How to Clean a Stinky Refrigerator

Items left to mold and rot leave a refrigerator smelling terrible.

A refrigerator can get stinky for many reasons. It's easy to forget about a dish left in the back of the refrigerator, for example, and even in the cool temperature of refrigeration, food will spoil and start to stink. Removing the spoiled food will help but won’t always get rid of the smell entirely--in that case, you’ll need to do a thorough cleaning of your refrigerator.

Things You'll Need

• Trash bags
• Ice
• Rubber gloves
• Sponges
• Dish detergent
• Bucket
• Baking soda (2 boxes)
• Towels
• Shallow pans

Instructions

1. Remove all the food from the refrigerator. Inspect each item to make sure it is not past its expiration date. Check labels on bottled items. If you can't read an item's expiration date for some reason, throw it out.

2. Throw out all moldy foods. Place the good foods in your freezer for now or in an ice chest with ice.

3. Remove vegetable bin drawers and other removable drawers. Moisture tends to collect beneath these; therefore, you should clean beneath them if possible.

4. Mix one tablespoon or more of dish detergent in a bucket of warm water. Add 1/2 cup of baking soda. Scrub down all interior surfaces of the refrigerator with this solution.

5. Dump out the bucket of cleaning solution. Add fresh water. Use a towel dampened in this water to rinse the interior. After it has been thoroughly rinsed, dry it with a clean towel.

6. Clean out the refrigerator drawers in your kitchen sink. Use baking soda and dish detergent for this, as well. Dry them and then place them back in the refrigerator. At this time, check for odor in the refrigerator. If none remains, place the food back into the refrigerator. If an odor remains, go to step 7.

7. Unplug your refrigerator. Spread baking soda in shallow pans (baking pans will work) and place these on the shelves in your refrigerator. Leave these in the refrigerator, with the doors open, for 2 to 3 hours. (If you left food in the freezer section, remember to keep that door closed so frozen food does not thaw out.)

References

• Mrs. Clean USA: Refrigerator Odors