How to Eliminate Spoiled Meat Odor

Stored in the wrong temperature, meat can quickly spoil.

The smell of spoiled meat is unmistakable and nearly impossible to cover up. When bacteria is given the opportunity to multiply, it does so at an alarming rate, creating slime and odors and making the meat unsafe to consume. If your refrigerator or freezer has recently gone out or you simply left meat out too long, the room temperature is all it takes to create an ideal environment for bacteria. Eliminating this highly unpleasant smell starts with getting rid of the source.

Things You'll Need

• Plastic bag
• Rubber gloves
• Dish or laundry detergent
• Clean cloth or sponge
• Chlorine bleach
• Pan
• Fan
• Baking soda
• White vinegar

Instructions

1. Place the spoiled meat into a plastic bag and discard it in your outside trash to get it out of your home. If the packaging is leaking, wear gloves to keep the bacteria and blood off your skin.

2. Wash hard surfaces to eliminate any slime or blood that may have leaked from the meat onto hard surfaces, such as counters, with warm soapy water. Sanitize the area once it is clean to eliminate lingering bacteria with a weak solution of 2 tablespoons of. chlorine bleach in 1 quart of water.

3. Clean out your refrigerator or freezer if the spoiled meat was stored in either place. Take every item out of the refrigerator or freezer and inspect it for contamination. Fluids from the spoiled meat may have leaked onto other items and those should be promptly discarded.

4. Wash out the inside of your refrigerator or freezer with soapy water. Defrost the freezer first by unplugging it and allowing the ice to melt. Place a tray in the freezer to collect moisture. Once the inside of the unit is cleaned with the soapy water, use a damp cloth or sponge to rinse it out. Leave the unit open for 30-45 minutes to allow it to air out.

5. Create a flow of air through your kitchen to help force thie unpleasant odor out. Open windows and use fans to aid in introducing fresh air to the area.

6. Place an open box of baking soda in your refrigerator to help absorb odors that may remain. Air is circulated from between the refrigerator and freezer in most units so keeping the baking soda in the refrigerator can help keep the air fresh in both areas.

7. Dampen a cloth with white vinegar and wring it out. Wave the cloth through the air to help get rid of odors lingering in the air.

8. Launder any fabrics that may have made contact with the spoiled meat, such as dish towels and rags used for cleaning. Wash them with detergent according to the manufacturer's instructions and add a cup of baking soda to help with odors.

Tips & Warnings

• If the spoiled meat was in your refrigerator or freezer and the unit needs to be cleaned, place the food you take out in an ice chest or make your own by lining a box with a towel and filling it with ice before placing the food into to keep it cold.

References

• University of Illinois Extension: Storing Meat in Your Refrigerator
• Colorado State University Extension; If Your Freezer Stops; L. Price, et al; December 2010
• University of Kentucky: Odors: What's That Smell?; Linda R. Adler; January 1997