Have you ever wandered into your kitchen in search of a yummy midnight snack only to open your fridge and be completely put off by the smells coming out? Well, those smells typically come from unseen food spillage, old milk and foods that you have entirely forgotten to throw away. 

While you can get rid of the old and spoiled food, getting rid of those smells is a totally different issue. When left unattended for a while, these odours can get into your refrigerator’s ventilation system and stay there – making them very hard to get rid of, no matter how clean you keep your fridge. 

The Truth About A Smelly Fridge

Odours are mainly caused by mould or bacteria buildup. As bacteria grow, they can start moving to different parts, contaminating all the food in your fridge. 

These microbes not only cause smells but are also dangerous since they can make you or your family members fall pretty ill. 

To help tackle this issue and keep those smells at bay, here is our guide on how to clean a smelly fridge.

Step 1: Take Everything Out Of Your Fridge And Freezer

Regardless of if you’ve removed the item causing the smell, you should empty out your fridge and freezer. Make sure you keep any perishables in a cold storage bag or somewhere where they can stay until you can put them back into your fridge. 

The reason for removing all items is so that you can access every part of your fridge and so that you will be able to see if there are any spills that have occurred. 

Step 2: Thoroughly Wash All Shelves, Baskets And Bins

If you’re someone who likes to organise, you probably have plenty of storage baskets in your fridge, which need to be cleaned from time to time. 

If you do not have different storage baskets in your fridge, you will still need to remove the shelves and bins to give them a good cleaning. 

Use your regular dishwashing liquid to clean, and remember to replace these shelves and bins only when they are completely dry. If there is residual moisture, it can cause mould to grow back. 

Don’t forget to remove any frozen ice that sticks to the back of your freezer.

Step 3: Clean Out The Inside

Water alone will not help clean out a fridge properly. You can use store-bought cleaning solutions, or you can choose to use something natural. 

If you would like to go down the homemade, DIY route, then make your own cleaning solution! Simply mix a little baking soda with water or vinegar to form a paste and spread it on the inside of your fridge. If you have hard stains to remove, then you can allow it to sit for an hour.

Then, use a clean microfiber cloth and make sure to remove all of this cleaning paste. 

If you are using a store-bought cleaning solution, follow the instructions on the bottle to clean out the inside of your fridge. 

Ensure you clean under the vegetable bin, the doors and even underneath your fridge. Don’t forget your freezer too in order to thoroughly clean a smelly fridge!

Step 4: Deodorising Your Fridge

Now that it’s nice and clean on the inside, you should allow it to air out. Unplug your fridge, leave the door open and let it stay this way for at least 30 minutes to an hour. This allows your fridge to dry out completely – ensuring that there is little chance of mould regrowth, and will help get rid of lingering smells. 

However, if you do not have the time to do this, you can use a clean and dry microfiber towel and wipe down the insides of your fridge. 

Then, you can use any one of these ways to get rid of lingering aromas, like; 

  1. Place lemon wedges on the corners of each shelf in your fridge-eliminating bad smells and giving your fridge a fresh citrusy aroma!
  2. Place some coffee grounds in a small saucer and place it in the corner of one shelf.
  3. Use cotton balls dipped in your favourite essential oil and place them in the corners of one or two of the shelves. 
  4. Put a small amount of baking soda on a saucer and place it on the corner of a shelf. Baking soda absorbs nasty smells and will help keep your fridge smelling good.

If Your Fridge Is Still Smelly

If you’ve cleaned it out from top to bottom, and the smell just isn’t going away, then it may be that the odour has gotten into the evaporator coil. This coil is what makes the cold air, and the fan distributes this cold air throughout your fridge and freezer. 

Cleaning out these coils isn’t an easy task, and you should keep your fridge turned off as you do so. 

You can check the user manual of your fridge for specific instructions on how to clean these coils. 

Making Sure That Your Fridge Is Never Smelly Again

Now that it’s clean and smelling fresh, you should ensure that those awful odours do not come back again. 

Apart from using items like baking soda, coffee grounds, lemons etc., you should also;

  1. Keep your fridge set at the right temperature for where you live. If the temperature is too warm, it could help bacteria to grow. If the temperature is too cold, your food will be improperly stored.
  2. Make sure you use good-quality airtight containers to store leftovers. 
  3. Use produce bags to store fruit and veg. This helps prevent spills and enables you to identify what produce you have remaining. 
  4. Keep track of the date when you keep leftovers in the fridge. This ensures that you don’t forget what you have left to eat. 
  5. Keep your fridge well organised.
  6. Try maintaining a routine cleaning schedule for your fridge – so you never have to clean a smelly fridge again!

It’s also recommended to have professionals service your fridge regularly so that all the mechanicals and electricals continue to work smoothly. This prevents those awful smells and serious damage from happening too!