents food from spoiling quickly.

Aroma absorbers

You can regularly disinfect and clean with defrosting and washing everything, but you still can’t get rid of unpleasant odors. To make your refrigerator smell like morning freshness, we need the right home aroma absorbers. There are purchased products, and there are those that are easy to obtain at home.

The fight against unpleasant odor is carried out using both folk remedies and chemicals.

Gel granules

The use of gel and silica gel granules and capsules quite effectively eliminates unpleasant odors. Such absorbents are produced by different manufacturers in the form of capsules and granules with or without spicy or citrus aromas. The composition may be different. The following basic components are used: activated carbon, table and sea salt, and more.

The gel refrigerator odor absorber can be installed in any convenient place.

To really make your refrigerator smell fragrant and fresh, it is recommended to use granules with aromatic additives. Examples of odor absorbers include Topper Pro or Zumman products.

Indicator egg

A fairly new product that will not only make the refrigerator smell good, but will also serve as a cold indicator and at the same time decorate the interior of the refrigeration equipment. The shape resembles an ordinary chicken egg. The color depends on the ambient temperature. Lilac - ordinary indoor color. White – food freezing temperature.

Recently, a very popular absorber is a device in the form of a chicken egg.

If the color of the egg in the freezer remains lilac, “room color”, then the chamber is defrosting spontaneously and the required temperature is not maintained in it. An unpleasant odor is a consequence of food spoilage due to insufficient refrigeration. It's time to call a refrigerator repair specialist.

Dispensary neutralizer

If, after regular cleaning, unpleasant odors still remain, you can try to deal with them using a dispensary neutralizer. This is such a simple device, consisting of a carbon adsorber-filter and a plastic housing. Coal can effectively absorb (and thereby destroy) unpleasant odors for 4-5 months. After this time, the absorber needs to be replaced. The device is absolutely harmless and can be safely placed near any food.

The Japanese refrigerator odor absorber is popular among buyers due to its low cost and effectiveness.

Ionizer

The ozonation function may be initially provided by the refrigerator manufacturer, or it may be provided by an additionally installed ionizer. How does it work and what is it for? Even if you regularly wipe and wash the refrigerator, it is not always possible to get rid of unpleasant odors. Ionizers, uni- or bipolar, will help you deal with unnecessary aromas.

The ionizer is designed to solve problems by constantly saturating the air with ions with a negative charge.

Unipolar produce negatively charged ions, which cause particles of spoiled food that create odors to stick together and settle as dust on the shelves of the refrigerator. And when the smell turns into dust, you can easily wipe it off with a cloth. An example of a unipolar ionizer is the IonAir system of Gorenje refrigeration equipment.

Bipolar ones are considered more effective. Such devices produce two types of oppositely charged ions, hydrogen and oxygen radicals. Such ionizers can not only turn unpleasant odors into dust, but also kill fungi and bacteria. An example of a bipolar ozonizer is the PlasmaCluster system of refrigeration equipment from Sharp.

Ionized particles spread throughout the refrigeration chamber, penetrate into the food and completely neutralize bacteria that cause an unpleasant odor.

Before first use

Before using a newly purchased device, it must be washed. It is important to remove contaminants that appeared during transportation. Care is carried out using household chemicals or using folk recipes:

Before turning on, wipe all walls and shelves with a dry cloth.
Then prepare a solution from the selected product.
The sponge is moistened in the solution and all surfaces are wiped.
Rinse with clean water and wait until completely dry.

Household chemicals

It is best to use detergents with antibacterial + antifungal + deodorizing properties.

Household chemicals for washing refrigerators and cost of products (in rubles):

Clean Tone 500 ml (Belarus), for washing refrigerators, freezers - 85;
Selena 0.5 l (Russia), with antibacterial effect - from 100;
EdelWeiss 500 ml (Russia), emulsion for washing - 89;
Sano Refrigerator Cleaner 750 ml with trigger (Israel) - 500;
Frigo Care M3RC200 (Electrolux company), spray for cleaning refrigerators - 557;
Luxus Professional 500 ml, spray for washing freezers, refrigerators - from 140;
“White Ice for cleaning refrigerators” 750 ml (Ukraine), antiseptic - 250;
Unicum 500 ml (Russia, Israel), with odor absorption effect - 300;
Tortilla 450 ml (Ukraine), antibacterial - 132;
Top House 0.75 l (Russia), multifunctional refrigerator cleaner - 500;
Topperr 500 ml (Germany) - from 193;
Fridge Cleaner Premium House 500 ml (Russia), antibacterial washing spray - from 195;
Clean Home 200 ml (Russia), universal gel with antistatic effect - 90–160;
Feuchte (Denkmit, Germany), antibacterial wipes for express cleaning of the refrigerator - from 100.

It is advisable to install a Fridge balls absorber, a neutralizer with a carbon filter, an electric ionizer, an ozonizer, or another means of eliminating odors inside the refrigeration chamber.

Features of cleaning a camera with the No frost system

If the refrigerator is equipped with the No Frost system, then the formation of snow deposits on the walls is not observed. But it is still necessary to defrost the chambers every six months. The unit is turned off from the network, all walls are wiped inside and out with a cleaning agent, and wait until it dries completely.

Recommendations

Some tips will help keep all refrigerator compartments clean, without the formation of dirty, difficult to wash off deposits. If stains do appear, they begin to be removed before general washing of the device.

Cleaning the freezer

The freezer requires careful care. After defrosting, wipe all drawers and walls with a damp cloth. To disinfect the surface, use a solution of ammonia. Ammonia is dissolved in water. Soak a sponge in the finished mixture and wipe the chamber.

Grease and dirt

You can remove traces of grease and dirt using dishwashing gel:

Dissolve the cleaning agent in warm water.
Apply the composition to dirty areas with a sponge.
For the components to take effect, leave the composition for 4 minutes.
The dirtiest areas are wiped with a brush.
Then it remains to rinse off the product with clean water.

Mold

Traces of mold often appear on rubber. Solutions based on ammonia and acetic acid will help get rid of them:

The selected component is diluted with water.
Apply the composition to the damaged area with a sponge.
It is better to clean the folds of the seal with a toothbrush.

The seals and walls of the refrigerator can be cleaned of mold from Domestos or Beliznoy.

Rust

Rust stains and old deposits inside the refrigerator can be easily removed by solutions based on baking soda or hydrogen peroxide. If rust appears on the door, it is better to paint the area with suitable paint.

Yellowness

The outside of the refrigerator and the white removable parts begin to turn yellow over time. Products such as bleach or stain remover will help you cope with yellowness. Among folk recipes, compositions based on vinegar, soda, and hydrogen peroxide are effective. The selected component is applied to a sponge and wiped all surfaces of the device.

Stickers and glue marks

Sticky marks from stickers or tape can be easily cleaned with vinegar, alcohol or vegetable oil:

the selected product is applied to a cotton pad;
impregnate the adhesive surface with the composition;
it takes 8 minutes for the component to act on a dirty area;
you need to soap the sponge and wipe the problem area with it;
then all that remains is to rinse the area with clean water and wipe dry.

Work order

Emptying the refrigerator from its contents . Before taking decisive action, you should set the thermostat to the “defrost” mode. If there is no such option, then you need to remove the plug from the socket. All products from the “freezer” are transferred to a basin and, if possible, sprinkled with ice. In parallel with this, the removable elements are dismantled.
Defrosting . To speed up the process, you can place a bowl of hot water in the freezer. If the structure does not include a tray for collecting melt water, then a towel should be placed at the bottom of the “freezer”. To get rid of ice, it is prohibited to use knives or other sharp objects.
Wet cleaning . Apply detergent to contaminated surfaces, wait a little and wipe with a soft cloth or sponge. In the presence of severe contamination, treatment is carried out with creamy cleaning agents. Seals cannot be treated with aggressive substances such as vinegar, because this will cause them to crack. They should be wiped first with a damp and then with a dry cloth. The drainage hole is cleaned with a special brush.
Washing removable elements . The procedure should be performed in the bathroom, using suitable cleaning agents and detergents. The parts must be completely dry before installation.
Cleaning the external surface . First, dust should be eliminated, and only after that various cleaners are used. Close attention is paid to the door and handle.
Drying . This is a natural process that lasts 15-20 minutes. After its completion, all products, with the exception of spoiled ones, are returned to their place. Afterwards, the unit is connected to the electrical network.

Before first use, be sure to clean the refrigerator to prevent the appearance of a persistent “chemical” smell. To do this, you can use “store-bought” or home remedies. The most popular among housewives are a solution of soda (2 tablespoons per 3 liters of warm water) and a solution of 9% vinegar (1 teaspoon per 3 liters of water).

Care Tips

Proper care of your refrigerator will extend its life and keep food fresh for a long time:

Every day you need to inspect the products stored in the refrigerator.
Every 7-8 days the room is cleaned without defrosting; just remove all the food.
To prevent odor, you need to store baking soda or activated carbon inside.
Wet cleaning is always carried out after turning off the unit from the network.
Do not use preparations containing abrasive components.