Your fridge can really stink sometimes! Try these handy tips.
Your fridge can really stink sometimes! Try these handy tips.
If you've spilled something and it goes undetected it can smell. Leftovers from a meal or take-away can stink too. Here is how to stop the lingering smells that these and other mishaps can leave behind in your fridge.
Wrap it Up!
And wrap it up a second time. Most pungent smells come from produce that has a strong odour that escapes into your fridge. Things like cut onions, chopped garlic, or cheeses can give a very funky small. Store these in plastic containers or double wrop them in foil or cling film.
Add the fridge to your weekly clean
We know the lists are long but a regular cleaning routine is the best thing to keep that stink at bay. When doing so check for spilled juice or milk or food past its use by date. Then use mixture of baking soda, mild soap and water to bust those stains. If possible it really helps when you remove the drawers or shelves and it also makes the job alot easier). Avoid bleach as it might crack the fridge's surfaces.
Know when it's time to take action
A box of baking soda tucked away on a shelf helps absorb smell, but it suck up everything. If you're faced with a very bad smell, then remove all of it's contents (see if a neighbour will oblige storing your food items) and unplug it. Leave the door open for 24 hours and allow for a day of ventilation.
A box of baking soda tucked away on a shelf helps absorb smell, but it suck up everything. If you're faced with a very bad smell, then remove all of it's contents (see if a neighbour will oblige storing your food items) and unplug it. Leave the door open for 24 hours and allow for a day of ventilation.
Keep any hot leftovers away from your milk
Food that needs to be refrigerated shouldn't be left out for more than two hours, so leftovers can sometimes still be warm when you put them in. If you store warmer food next to dairy or meat there's a chance of increasing the temperature of the already refrigerated items and they will spoil and then smell more quickly.
Food that needs to be refrigerated shouldn't be left out for more than two hours, so leftovers can sometimes still be warm when you put them in. If you store warmer food next to dairy or meat there's a chance of increasing the temperature of the already refrigerated items and they will spoil and then smell more quickly.
Keep strong-smelling foods in drawers
Store meats in one of the drawers- not on a shelves. This is to prevent dripping juices from the meat seeping into other foods and also any staining to the shelves.
Store meats in one of the drawers- not on a shelves. This is to prevent dripping juices from the meat seeping into other foods and also any staining to the shelves.
Mind your ice
Food smells can travel and waft from the fridge to the freezer. These odors may transfer to your ice cubes and spoil the taste. So clean your trays regularly and if you do experience foul tasting ice, note it as a food spoilage warning sign.
Call the manufacturer to check the insulation
Smells that last for days even you've scrubbed, emptied, and aired out the fridge overnight might have problems with the insulation. It's very hard to get rid of smell that's seeped into the insulation liner, so call the manufacturer as your firdge might need maintenance.
Smells that last for days even you've scrubbed, emptied, and aired out the fridge overnight might have problems with the insulation. It's very hard to get rid of smell that's seeped into the insulation liner, so call the manufacturer as your firdge might need maintenance.