How to Refresh a Smelly Refrigerator

Is something fouling the air around your refrigerator? Assuming it's not a long-forgotten dish left inside, there are two common causes: mold growing inside the drip pan, or dust overheating on the condenser coils.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Bleach
• Sponge
• Vacuum And Attachments
• Soap
• Bucket
• Flashlight

Cleaning a drip pan

1. Remove the grill along the bottom of your refrigerator. Locate the drip pan, using a flashlight if necessary. The pan should be sitting on a set of black condenser coils.

2. Remove the pan and wash it. Use a mixture of warm, soapy water and bleach to kill the mold.

3. Reinstall the pan and the grill.

Cleaning the condenser coils

1. Locate the coils. They look like thin, black radiators and may be underneath the fridge or attached to the back.

2. 

   If the coils are on the back, pull the refrigerator away from the wall, then vacuum the dusty coils, using the brush and crevice attachments. Reinstall the refrigerator grill.

3. If the coils are underneath, pull off the grill and remove the drip pan. Vacuum the dusty coils, using the crevice attachment to get between them (see illustration). Take care not to damage the delicate coils. Reinstall the refrigerator grill.

Tips & Warnings

• To clean coils thoroughly, buy a condenser coil brush. Sold at home centers and appliance stores, these long, thin brushes are designed to fit into tight spots.

• Your refrigerator's electrical parts can produce an acrid smell if they malfunction. If the strategies suggested here don't cure your problem, ask a professional to check your system.