How to clean a refrigerator inside and out
To clean a refrigerator, take everything out, pull the shelves and drawers, and wash them in the sink with warm water and dish soap. Wipe the inside with a tablespoon of baking soda in a quart of warm water, scrub the door seal with a toothbrush, then dry everything and put the food back. Plan on 45 minutes to an hour.
Do it the day before you shop, when the fridge is at its emptiest.
What do you need?
- A cooler or insulated bags for the food
- Baking soda and dish soap
- Microfiber cloths and a soft sponge
- An old toothbrush
- A pipe cleaner or cotton swab, for the drain hole
- A dry towel to lay shelves on
Leave bleach, strong disinfectant sprays and anything scented out of the fridge. Food picks up smells, and residue on a shelf ends up on what you set down there.
How do you clean a refrigerator, step by step?
- Empty it. Put the food in the cooler. Throw out anything expired, moldy or forgotten. Wipe sticky jars and bottles as you go, so you're not putting the mess straight back.
- Pull the shelves and drawers. Set glass shelves on a towel and let them warm up for a few minutes. Cold glass can crack in hot water.
- Wash the parts. Fill the sink with warm water and dish soap. Wash, rinse and dry each piece. A drawer with a dried-on spill can soak while you do the rest.
- Wipe the inside. Mix the baking soda into warm water and wipe from the top down: ceiling, walls, the back, then the floor of the fridge, so drips land where you haven't cleaned yet.
- Lift stuck spills. Make a paste of baking soda and a little water, spread it on, leave it ten minutes, then wipe.
- Do the door. Wipe the door bins and the shelves on the door, then scrub the folds of the gasket with the toothbrush and the baking soda mix. Crumbs and drips hide in there, and a dirty seal stops the door from closing tight.
- Clear the drain hole. Many fridges have a small drain at the back wall, under the bottom shelf. Run a pipe cleaner or swab through it so water doesn't pool.
- Dry it and restock. Wipe every surface dry, put the shelves and drawers back, and load the food.
Where should things go when you restock?
A sensible layout makes the next clean easier. Keep raw meat on the bottom shelf in a container or tray, so any drip stays contained. Put leftovers and ready-to-eat food on the upper shelves, and produce in the drawers. Keep the door for condiments and drinks. A plastic tray or shelf liner under anything that tends to leak lifts out and goes straight into the sink.
How do you get rid of fridge smells?
Smells come from something, so find it first: a leaking package, an old container at the back, or spilled liquid under a drawer. Throw it out, then wash the area and the drawer. If the smell stays, wash the gasket and check the drip pan under the fridge, if yours has one; your manual shows where it is.
An open box of baking soda on a shelf absorbs what's left. Swap it every couple of months.
What about the outside and the coils?
Doors and handles: wipe with warm, soapy water and a microfiber cloth, then dry. On stainless steel, wipe in the direction of the grain so you don't leave streaks.
Top of the fridge: dust and kitchen grease mix up there into a sticky film. A warm, soapy cloth takes it off. Use a step stool only if you're steady on one.
Coils: dusty coils make the fridge work harder. They're behind the bottom grille or on the back. Unplug the fridge, then vacuum them with a brush attachment once or twice a year, as your manual describes.
Water and ice dispenser: wipe the tray and the nozzle area with warm soapy water. Change the water filter on the schedule your manual gives.
How do you keep the fridge clean between big cleans?
- Once a week, before you shop, throw out old leftovers and wipe any spills.
- Wipe the bottom of jars and bottles before they go back in.
- Store leftovers in clear, lidded containers so nothing gets forgotten.
- Do a full clean, shelves out, every three or four months.
The freezer up top needs its own clean. See how to clean a freezer.
Can you book someone to clean the inside of the fridge?
Yes. On Standard, Deep and Move-In / Move-Out cleaning, the inside of the refrigerator is an add-on you pick when you book. The fridge must be emptied (and on Move-In / Move-Out, defrosted) before the cleaner arrives, and the freezer isn't included.
The outside is covered either way. The exterior of the refrigerator is wiped on every visit of Standard House Cleaning, RoutineCare, and on Move-In / Move-Out Cleaning, CleanStart. On Deep Cleaning, PureRenewal, the top of the refrigerator is included too, where it can be reached.
For the appliance next to it, read how to clean an oven.
FAQ
What should you use to clean the inside of a fridge? Warm water with a tablespoon of baking soda per quart, or warm water with a few drops of dish soap. Skip bleach and strong-smelling sprays inside the fridge, because food picks up the scent and residue.
Can you wash glass fridge shelves in hot water? Let them warm up to room temperature first. A cold glass shelf can crack if it goes straight into hot water.
How do you get rid of a smell in the fridge? Find and throw out the source first, then wash every shelf, drawer and the door seal. An open box of baking soda on a shelf soaks up what's left, and it's worth swapping every couple of months.
How often should you clean your refrigerator? Toss old leftovers and wipe spills once a week, and give it a full clean with the shelves out every three or four months. Vacuum the coils once or twice a year, following your manual.
Can I book someone to clean the inside of my fridge? Yes. Inside refrigerator is an add-on you pick when you book Standard, Deep or Move-In / Move-Out cleaning. The fridge must be emptied (and on Move-In / Move-Out, defrosted) before the cleaner arrives, and the freezer isn't included.
Book a cleaning
We clean homes across South Jersey and Central Jersey. Book online at tinascleanteam.com/book-now, or call or text (609) 831-4455.
