How to get rid of smell in the refrigerator

Sooner or later, an unpleasant odor can develop in any enclosed space. The refrigerator is no exception to this rule. Food not thrown out or covered at the right time, or lack of adequate air circulation cause unwanted odors to appear inside the equipment.

Fortunately, getting rid of this trouble is quite simple. And tips on proper washing and subsequent care of the refrigerator, folk remedies, household chemicals and odor absorbers will help with this. Before you start washing kitchen appliances, you should prepare them:

• disconnect the refrigerator from the power supply;
• free from food;
• leave for a while for the refrigerator to defrost;
• Open the doors to allow fresh air to enter.

Modern refrigerator models have a so-called “zero chamber”. The temperature there usually does not exceed 0 °C. Optimal humidity allows you to store perishable vegetables, fruits, herbs, seafood or fresh meat in it. Therefore, it is recommended to clean the “zero” chamber from food debris as often as possible and treat it with antibacterial solutions.

Proper food storage

Minimizing the risk of unpleasant odors is not difficult. To do this, you need to properly store food in the refrigerator. On the packaging of purchased food, the manufacturer always indicates the shelf life and permissible temperature. Pay special attention to this before placing anything in the refrigerator. Everything else, adhere to the following few rules:

• zone the space in the refrigerator in order to place food in it as compactly and correctly as possible;
• keep dairy products away from meat and fish;
• It is extremely undesirable to place ready-made dishes next to raw food;
• use containers or cover strong-smelling foods with special cling film or foil.

Despite the long shelf life, you should not store canned food in the refrigerator. To do this, just choose any cool place in the apartment and place all the cans there. The fact is that air circulation is disrupted in a loaded refrigerator. This is fraught with the fact that an unpleasant odor will appear in a confined space and bacteria, which are very dangerous to health, will multiply. It is better to allocate the side door for products that do not spoil for a long time. These can be various sauces, eggs, food additives, etc.

Folk recipes on how to quickly remove smell from the refrigerator

Despite the fact that household chemical stores offer a wide range of different detergents, some resort to using folk recipes. Firstly, it is much cheaper. Secondly, you don’t need to run to the nearest store, because everything you need to clean your refrigerator will most likely be at hand.Thirdly, natural ingredients will not cause allergies.

Lemon – a natural acid that neutralizes unpleasant odors in a matter of minutes.

It is necessary to defrost the refrigerator and freezer and empty the contents. Apply a few drops of lemon juice to a sponge and thoroughly scrub the shelves and doors. If necessary, you can repeat the procedure. Then, cut the lemon into small slices and place them in the refrigerator. Remove them after a day, otherwise the lemon will gradually disappear and form an unpleasant odor.

Attention! Do not treat metal parts of the refrigerator with lemon juice.

Black bread – an excellent way to combat foreign odors.

Take a loaf of black bread and cut it into small slices. Place them on the refrigerator shelves, on the side door. Brown bread absorbs aromas well and after a few hours there will be no unwanted odors left in the refrigerator. Before using this method, it is better to first wipe all surfaces of the refrigerator with a damp sponge or moisten it with any detergent. Be sure to get rid of spoiled food, if any.

How to get rid of the smell of mold, rotten fish or rotten meat

Many people believe that only expensive household chemicals are suitable for combating persistent unpleasant odors. You can eliminate the smell of mold, rotten fish or rotten meat using improvised means that can be found in every home. The main thing is that it will cost much less than buying various sprays and gels for cleaning surfaces.

Soda. Before using this method, it is better to first wash the refrigerator, clearing it of food residues.Soda must be diluted in a glass of warm water (in a ratio of 1 to 10). Dip a kitchen sponge into the resulting mixture and wipe all surfaces inside the refrigerator with it. Leave the doors open for at least half an hour. After this, go over the area where the soda solution was with a clean sponge. This method copes well with persistent unpleasant odors. If you wish, you can leave a couple of saucers with soda inside the refrigerator, changing them once a month.

Vinegar. Another budget but effective option. Add a tablespoon of vinegar to a glass of water. This solution is best applied to a soft cloth, then wipe the shelves, side doors, freezer compartment and refrigerator walls with it. Don't immediately fill your kitchen appliances with food. It is necessary to leave the refrigerator to ventilate for 1-2 hours to remove the rather strong smell of vinegar. If necessary, treat the surfaces with a sponge soaked in plain water.

In addition to this they use:

• ammonia – dilute a few drops in a glass of water and wipe the surfaces inside the refrigerator with the resulting solution;
• Activated carbon – grind 40–50 tablets, pour the resulting powder into saucers and place them inside the unit;
• coffee beans – help cope with unwanted odors inside equipment.

How to remove odor with professional cleaning agents

Today, stores offer a wide range of various household chemicals that successfully combat unpleasant odors and clean surfaces well. It is important to choose not only an effective, but also a safe refrigerator cleaner.As for use, it is enough to apply the gel or spray to a sponge and treat all surfaces and the freezer with it. After this, wipe the refrigerator with a damp cloth. Among the most effective means are the following:

• Cif - available in spray form, has a light aroma, and in a matter of minutes helps to cope with unpleasant odors and dirt on surfaces.
• Sano for washing refrigerators - is used economically due to the convenient dispenser, and leaves behind a pleasant aroma.
• Glorix is ​​a product that not only perfectly cleans the refrigerator, but also disinfects it. Available in gel form, hypoallergenic.

For convenience, create a schedule for washing household appliances. This will minimize the possibility of unpleasant odors forming inside the refrigerator. As for the frequency of performing this procedure, it is advisable to do this at least once every 2 weeks.

Modern odor absorbers, ionizers

In addition to household chemicals, stores offer an assortment of odor absorbers. By placing such products in the refrigerator, the housewife can be sure that kitchen appliances will have to be washed much less often than usual. The following are in demand among consumers:

• gel absorbers - composed of citric acid and algae, eliminate unpleasant odors and help minimize the number of bacteria in a confined space;
• plastic absorbers with silicone - a budget option, the packaging will last for at least a year;
• An ionizer is a rather expensive but effective device; the air does not stagnate in the refrigerator, and dangerous microbes die under the influence of the electronic device;
• dispensary cleaners - are cartridges filled with carbon; one cartridge works for several months;
• Egg-shaped air freshener is a popular new product in stores; it contains coal inside, has a pleasant appearance and effectively eliminates unwanted odors.

It happens that the purchased refrigerator has an unpleasant odor inside. This problem can be easily dealt with. It is enough to treat the shelves and freezer with warm water, a sponge and any detergent. After this, it is advisable to place any odor absorber inside.

Finally

It is easier to prevent the occurrence of unpleasant odors than to get rid of the consequences later. Therefore, in addition to basic recommendations for storing food, you should carefully monitor the serviceability of the refrigerator. The most common causes of unwanted aroma inside the unit can be:

• clogged drain, water stagnates, bacteria multiply inside;
• power outages lead to frequent defrosting of the refrigerator;
• the equipment does not correspond to the power declared in the passport, the temperature in the refrigerator compartment is far from the required standards.

If you notice one of these technical problems, it is better to immediately seek help from a technician. Thus, you will not only not encounter unpleasant odors, but will also significantly extend the life of the refrigerator.