Odor in a Freezer

Bad smells can come from your freezer.

When you walk into your home, you might notice a strong odor coming from your freezer. In some cases, the smell will be so strong that it will prevent you from opening your freezer. No matter what is causing the odor in your freezer, discover and eliminate the cause as soon as possible so you can remove the odor and use the appliance properly.

Odor Sources

Food is one of the most common causes of a strong smell in a freezer. Though freezing does lengthen the life of some foods, they will eventually spoil. When food spoils, it will emit a rotten odor. Food does not need to spoil to cause an odor in your freezer. If you are freezing a very strong-smelling food, the odor might spread throughout your freezer and could contaminate other food items.

Odor Prevention

Prevent food from rotting by writing its expiration date or the date that you placed it in the freezer on the package. Go through the freezer several times per month to throw away food that has passed its expiration date or to use food that is nearing its date. Prevent odors from moving from one food item to another by wrapping frozen foods in several layers of plastic wrap or zip-top bags.

Removing Odor Sources

The first step to removing smells is to remove the source of the smell. Open your freezer, and wedge something in the door to keep it open as you are working. Smell each item in your freezer, and throw it out if it smells rotten. If it has a strong smell, wrap it in an additional layer of plastic or in a zip-top bag.

Removing Odors

The freezer odors may still remain even after you remove the source of the odors because the walls and floor of the freezer have absorbed some of the odor residue. Remove this odor with natural ingredients that will absorb and neutralize odors. Mix one part water with one part white vinegar. Spray the white vinegar over the entire freezer, and wipe the walls down. The white vinegar will neutralize the odors. If the smell is still apparent, sprinkle the freezer floor with baking soda and let it sit for several hours before wiping it up and throwing it away.

References

• United State Food and Drug Administration: Removing Odors from Refrigerators & Freezers
• Whirlpool: Refrigerator/Freezer Odor Removal