How to Organize And Clean Your Refrigerator

When I was young I used to help my mother in cleaning the refrigerator. Now as an adult I find peace and satisfaction in keeping the fridge clean.

An organized fridge saves both time and money, if you know what’s exactly inside the fridge then your grocery shopping will become more efficient.

Arrange the snacks at the eye level so that kids can easily grab without making any mess. Having an organized food not only feels happy but also saves time when you are trying to take out meals.

The fridge is like the heart of kitchens, so it’s our prime duty to deep clean it every 3-6 months. It’s vital to keep the fridge clean and hygienic to reduce the risk of food poisoning.

Steps to organizing your fridge.

1. An empty fridge is bad, an overfilled one is worse.

empty-fridge
Image Source: Canva.com

When you open your door and notice things falling, then it’s time to declutter everything and arrange things properly. Filling every inch of the fridge can disturb uniform cooling in the fridge.

Old food which is stored at the back will be left forgotten and starts spoiling. This results in bacterial growth and can even spoil other food items.

If your fridge is left empty then keep a few water bottles to maintain a cool temperature in the appliance. It’s advisable to keep two-third of a fridge full.

2. Avoid Storing Pre-Cut Vegetables And Fruits.

We know people tell to clean and chop vegetables before storing it in the fridge. But it’s not wise advice since chopped food surface area is more exposed.

This can increase the chances of spoiling and increase wastage. It is good to clean and cut fruits before consuming it.

3. Remove packaging and invest in clear bins.

Remove the packaging bags and cardboard boxes around the fruits and vegetables. Use clear matching containers to organize the food by category.

This will make your fridge more uniform and you can see what’s exactly inside the fridge.

4. Arrange Things In Practical Spots.

It necessary which part of the fridge is warmer and which has a low temperature.Top shelves and door tend to be warmest, while the middle and bottom tend to get cooler.

It’s highly recommended to keep condiments in the door as there are more temperature fluctuations. You can Keep dairy products, eggs and spreads on the upper shelves, meats, and milk on the lowest shelf of the fridge.

5. Store Meat In The Coldest Part Of Your Fridge.

Some fridge has a designated meat drawer which is present at the back of the lowest shelf. If you store on the upper shelf, it’s likely to get spoiled more quickly.

Meat should be wrapped in plastic and stored separately at the lower shelf. Clean the area where you store meat more often than cleaning the entire refrigerator.

6. Store Leftovers And Ready To Eat On The Top Shelf.

You can store cooked food on the top or middle shelf, other than this you can keep snacks, pizza, sauces in the top shelf.

Leftovers should not be ignored while loading the fridge with more food items. when you are ready to add new food items bring leftovers to the front which are kept at the back.

7. Buy More Organic Food

As we know organic food has a comparatively shorter life span than inorganic food, but they are safe to it and chemical-free. With proper storage and clean, you can increase the life span of organic food.

Steps to clean your refrigerator

1. Plan And Prepare.

When your fridge is less than half, then dedicate at least three hours for cleaning the fridge. Gather all the items needed to complete the task like containers and bags to hold your food items, a scraper, cleaning rag or sponge, a small scrub brush.

2. Empty The Fridge.

Take everything out of the fridge and keep it separately on the countertop. Throw away food that is already expired or about to expire.

Group everything properly so that it becomes easy while storing it back into the fridge. It saves time and you can organize to your liking.

3. Remove All Drawers And Shelves.

Cleaning-refrigerator
Image Source: Canva.com

Most of the latest refrigerators have removable shelves and drawers. So, you can remove them and take them for a good scrub bath.

With the help of a wet cloth remove all the grid or sticky material present on the edges of these drawers or shelves. Pay proper attention to the bottom of wire racks to remove debris around them.

Hand wash removable drawers and shelves in hot water and mild dish soap to clean thoroughly.

4. Clean The Fridge Interior.

clean-Refrigerator-interior
Image Source: Canva.com

After removing drawers and shelves, take a mixture of baking soda and water in a 1:7 ratio. Start cleaning from top to bottom to avoid dripping on already cleaned surfaces.

Use a toothbrush to reach cracks and joints which cannot be cleaned with the cloth. Beware of commercial cleaners as their smell can be transferred to other food items.

5. Remove Fridge Odors.

After cleaning the fridge interior, keep a deodorizer at the side of the fridge to absorb all the foul smells and filter them. This prevents the mixing of odours from different food items to create a bad odour.

You can tackle foul smell without using any harsh chemical cleaners. You can manually deodorize by filling an empty container with the dry baking soda and keeping it in the bottom shelf.

6. Clean Refrigerator Gasket.

It’s mandatory to regularly check the rubber gasket present around the fridge door. Every 3 – 6 months it needs to be cleaned regularly to maintain a tight seal.

Sometimes the gasket may be damaged as the fridge becomes older, then you have to check its condition and replace it with the new one.

7. Clean Refrigerator Coil.

Cleaning the coil is necessary at least twice a year. When you do deep cleaning, then you can stretch your hands on coils, gaskets and other parts of the refrigerator.

Before cleaning check the owner’s manual for specific instructions. Unplug the fridge and carefully pull the appliance away from the wall.

Use a wire brush to clean around the coil and sweep any debris present on the coil. You can use a good vacuum cleaner for thorough cleaning.

Sudarsan Chakraborty
Sudarsan Chakraborty

Sudarsan Chakraborty, an adept blogger and writer, navigates the digital realm with finesse. His passion for storytelling drives him to explore diverse topics from Home Improvement to Business. With clarity and authenticity, Sudarsan captivates audiences, offering unique insights and fostering a community of engaged readers on his blog.

Articles: 729