Spring Cleaning: 3 Tips & Tricks For a Clean Fridge
13
Apr 2022
The annual tradition of spring cleaning is here. Our team at Personal Mini Storage has already covered 4 Tips for Tackling Your Garage in a previous post, but one appliance that can easily get overlooked this time of year is the refrigerator. Over time, spills and crumbs can add up, contaminating the fresh food you store inside. Below are 3 steps you can take to deep clean your fridge fast and efficiently.
1. Take (Literally) Everything Out
The easiest and fastest way to finish this project is to get everything (and we do mean EVERYTHING) out of the way including food, removable shelves, and drawers. This makes them easier to deep clean and scrub from top to bottom. According to Bon Appetit, using a 1:1 mixture of white vinegar and water is a safe, and effective all-purpose cleaner.
Pro tip: Have a cooler handy to store temperature sensitive food like meat and seafood during the cleaning process.
2. Don’t Forget the Outside
It’s not just the inside of your fridge that needs a thorough cleaning every year. Unplug it and move it out from the wall carefully to find the refrigerator coils. Use a vacuum brush attachment to clean off any built-up dust or dirt. If you have an ice and water dispenser, you’ll want to take time to deep clean those as well. HuffPost has a useful guide on tackling this unique challenge.
Pro tip: If the coils are not easily visible on the back side, check the bottom and top of the appliance as different brands may have these coils placed in different locations.
3. Control Future Odors
Now that you’re starting fresh with a clean refrigerator, you’ll want to keep it fresh as long as possible. Leaving an open box of baking soda inside your fridge can help to neutralize strong odors. Another suggestion from RealSimple.com is to soak cotton balls in vanilla and place them in an inconspicuous area to tackle tough smells.
Pro tip: After a deep clean, take advantage of an empty fridge and organize your food as you move everything back. Check out this video guide from Martha Stewart on the best way to organize your fridge.
Looking for more cleaning and storage advice? Check out our storage blog for tips, tricks, and hacks to make your life easier and let us know when you are ready to reserve a storage unit at one of our 46 locations!