How to Get a Bad Smell Out of a Freezer

Foul odors can lurk inside your freezer.

If you smell a foul odor in your house or garage, it's a good idea to check your freezer early in your search for the culprit. A freezer can develop bad smells when food is stored in it too long, the food wasn't sealed properly or when the power supply has been disrupted for an extended period of time, allowing the food to decay. There are several ways to remove foul freezer odors.

Things You'll Need

• Garbage bags
• Mild dishwashing detergent
• Dishcloths
• Rubber gloves
• Unscented, liquid chlorine bleach
• Bucket
• Baking soda
• Shallow containers
• Activated charcoal
• Cotton balls
• Vanilla extract
• Commercial odor remover

Instructions

1. Turn the freezer off or unplug it from the outlet. Open the freezer and remove all the food from it. Check each item for freezer burn, spoilage or damaged packaging. Dispose of any spoiled or questionable food in a garbage bag. Place foods that are still edible in another freezer. You can also use a cooler with ice for short-term storage.

2. Remove all the shelves, ice cube trays, bins and any other removable pieces. Fill your sink with warm water. Add 1/2 teaspoon of dishwashing detergent and mix it to a sudsy solution with your hand. Wash the items and rinse them thoroughly in clean water.

3. Put on gloves to protect your hands. Sanitize the shelves and other freezer parts. Mix up a solution of 1 tablespoon chlorine bleach per gallon of hot water in a sink. Wash the items thoroughly with a cloth. Rinse them well with clean water and dry them.

4. Mix 1 to 2 tablespoons of baking soda per quart of warm water in a clean bucket. Use a clean cloth to wash the inside walls of the freezer, the inside of the door, and the door gasket using the baking soda and water mixture. Wipe the inside of the freezer dry. Allow the freezer to air out for several days.

5. Remove lingering odors in the freezer. Replace the shelves and other pieces you removed from the freezer. Place shallow containers filled with baking soda on the shelves, on the freezer bottom and in any baskets. Close the freezer and leave it powered off or unplugged. You can also use activated charcoal in place of the baking soda.

6. Soak several cotton balls with vanilla extract. Place them on the shelves and throughout the freezer. Close the door for 24 hours.

7. If you still have lingering odors in your freezer, try using a commercial odor remover.

References

• Michigan State University Extension: Removing Refrigerator and Freezer Odors
• USDA Food Safety & Inspection Service: To Remove Odors from Refrigerators and Freezers