How to Quickly Clean Your Refrigerator

Neglecting to clean your refrigerator can have many negative consequences. Besides it becoming unorganized, cluttered, and stuffed with a lot of expired items, a dirty refrigerator can become a breeding ground for bacteria. Uncleaned spills and spoiled foods can leave behind tough residue and a nasty smell in the fridge that is near impossible to remove, so take twenty minutes every week to prevent that from happening by properly cleaning your refrigerator. Use the steps below to give your refrigerator a complete cleaning in twenty minutes or less!

1. Remove all items from the refrigerator

Before you get started, it is important to have an empty refrigerator so that you have access to every inch of it. Remove all of the food in it and put it on the counter while you clean. If you want to be cautious, you can store food that is prone to spoiling (such as dairy items and raw meat) in a cooler.

2. Clean shelves and drawers

After the food is all out, take out any removable shelves and drawers that you may have. You can clean these in the kitchen sink under warm, running water with a sponge and your dish detergent of preference. Most of these should be a quick rinse, but if there is any sticky residue from a leak or spill, get it out with some elbow grease. You want your shelves to be as clean as new. After washing, place these items in your drying rack so they can air dry while you continue cleaning.

3. Clean the interior

Everything that can be removed from your refrigerator should now be out, leaving just the bare interior. Take a paper towel and a cleaning agent or a sponge with soap and clean these surfaces. This should be a quick wipe-down, but look out for any stains or residue that you may have to scrub off.

4. Dry and replace shelves

If the interior is still a little wet due to the cleaning supplies, dry it off with a clean rag or paper towel. The same goes for the shelves and drawers that you washed in the sink earlier. If they have not dried completely yet, wipe them dry with a towel before replacing them in your refrigerator.

5. Organize and filter through your food

While your food is all laid out in front of you, take advantage of the opportunity to organize it. Go through each item, throw away anything that has expired, and make a mental note of what items will expire soon. You can also wipe down anything that may cause a mess at some point if left uncleaned (such as a sticky jelly bottle). Group all of your meats, dairy, condiments, fruits, and vegetables together while you are at it- it will save you time when restocking the fridge

6. Restock your fridge the smart way

Now that your food is organized, put it back in the refrigerator where it belongs.

• The door: keep condiments, juices, and water on the door. Avoid keeping milk here because the temperature of this area fluctuates more than any other space in the fridge, which can cause it to spoil prematurely.
• Upper shelves: Keep your leftovers, ready-to-eat foods, and drinks on the upper shelves of your refrigerator.
• Lower shelves: Store your milk, eggs, raw meat, and other foods that spoil quickly down here. As you may know, warm air rises, so the bottom of your fridge is naturally the coldest and will keep your food preserved for the longest possible time.
• Crisper drawers: This is where your fruits and vegetables go. Make sure you keep them separated and use the proper humidity settings for each.

You have now cleaned your refrigerator from top to bottom, properly washed everything, got rid of expired items, and organized your food in the same amount of time it takes to watch an episode of your favorite TV show on Netflix. If you find your refrigerator is not working properly for any reason and you live in New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut, give Speedy Subzero a call at 866-782-9376. We provide fast, reliable service to the tri-state area, 24/7! You can also like us on Facebook for more kitchen-related advice and tips.