Your refrigerator is one of the hardest-working appliances in your home, running around the clock every single day of the year. However, when it comes to cleaning it, you may neglect this important task. While spills get wiped up here and there and expired items get tossed out, a real deep clean might not happen as often as it should.
Spring is the perfect time to change that and give your fridge a thorough reset before summer produce, cookouts and longer days put it to even heavier use.
Empty It Completely
You can’t deep-clean your refrigerator by working around what’s inside it. Pull everything out, including shelves and drawers, and set them aside while you work. This is also a good time to double-check expiration dates, toss out anything questionable and take stock of what you actually have before your next grocery run.
Wash the Shelves and Drawers Separately
Refrigerator shelves and drawers accumulate more residue than you might think. Wash them in the sink with warm, soapy water and make sure it gets into the corners and edges. If your shelves are glass, let them come to room temperature before running hot water over them to avoid cracking. Stubborn sticky spots respond well to a short soak before scrubbing. Dry everything thoroughly before putting it back since moisture left on surfaces encourages mold growth.
Wash the Interior Walls and Compartments
With the shelves out, you have full access to the interior walls, ceiling and floor of the fridge. A mixture of warm water and baking soda is effective for most surfaces and leaves no chemical residue. Be sure to work from top to bottom to avoid any drips falling onto surfaces you have not cleaned yet. Door gaskets also need extra attention. Since the folds in the rubber seal can trap crumbs and develop mold over time, it’s important to get deep down inside them. Using a damp cloth to clean the gasket grooves can make a huge difference in both cleanliness and how well the door seals.
Clean the Condenser Coils
Cleaning the condenser coils is one step most people skip entirely. The coils are usually located at the back or along the bottom of the refrigerator and are responsible for releasing heat from the unit. When they are coated in dust, your refrigerator works harder and uses more energy to maintain temperature. Unplugging the unit and vacuuming the coils with a brush attachment only takes a few minutes and can dramatically improve efficiency and reduce wear on the compressor.
Wipe Down the Exterior and Top
The outside of the refrigerator collects grease, fingerprints and kitchen dust that builds up invisibly over time. Stainless steel surfaces will benefit from a cleaner made specifically for that finish to avoid streaks. The top of the refrigerator is often used as extra storage and rarely gets wiped down, but it also tends to accumulate a layer of greasy dust that’s worth addressing.
A deep-cleaned refrigerator is not just more pleasant to open every morning. It also runs more efficiently, keeps food fresher for longer and gives you a clear picture of what’s actually inside. Making this part of your annual spring routine only takes a couple of hours and pays off every single day until you do it again the next year. When you need refrigerator services in Chattanooga, TN, contact Signature Appliance.
