Simple Ways To Keep Your Fridge Clean And Organized
If your fridge has seen better days {or better smells!}, it’s time for a good deep cleaning! Even if you try to keep up with regular maintenance, the fridge should really be deep cleaned about once every three months. No matter how clean I think it is, there always seems to be at least one “surprise” that pops up! In addition to the obvious benefit of having a clean fridge, cleaning your fridge regularly will help you to cut down on food waste and save money on those food bills. It will also help your fridge run more efficiently and save you time looking for items that you need. Let’s find out the Ways To Keep Your Fridge Clean And Organized with Lifetravell!
Contents
Get Out Your Vacuum
Little food bits can be hard to remove from drawers. By simply using your brush attachment, suck up the dried debris for hassle-free cleaning.
You should also clean the coils (the squiggly things on the back or bottom front) of your fridge. This helps it run more efficiently and use less energy.
Toss Every Week
Every other week do a clean sweep and toss out what’s old. Not only can you get rid of leftovers or produce before it goes bad, but will create a fresh picture of what you need at the store, and maybe what you can buy less of. As a bonus, it’ll help cut down on the time needed during a deep clean.
Organize Foods Based On Their Purpose Or Type
Use labeled baskets to keep similar foods in the same area (i.e. condiments, meats, cheeses, etc). If you are a portioned meal planner, another trick is to put the main food ingredients for specific days of the week in their own basket. Then simply pull and cook based on what’s needed for that day.
Clean the inside of the fridge
If you don’t have a steam machine, you can use some unscented dish soap and a couple of microfiber cloths to clean. For extra scrubbing power on stains or extra grimy spots, make a paste with baking soda and water. You may also want to use a toothbrush to get into the smaller spaces and corners. Dip the cloth into your cleaning solution and scrub as needed. Be sure to rinse thoroughly with clean water to remove any residue. Again, always work from top to bottom and one side of the fridge to the other.
Clean the bins and shelving
Clean the bins and shelving in the sink as you would clean your dishes. Use dish soap and a dish cloth or sponge to clean off any messes. Rinse thoroughly with clean water and dry completely. If you have a steamer, you can use this to clean the shelves instead or use the steamer to give them a final rinse.
One of the places that grime can often hide is on the underside of the shelving where the glass and the plastic meet. This has always driven me crazy with this fridge as there is no way to remove the glass from the plastic to clean under that little lip and it was pretty much impossible to get all of that yuckiness out.
Using a steam machine is really the only way I have found that cleans this. Gently pull the plastic away from the glass so there’s a slight gap and then blast with the steam cleaner. It took a few minutes and a few repetitions to get it all out but it was worth the extra time!
Consider using fridge liners
Fridge liners can be used on bins or shelving to help protect against spills and stains and will help to reduce the frequency of deep cleanings. When any spills occur, the liners can easily be removed and washed down rather than having to take out the entire bin or shelf. Look for waterproof liners with an antibacterial finish. The fridge liners can be cut down to fit any shelf size or bin space. You can find clear liners or add some personality to your fridge with colored or patterned liners.
