How to Rid Your Freezer of a Fish Odor

If the electricity goes off while you are on a trip, you may return home to find a mess in your freezer. Frozen items can leak when they begin to thaw, and thawed, leaky seafood is one of the worst offenders to your olfactory senses. Cleaning the freezer is a necessary task, but basic cleaning is not likely to remove the fish odor from the freezer. Eliminating the fish odor is a multi-step process that will require a couple of days to complete.

Things You'll Need

• Ice chest
• Dishwashing liquid
• Baking soda
• Quart-size spray bottle
• Sponge
• White vinegar or household ammonia
• Pans or bowls
• Activated charcoal or coffee grounds

Instructions

1. Empty the freezer of all food items and place them in another freezer or an ice chest. You will not be able to return the food to the freezer for a couple of days. Do not unplug the freezer for cleaning.

2. Remove all removable trays and containers from the refrigerator, and place them in the sink for cleaning with dishwashing liquid and water.

3. Pour one tbsp. of baking soda into a quart-size spray bottle. Fill the bottle with warm water and shake well to mix the contents.

4. Spray the baking soda cleaner in the freezer and scrub it with a sponge. Be sure to clean the door liner.

5. Rinse the freezer with cool water and a sponge.

6. Pour 1/4 cup of white vinegar or household ammonia in a quart-size spray bottle. Fill the remainder of the bottle with warm water and shake well to mix the contents.

7. Spray the cleaning solution in the freezer and allow it to sit for 15 minutes.

8. Rinse the freezer with cool water and a sponge.

9. Place pans of activated charcoal or bowls of coffee grounds in the bottom of the freezer and let them sit for two days to absorb the odor. The smell of charcoal or coffee grounds will disappear soon after you remove the containers from the freezer.

Tips & Warnings

• You can use household bleach instead of vinegar or ammonia at a mix rate of 1/8 cup of bleach to one quart of water.

• Do not use vinegar, ammonia and bleach to clean your freezer. If mixed, the three items can create toxic fumes that may be fatal.

References

• "Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary Things"; Reader's Digest Staff; 2005