Comprehensive Guide To Remove Unpleasant Smell From Refrigerator

You forget to cover the fish curry container one day; before you know it, every food item in your fridge begins to smell like it. While fish and seafood ...

You forget to cover the fish curry container one day; before you know it, every food item in your fridge begins to smell like it. While fish and seafood may be the most obvious odour-causing culprits in your fridge, other ingredients can contribute bad smell in your fridge too.

A lingering and unpleasant smell in your refrigerator isn’t just a turn-off but also something that can compromise the freshness of the food inside. Thankfully, removing bad smells from the fridge isn’t rocket science.

To be sure, you cannot get rid of refrigerator odors unless you first clean your fridge.

1. Start by emptying your fridge and throwing away anything you don’t need.

2. Take out all the shelves and drawers and clean them using warm water and dishwashing liquid.

3. Then deep clean the insides of your fridge using warm water and dishwashing liquid

4. Clean the gaskets which tend to attract the most grime

5. Take down all the magnets and other notes and wipe down the outside of your fridge

6. Vacuum underneath the fridge

7. Ultimately, wipe down the fridge, inside out, using a dry cloth.

How to remove fridge smell

Once you’re done cleaning the fridge, you can use ingredients like baking soda, white vinegar, lemons, coffee grounds, or activated charcoal to remove fridge smells.

How to remove fridge smell using baking soda

The humble baking soda is one of the most versatile ingredients in your kitchen. Sure, you can use it to bake incredible cakes, but baking soda is also the ultimate cleaning and deodorising ingredient for the culinarily challenged.

Baking soda can be used to clean mattresses, remove stains on walls and carpets, and keep your fridge smelling nice and fresh. And, as it turns out, it can also help eliminate refrigerator odours.

To remove fridge smell using baking soda:

1. Add two tablespoons of baking soda to a solution of warm water and dishwashing liquid and use it to clean the shelves and drawers.

2. After cleaning the entire fridge, place an open container with a cup of baking soda in one corner of the fridge for about 24 hours. Baking soda absorbs odours and helps maintain a balanced pH, preventing the growth of odour-causing bacteria.

How to remove fridge smell using activated charcoal

Activated charcoal is readily available online and in grocery and medical stores. It comes in granular form in porous packets. Like baking soda, activated charcoal has exceptional absorption properties. This makes it an excellent natural deodoriser for your fridge.

All you need to do is place the bags in your fridge or leave the charcoal granules in a small open dish inside your fridge after you’ve cleaned it. The charcoal will absorb all odours in the fridge and keep it smelling fresh for long.

Make sure to replace the charcoal every month or so to ensure freshness. This will also serve as a good schedule to keep cleaning your fridge.

How to remove fridge smell using coffee grounds

Like activated charcoal and baking soda, coffee grounds absorb and neutralise smells. This is also why perfume counters in malls have bowls of coffee beans to smell during your perfume shopping.

Unlike activated charcoal and baking soda, coffee grounds have a delightful aroma. When you place a small bowl of fresh coffee grounds on one of the shelves after cleaning your fridge, you can be assured of an odor-free refrigerator with the additional benefit of the aroma of fresh coffee. You can change the coffee grounds every couple of weeks for optimal results.

Admittedly, not everyone loves the aroma of coffee grounds, so you could check with your folks at home before using this technique to remove fridge smells.

How to remove fridge smells using vinegar

White vinegar is yet another excellent cleaning and deodorizing agent. You can make vinegar part of your fridge cleaning routine.

1. Make a white vinegar and water solution and use it to clean the shelves and drawers.

2. Spray the interiors of the fridge with the solution.

3. Let it sit for some time before scrubbing the fridge interiors.

Vinegar doesn’t just help neutralise odours but also acts as a natural disinfectant. However, it also has a sharp smell. So make sure to leave the fridge open for a few hours before you put the food back in.

How to remove fridge smell with lemon

When life hands you lemons, use them to remove fridge smells! Lemons also have natural antibacterial properties, making them excellent agents to remove fridge smells.

All you need to do is cut a lemon in half and place it in a bowl in the fridge after you’ve cleaned the appliance. The lemon will absorb odours and leave a citrusy aroma behind. Replace the lemon every two weeks to maintain a fresh-smelling fridge.

You could also wipe down the interiors of your refrigerator with a mixture of lemon juice and water for a clean and fragrant fridge.

While these DIY hacks are great, ensuring the following will also keep your fridge smelling good:

1. Clean your fridge regularly

Prevention is always the best way forward. Make time to clean any spills and stains. A solution of warm water and dishwashing liquid will go a long way in making sure your fridge is clean.

2. Store your food properly

We cannot stress the importance of having air-tight containers for your refrigerator. Tight-sealing lids will ensure the smells of your food remain inside and don’t permeate into the fridge. Poorly sealed containers can cause more damage than a single spill.

3. Maintain optimal temperature

Keep the temperature of your fridge between 1 degrees C and 4 degrees C to prevent bacteria growth and slow down the decomposition process in foods. This too helps keep odors at bay.

4. Discard expired or spoiled food items

Rotting or spoiled food is a major contributor to unpleasant odors in the fridge. Make sure to use up food before it goes bad. This way you don’t just ensure a clean and fresh-smelling fridge, but you also avoid food wastage.

5. Keep your fridge organized

An organized fridge will help you keep track of what you need to consume first, prevent spills and cross-contamination, and keep your fridge running smoothly. An organized fridge is a hygienic fridge.