How to Clean Your Refrigerator With Baking Soda

As a young college student living on my own, it took me a very long time to realize that refrigerators, if not cleaned, can get really nasty, really quickly... Here is a simple, cheap solution to always having a clean and sanitary fridge.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Baking soda (about a tablespoon or two)
• 1 quart of hot water
• A spray bottle
• 2 rags (or paper towels)

1. 
    

   First things first: unfortunately, you're going to have to clean out your fridge. This means taking everything out of the drawers, removing everything from the shelves, and either keeping the food, and throwing the items that have gone bad away.

2. 
    

   Next, you need to place about a quart of hot water and about 1 to 2 tablespoons of the baking soda into a spray bottle (you can find cheap ones at Wal-Mart). Shake it up to mix the solution.

3. Spray generously everywhere in the fridge-- on the shelves, in the drawers, EVERYWHERE.

4. Quickly, while the water is still warm, soak the solution up from the fridge using towels or paper towels. Be sure to scrub harder at food that is stuck on the surface or any stains. Wipe the fridge down until it is sparkling clean. This should take only a minute or two, depending on how messy your fridge was.

5. 
    

   Place all of the items back into the refrigerator. Make sure to repeat this procedure as often as necessary, usually every month or two.

Tips & Warnings

• For odor control, sprinkle some of the baking soda into a small dish and place it in the back of the fridge after everything is clean. Clay cat litter is also good for this use.
• Be careful not to add too much baking soda, as a thick solution could leave particles behind in the fridge.

[Viol]

on 12/24/2008 Oh!! thanks for sharing this.

[tikrit01]

on 12/23/2008 Great idea! 5 stars

[jdarling86]

on 12/22/2008 Good article. Something that needs to be done but not necessarily a good job.

[voliegurl]

on 12/20/2008 It works like a charm, thanks!

[Susanh]

on 12/20/2008 Once the refrigerator is clean and everything is organized, it's a great feeling! Good job on your instructions and photos.