How and with what to clean the refrigerator

Household appliances need regular “baths”. Food contamination is among the most persistent. The refrigerator, due to its duty, stores various products, which not only dirty it, but also give the refrigeration unit a specific “aroma”. We have to fight both dirt and smell. Both a newly purchased item and something that has been in use for a long time needs care.

How to effectively clean a refrigerator

To clean refrigerators, you can use special detergents sold in every store. Or use those substances that are at hand. Based on them, many folk recipes have been invented and successfully used for washing such a problematic piece of furniture as a refrigerator.

Popular store-bought products for safely cleaning the inside of the refrigerator

Most housewives use dishwashing detergent to clean the inside of the refrigerator. In case of severe dirt and ingrained unpleasant odor, they are not effective enough, and the foam has to be washed off in several approaches. There are more modern and practical products specifically designed for cleaning refrigeration devices. This arsenal includes wipes, gel and spray. They not only perfectly clean, but also disinfect surfaces. The formulations are very easy to use and do not require rinsing.

Reference! Do not use abrasive powder products (Comet, Pemolux, etc.) to remove stubborn stains. This can cause scratches on plastic and glass surfaces.

Here are the most popular special products for washing household appliances:

• EdelWeiss (Russia) — a spray with a pleasant neutral odor and liquid consistency. A spray nozzle with “spray” and “foam” modes allows you to use the cleaning product easily and economically.
• TopHouse (Germany) — a set of 2 or 3 elements. The main “working” force of the set is a cleaning agent and a napkin with a special structure. A nice addition is the gel-based odor absorber. Suitable not only for home refrigerators, but also for car refrigerators.
• Refrigerator cleaner - does not require rinsing with water, sprays in the form of foam and simply wipes off with a dry cloth after 2 minutes. Recommended for cleaning the internal and external surfaces of the refrigeration unit.
• "Clean refrigerator" (LUXUS company) is also sprayed in the form of foam or spray, after 5 minutes it is wiped dry.Contains plant extracts, therefore safe to use.
• EFSTO - an economical option for cleaning the refrigerator, it cleans well without leaving scratches. The presence of chlorine components is harmful to the skin, so gloves must be used.

There are a lot of products, you can choose an option that suits both its cleaning capabilities and your budget.

Folk remedies that will help clean the device after defrosting

Or you can use the advice of grandmothers, especially since every housewife has the components for cleaning solutions in her cupboard.

• Baking soda. Dissolve 2 tablespoons of baking soda in half a liter of warm water. Using a soft cloth, wipe the walls and shelves of the refrigerator. Potassium bicarbonate restores whiteness and removes unpleasant odors.
• Toothpaste. An unusual way to clean plastic boxes and trays. Squeeze a little paste onto a sponge and rub the surface with it, then rinse under running water. This procedure gives a pleasant smell and restores shine.
• Ammonia. Fights mold and yellow spots. Problem areas are well moistened with ammonia, wait half an hour and rinse thoroughly with water. In case of severe moldiness, you can act in two approaches.
• Laundry soap. Used in the form of an emulsion. The block, the blacker the better, needs to be grated and mixed with warm water. This solution is good for cleaning the rubber seals around the perimeter of the doors.
• Lemon acid. 2 tablespoons of lemon crystals are dissolved in 0.5 liters of water. The interior surfaces of the refrigerator are washed with a rag. This is the easiest way to freshen the air in your home refrigerator.

Advice! Activated carbon tablets tied in a cloth on the refrigerator door will help fight the unpleasant odor.

How to properly wash a new refrigerator and disinfect it before first use

After delivery, the new refrigerator also needs a wet cleaning. There may have been microparticles of plastic, chemical reagents left in it, it could have become dusty while it was being transported, microbes remained after the touch of potential buyers, sellers and loaders.

Effective means for cleaning a new device before turning it on

The new unit does not need to remove unpleasant odors, so products with fragrances will be superfluous. The persistent smell of plastic can be removed by airing. Soda will help to carry out the first sanitization. We discussed how to prepare the solution above.

We thoroughly wash all the elements of the new item, not forgetting the drawers, shelves on the door and ice trays. Then wipe dry with a well-absorbing cloth. To disinfect, you can wipe surfaces with vodka or ammonia. You can turn on the unit to the network, setting the desired cold mode, only after all the elements have completely dried.

How not to spoil your refrigerator from the first days of use

A new unit should not be connected to the network immediately after delivery. It must stand for several hours so that the sweaty metal parts have time to dry and the freon is evenly distributed throughout the system. In summer, this will take an hour.

Glass shelves should be washed only with warm water; hot water may cause them to burst. Once every six months, conventional refrigerators need to be defrosted. Do not remove ice accumulations by picking with sharp objects. This may compromise the integrity of the coating.Let defrosting occur naturally.

How to clean the outside of a refrigerator

The outside of the refrigerator is washed with the same means as the inside: soap solution, dish soap, special compounds and using folk recipes. The peculiarity of external contamination is that if it comes close to the stove, unaesthetic, difficult-to-remove traces of grease may appear on the white surface of the unit.

Special products for cleaning stoves, ovens and grills (“Anti-grease”, etc.) will help you deal with them. Pre-contaminated areas should be soaked with soapy water and then treated with a grease remover. After a certain time, wash the surface with warm water.

Attention! Metal sponges will leave scratches on the gloss of the refrigerator.

How to remove stickers from a refrigerator

The easiest way to get rid of stickers on your refrigerator door is to not stick them on. Otherwise, frayed and faded stickers will have to be removed, and this is a rather labor-intensive process. To easily remove the sticker, you can heat it with a hairdryer and carefully remove the heated glue with a plastic spatula. You will have to tinker with the remaining glue stain.

The glue needs to be softened; to do this, the stain is smeared with alcohol, vinegar or nail polish remover. After 10 minutes, wash the stain with a sponge and soap. There are special products on sale that can soften the glue, but any remaining glue will still have to be washed off by hand.

How to remove gray scratches from magnets

If the scratches are minor, then you can use a window cleaner; in addition to alcohol, it contains a detergent base that gently removes stains. Nail polish remover and vinegar can also help.

Attention! You cannot use acetone in its pure form, it can damage the enamel.

How to properly clean a refrigerator at home so that an unpleasant odor does not appear in it for a long time

Cleaning the refrigerator is carried out in several stages. For an ideal result, work without haste, conscientiously washing away stubborn stains.

1. Defrosting. The refrigerator is turned off from the network or switched to “defrost” mode. The contents of the freezers are placed on ice, and the shelves are cleared of food. At the same time, they are checked for freshness. The ice should melt naturally, you can help it by sprinkling it with warm water.
2. The washing up. All parts are washed with warm water with the addition of the selected cleaning agent. Particular attention is paid to corners and joints, rubber seals. Soap suds are thoroughly washed off.
3. Fighting odor. Wipe all shelves and walls with an odor remover (vinegar solution, lemon water or a special product) and wipe dry.
4. Leave the unit open until completely dry.

To prevent odors from appearing, you need to keep your equipment clean at all times. You can use special odor traps with gel or traditional methods - half a lemon or tea bags.

Troubleshooting complex problems

How to clean the inside of the refrigerator from yellowness

The plastic inside the refrigeration unit may turn from white to yellow over time. While sunlight may be the culprit on the outside, pollution on the inside may be causing the yellowness. The simplest thing is to buy a special spray with a bleaching effect for plastic. It will remove yellowness and cover the surface with a protective film. You can deal with the problem using traditional methods:

• You can treat yellowed surfaces with vinegar essence (70%). Work strictly with gloves and immediately wash off the vinegar with warm water.Weak concentrations (9%) will be powerless against old stains.
• Chlorine bleaches. Shelves, doors and drawers can be soaked in a chlorine solution for 2 hours or more, but vertical surfaces will have to be covered with cloth napkins soaked in bleach and care for constant humidity.
• A mixture of washing powder and soda in equal parts. The paste is applied to the plastic and left to act for 2 hours, then washed off.

How to clean mold from a refrigerator with vinegar

When fighting mold inside the refrigerator, it is undesirable to use chemicals with strong odors. Vinegar will help here. It must be applied to areas where mold accumulates. Leave for an hour so as not to give the fungus a chance to survive. Wash thoroughly with soapy water. If necessary, repeat the treatment.

In a clean refrigerator, food is stored better and you don’t have to worry about your family’s health.