Clean Team: How to Deep Clean Your Refrigerator in 8 Steps
Follow our easy guidelines and tips for your cleanest crisper yet.
It’s a shameful, universal truth: Your refrigerator is probably chock-full of food products that you haven’t used in months or—gasp!—even years. Whether it’s sauces, dressings, or condiments, there comes a time when you have to purge your fridge of old, unnecessary items. That time also presents a great opportunity to deep clean your fridge and eliminate any lingering smells caused by that seven-month-old jar of mayonnaise.
Looking to finally clean your fridge but unsure where to start? Don’t worry, the Clean Team is here to help. Keep reading for everything you need to know about cleaning your fridge—from selecting supplies to obliterating odors.
Gather your supplies
The first step to cleaning your fridge is selecting the right supplies. Before you venture into the great unknown (AKA the deepest corners of your refrigerator), make sure you’re equipped with the tools for the job:
How to Deep Clean Your Fridge
Now that you have your tools in hand, it’s time to get down to the nitty-gritty. Roll up your sleeves, put on your rubber gloves, and follow these steps to achieve the perfect clean:
Go shelf by shelf and take everything out: It’s hard to work in a cluttered space, so remove everything from your fridge before you start scrubbing. Forgot about that jar of fancy mustard you had? Use this as a way to take stock of what you have on hand.
Check expiration dates: Review the expiration dates of every item in your fridge and toss the ones that have expired. If an item is close to expiration and you’re not ready to get rid of it, put it back in a place that’s extra visible so you won’t forget to use it.
Toss or clean those food containers: Is that lasagna or cherry pie? Don’t leave forgotten leftovers in the back of the fridge. Certain foods can permanently stain food storage containers, so don’t feel bad throwing them out if they look (or smell) kind of gross.
Remove each shelf and the crisper bins, if possible: After removing all of the food items from your fridge, take out the shelves and storage bins to clean them individually.
Pro tip: To prevent shattering, wait for glass shelves to reach room temperature before dunking them in cold water.
Spray it down: A deep clean starts with a good spray. No one wants to eat food that tastes of lavender cleaning solution, so use unscented cleaners with odor-eliminating properties, like baking soda and water or mild-scented dish soap—and never use bleach.
Start scrubbing: Put your back into it! If you’re having trouble with caked-on messes, apply some baking soda solution and let it sit for a while to break it up.
Clean the inside of the fridge with a rag or non-abrasive sponge: You don’t want to damage the plastic that lines the sides of your fridge or the inside of your fridge door, so use something soft to wipe it down. Rags and non-abrasive sponges are great for soaking up any leftover cleaning solution.
Change the water filter: If your fridge has a water filter, make sure you check the manufacturer warranty to see how often you should change it. The typical recommendation is to change it once every six months.
For a Deeper Clean
While you should be cleaning your fridge at least once every few months, the following fridge maintenance can be performed once or twice a year:
Unplug your fridge and vacuum underneath: You’d be surprised how much dust can gather and how many crumbs can be kicked under your fridge throughout the year. Pull it out and clean the space with a broom or vacuum.
Clean out your refrigerator’s drip tray or vent: Did you know your fridge has a receptacle that catches condensation that drains out from your freezer? Wipe it out with a damp cloth to prevent mold or mildew from forming.
Remove crumbs and gunk from the door seams: Bits of food may have found their way into the rubber door seams on your fridge. Run a rag between the folds to clear them away.
How to Eliminate Lingering Refrigerator Smells
The best way to avoid suspicious smells is to keep your refrigerator between 35° and 38° F—the ideal temperature range to keep food from spoiling. Still experiencing some stink? Try neutralizing it with these odor-eliminating products:
- Baking soda: Squash smells by opening a box of baking soda and placing it in the back of your fridge.
- Coffee grounds: Sprinkle a heap of coffee grounds on a small plate and place it on a shelf to absorb odor. Coffee has a strong smell in and of itself, so make sure to remove any food items from the fridge before trying this method.
- Activated charcoal: Similar to baking soda, activated charcoal can be left in the back of the fridge to fight foul odor around the clock.
Keeping Your Fridge Odor-Free
Sam’s Club is the perfect place to pick up the supplies you need to finally deep clean your refrigerator and stock up on preventative products to keep odors at bay. With your Sam’s Club membership, you’ll experience savings on all of our fridge-cleaning essentials. And with Free Club Pickup, you won’t have to spend time searching for them in store—you can order online and get them sent straight to your door.