How and how to properly clean a refrigerator inside and out: after defrosting, cleaning products, methods, useful tips

Housekeeping requires considerable knowledge for washing and cleaning kitchen equipment from dirt. And it is especially important to know how to clean the refrigerator outside and inside. This manipulation needs to be carried out regularly. If washing is not carried out systematically, many harmful microorganisms and unpleasant odors accumulate inside the household appliance. But it stores food that feeds all members of your family, so it is very important to know: what are the nuances of washing? How to eliminate “ingrained” odors and dirt? Both ready-made store-bought products and folk recipes will help you deal with any contaminants and “odors.” How to properly wash a refrigerator, what products are provided for cleaning the inside of the refrigerator? Detailed recommendations in our material.

Many housewives are interested in what and how to clean the refrigerator, because such procedures need to be carried out regularly.

How to clean a refrigerator

In order to thoroughly clean the refrigerator so that there are no unpleasant odors in it and difficult-to-remove contaminants do not accumulate, we advise you to take note: the best option is to use a folk recipe. With them, it is possible to carefully clean the chambers from all types of contaminants. Abrasive compounds are not recommended, since their particles damage the surface of the cooling household assistant.

You can clean the refrigerator using cleaning products and traditional methods.

Everything ingenious is simple

Washing this assistant is not a complicated process and is quite quick. The time spent cleaning it depends on the degree of contamination and the method of defrosting, and it differs in different devices.

It is worth noting here that it is much easier to care for the device on a daily basis. Then the total time spent will be less than if you run the unit for 2 months, and then scrub everything for half a day.

From this nuance emerge the rules for daily care of the refrigeration assistant.

Daily care rules:

place dishes with clean bottoms on shelves;
remove drops of fat or other food immediately, without waiting for them to dry;
place the prepared aromatic food in tightly closed dishes, containers or wrapped in cling film;
inspect the contents and throw away spoiled products immediately.

LIFE HACK! To prevent an unpleasant odor inside the refrigerator, place a saucer or other open container with baking soda. It will immediately absorb aromas and you won’t have to wonder: “What should I use to clean the inside of the refrigerator to get rid of the smell?” The soda should be changed every 2-3 months.

How to clean a refrigerator from yellow stains, grease and other contaminants

Washing a household appliance with folk remedies follows one step at a time. This is how you can effectively eliminate pungent odors, yellow stains, and dirt.

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Vinegar

Mix water with vinegar essence (1:1) in a small container. You should not make a solution so that the vinegar predominates: parts of the household appliance will acquire an unpleasant odor.

Take a small sponge or soft cloth, soak it in the prepared solution and start cleaning the refrigerator. First, remove grease stains, then wipe the entire camera. If there are clean areas in the household appliance, treat them anyway: it is necessary to disinfect the plastic and remove the odor.

Vinegar removes dirt and unpleasant odors from the refrigerator.

Now let the camera dry, so don't close the door.

Remove any remaining water droplets on the plastic with a dry cloth. And the grates with containers should be washed with the solution separately. Then dry these parts and parts of the refrigerator well and place them in their usual places.

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Ammonia

Practice washing with this product a couple of times a month: we do not recommend more often, otherwise you may damage the plastic parts.

Mix ammonia (30 g) with water (300 g), saturate the sponge with the prepared solution. Now wipe down the inside of the refrigerator.

Disinfection in the refrigerator can be carried out with ammonia solution.

In this way, it is good to disinfect the surface of a household device, remove yellowness and various stains.

IMPORTANT! Before you start using your new refrigerator, be sure to treat it with this product.

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Soda

The most common substance that successfully copes with dirt and odors.

Mix 2 tbsp. l. soda and 0.5 liters of water. Stir the powder well until the grains are completely dissolved. To speed up the process, use warm water.

Soak a soft cloth in the prepared liquid and wipe the refrigerator consistently. Wash the back wall, as well as the door, at the very end of cleaning.

Finally, wipe the appliance with a dry cloth.

Baking soda removes dirt and leaves no odor after use.

Since there is no pungent odor after using soda and it does not leave streaks, you can often use it to clean the refrigerator and its parts from yellow deposits and stains.

Lemon juice or acid

Prepare the solution this way.

You should take 2 tbsp. l. juice or acid and add half a liter of warm water, stir.

Soak a cloth in the solution (wring it out well so that moisture does not accumulate in the household appliance) and wipe all parts of the refrigeration unit in sequence.

To eliminate unpleasant odors, you can clean your equipment with lemon juice.

Then use a dry cloth to wipe the camera until it is completely dry.

Let the refrigerator remain open until the smell dissipates.

It is possible to prolong the disinfection effect by placing a glass of lemon zest on the shelf. Then you will need to wash the device less often, especially if it is usually in a “tidy” state.

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Lather

To eliminate unpleasant odors from the refrigerator, we also recommend using any soap that you currently have (but best of all, laundry soap, because it contains no fragrances or fragrances).

Take the soap and lather it in water at room temperature.

Now apply the resulting foam to the inside of the refrigerator and wait about 20 minutes.

Then wipe the interior walls and parts of the appliance with a damp cloth so that the foam is completely removed.

The refrigerator is easy to clean with soapy water.

ATTENTION! It is especially good to use this foam method when washing a new refrigeration appliance.

In the case when the parts and components of the refrigerator are very dirty, you can use this effective method: grate the soap, add a small amount of water to it until a thick paste forms. The product will perfectly treat rubber seals, as well as those places in the household appliance that are not easy to reach when cleaning. Half an hour will pass and the applied slurry can be removed. Don't forget to wipe the camera dry.

Toothpaste

Old stains in the refrigerator can be easily wiped off with toothpaste. It will help “remove” intense unpleasant odors. To do this, you will need a paste without flavors or dyes in the composition. Apply the dental care product to the sponge, spread evenly over its surface and begin cleaning the refrigerator.

Just be sure to remove all the shelves and drawers before doing this: they will interfere with cleaning.

A quarter of an hour will pass and the paste can be removed. Do this with a damp cloth.

The remaining parts and components of the refrigeration unit are washed with the product separately.

This method allows you to get rid of unwanted odors in the refrigerator immediately - the first time. Therefore, the method is highly recommended for speed of action.

To quickly get rid of unpleasant odors, you can use toothpaste.

Cider

Apple cider will effectively “deal” with the unpleasant smell of rotten meat or other unwanted aromas in the refrigerator. It also carefully removes glue from stickers.

Pour a glass of cider into water (1 liter), mix everything well, soak a soft cloth in the solution.

Wash the drawers, door and shelves of your refrigerator with the product.

Now wipe it with a damp cloth from the inside to remove any remaining “product”.

Periodically, the refrigerator needs to be washed with cheese.

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Top 5 special products

If home remedies don't work, then it's time for industrial cleaners.

Luxus Professional

“Luxus Clean Refrigerator” is the simplest cleaning product, consisting of a surfactant (essentially soap) and isopropyl alcohol. It is safe and does not require rinsing.

Sold in spray form as a glass cleaner. It needs to be sprayed onto the shelves in the refrigerator and left for a couple of minutes. Then go over with a sponge and remove any remaining spray.

It does a mediocre job of cleaning, but it does an excellent job of removing any odors and not leaving any new ones. In addition, it is cheap - only 60 rubles.

Sellwin Pro Clean Tone

If the pollution is strong, traditional methods and Luxus will no longer help. Sellwin Pro Clean Tone is an acid-based anti-grease product. The composition contains a mixture of organic acids, anionic and nonionic surfactants. The product literally “eats” fats, after which they can be removed with plain water.

True, Sellwin Pro Clean Tone has enough disadvantages:

Acrid and unpleasant odor. It is strictly not recommended for them to breathe. You need a respirator or a wet cloth.
It takes a long time to wash out the product. Acid is difficult to wash out and it is highly undesirable for it to get into products.

Price – from 350 rubles.

BON

A remedy similar to the previous one, but with a more modest effect. The composition contains acetic and citric acids, as well as nonionic surfactants.

"Bon" effectively interacts with fat, destroying its structure. Old greasy stains “fall off like chips” from the glass and are easily removed.

The smell is not so poisonous, so you can work without a respirator. But gloves are required - it’s easy to get a chemical burn.

The price is quite reasonable - 170 rubles for a half-liter container.

Top House

In fact, it is the "safest" refrigerator cleaner available.

Made according to European Union standards, so there are no acids or alkalis. Contains only 2 types of surfactants.

In fact, it is liquid soap, but with greater permeability. It doesn’t remove old stains, but it easily removes odors and fresh stains.

The product has enough disadvantages:

An unpleasant odor that remains for a couple of days.
Mediocre cleansing.
High price - 600 rubles for a 750 ml container.

Sano Refrigerator Cleaner

If you are interested in non-acid products, try this product from Sano. It costs only 300 rubles, but has a number of noticeable advantages:

Contains isopropanol and ethanol. They cope well with disinfection and do not leave streaks.
A similar mixture of surfactants.
The product is concentrated, so it can be diluted with water.

The disadvantages, however, are similar to Top House. The cleaning is mediocre and there is an unpleasant smell.

After dried meat and other products

In addition to folk remedies that perfectly rid the refrigerator of the odors of alcohol, rotten meat, spoiled food, marinades, etc., you can also use modern products when cleaning the refrigerator. It is only important that their composition is not aggressive. Such products will clean the contaminants in the unit and impart a pleasant aroma to the parts.

In addition to folk remedies, you can use ordinary cleaning products to clean the refrigerator.

To quickly remove unwanted odors and various dirt and stains, soak a cloth in dishwashing detergent and place it on the place where the spoiled product was located. After a quarter of an hour, wipe the treated area with a rag.

IMPORTANT! It is forbidden to wash the parts of the unit, as well as its components, with hot water, since this way their surface easily deteriorates. Before wet cleaning in the refrigerator, it is recommended to defrost it.

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Handy cleaning products

There are a sufficient number of folk methods for cleaning the outside of the refrigerator:

Toothpaste and ammonia

A mixture of toothpaste and ammonia is an excellent remedy in the fight against old grease stains.

Algorithm of actions:

In a clean glass container, mix toothpaste and ammonia in equal proportions.
Treat the walls and door of the refrigerator with the resulting product, wait five minutes, then wash off with warm water.

To prepare the cleaning mass, you must choose a paste without abrasive particles.

Laundry soap

Fatty acids and alkali in laundry soap will help quickly clean external surfaces of dirt and grease.

Algorithm of actions:

rub a bar of laundry soap on a coarse grater;
Gently pour soap shavings into hot water and stir until completely dissolved;
Rub the resulting viscous mass onto the walls of the refrigerator and leave for five minutes;
the treated surfaces are thoroughly washed off with clean water and wiped dry with kitchen paper towels.

Do not use hard sponges or brushes during cleaning. Otherwise, scratches and abrasions will remain on the glossy walls, which are impossible to get rid of.

Soda Ash

A universal cleaner that can easily cope with any type of dirt is soda ash.

It's easy to use for cleaning:

In a clean container, mix soda ash and warm water (you should get a paste-like mass);
Apply the resulting product to the outer surfaces and then rinse with water.

The alkaline composition of soda is detrimental to colored painted or chrome-plated surfaces (whitish stains may appear). Therefore, you should not leave the soda ash paste in the refrigerator for more than one minute.

Dishwashing gel

The surfactants that make up the dishwashing gel will do an excellent job of removing greasy hand stains on the surface of the refrigerator.

Algorithm of actions:

Dissolve 1 tsp in a glass of warm water. dishwashing detergent.
A soft rag or sponge is thoroughly moistened with soapy water and the walls and doors of the household appliance are wiped.
Cleaned surfaces are wiped with a damp sponge and then dry with paper kitchen towels.

To completely get rid of traces of soap solution, you will have to wipe the refrigerator more than once, remembering to periodically rinse or change the sponge.

Table vinegar

A universal folk remedy suitable for all types of surfaces (stainless steel, enamel) is table vinegar.

It's easy to use:

Mix vinegar and water in a clean container (proportion 1:1);
After generously moistening the sponge with the resulting product, wipe the walls and door of the refrigerator;
Already clean surfaces are washed off with clean water and then wiped dry with a towel.

Lemon juice (1 tsp is enough) will help enhance the effect of the mowing solution. It will not only help clean all stains faster, but will also leave a pleasant citrus aroma after cleaning.

Read more about cleaning your refrigerator with vinegar in this article.

Sequence of actions for cleaning the refrigerator inside and outside

Daily cleaning of the refrigerator does not cause difficulties. How to properly perform a general cleaning of the inside of the device? Try to follow these steps consistently and you will have a great cleaning experience.

Before you start cleaning the refrigerator, you need to defrost the device.

First, disconnect the device from the power supply, then it can defrost a little before washing.

Open the door and take out everything in the refrigerator. Place food in a cool place or container, as serious cleaning will take a long time.

IMPORTANT! If you plan to clean your refrigerator in advance, try not to buy perishable foods.

Remove shelves, trays, stands, and metal elements of the device from the chambers. They must be washed and then dried separately. It will be very difficult to thoroughly wash every corner of a household appliance with these components.

To avoid odor, wash the most contaminated areas first, washing hard-to-reach areas. Choose a safe and effective product that you consider most optimal for high-quality cleaning of the refrigerator.

Attention! Washing using a traditional recipe will allow you not only to wash the base of the chamber itself and the freezer, but also to disinfect the surfaces: in this way, harmful microorganisms will die and you can use a household assistant without fear for the food.

To thoroughly clean the inside of the refrigerator, do not ignore the corners and recesses. There are rubber seals on the door, be sure to wash there too to get rid of bacteria.

After washing, dry the refrigerator compartment thoroughly with a cloth or napkin.

Finally, wipe the parts with a damp cloth, then with a napkin.

Only after everything is dry can you plug in the unit.

The outside of the refrigerator is wiped with a rag with soapy foam, and then wiped well. The “back” of the refrigerator is treated with a brush: this is how dust in the mechanism is optimally removed. Folk remedies, as a rule, are not used to clean the outside of the refrigerator. To eliminate odors, washing is carried out only after defrosting.

How to clean the inside of a refrigerator

In order to properly clean the insides of the refrigerator from dirt and unpleasant odors, you need to follow a certain procedure.

Order:
1. First you need to drag all the food out of the refrigerator, freeing the chambers. 2. Then it is defrosted. You can read how to do this here - / article about defrosting / 3. Get everything that can be safely detached from the structure - shelves, racks, drawers. 4. Use a brush or vacuum cleaner to clean the condenser on the rear wall of the unit. 5. Next, you can begin cleaning the walls - moisten the sponge in the selected solution and thoroughly wipe the inside of the refrigerator. 6. Wash all removable elements in the same solution. 7. Wait until the surfaces dry, assemble the refrigerator and put the food back. 8. Place soda or lemon zest inside - if you stick to folk remedies, or a special freshener - if you prefer modern solutions.

The above diagram will help you carry out general cleaning of the refrigerator, which must be done twice a year. The rest of the time, it’s enough just to take out the food, wipe all surfaces of the refrigerator with any of the above solutions and replace the absorbent substance (soda/zest).

Thus, a refrigerator that has already served, with a stagnant smell, a new, just purchased unit can be washed from the inside, either with home remedies or with household chemicals purchased in a store.

How often should you clean your refrigerator?

The ideal option is to wipe the unit daily. This is the only way to avoid cross-spoilage, as well as contamination of the food placed there, and not to aggravate the situation.

In addition to daily food inspections and wiping the inside of the chamber, large-scale cleaning should also be carried out from time to time.

In addition to daily cleaning, extensive cleaning of the refrigerator should be done at least once a month.

It is recommended to carry out general cleaning of the refrigerator at least once a month.

Step-by-step instructions for cleaning the refrigerator

How to clean the refrigerator compartment?
We figured out what is the best way to clean the refrigerator. Once you have chosen the appropriate remedy, you can proceed to the procedure itself:

Disconnect the equipment from the network or switch the unit to the “Defrost” mode to clean the same Samsung refrigerator.
Remove all food from the refrigerator and freezer area. At the same time, carry out an audit: reject expired food. In winter, provisions can be temporarily left on the balcony or loggia, and in summer - in a bath with cold water or basins with ice.
Remove the removable elements and soak them in cleaning solutions.
To properly clean the refrigerator, ensure defrosting - open all doors. If the model is old, check that there is a tray under the refrigerator to collect melt water. Otherwise, you can easily flood your neighbors.
How to clean a No Frost refrigerator? It does not require defrosting - turn off the device with the button on the panel or unplug it from the outlet and proceed to cleaning.
Don't forget to clean your refrigerator drain. It is also a drainage hole. Crumbs and pieces of food often accumulate there. They rot and become covered with mold, causing a stench to emanate from the depths of the unit. To clean the drain, a special brush is included with the refrigerator. Cleaning the drainage hole in the refrigerator is very simple: dip the tool in warm water and clean the hole with it. If you don’t have a brush, a regular cotton swab can successfully replace it.
To clean the pipe in the refrigerator, use a medical blower, which can be purchased at any pharmacy. Fill the tool with some warm soapy water and release it into the drain hole under pressure. Repeat the procedure several times to thoroughly clean the drainage tube in the refrigerator.
To clean the inside of the refrigerator, dilute the detergent, apply it to the internal surfaces, and leave for 15-20 minutes. Rinse with a cloth, dipping it in clean water, and wipe dry with a microfiber cloth.
Move on to the soaked shelves and drawers. Wipe them with a sponge, cloth, and rinse under the tap. Wipe dry with a napkin or towel.
Pay attention to the rubber seal. Clean it with either warm water or soapy water. Rubber dries out and crumbles due to exposure to many chemical components. To remove crumbs from the folds of the seal, use cotton swabs.
Clean the door hinges with an old toothbrush.
How to clean the outside of the refrigerator? Use the same soap or soda water to clean the door, side walls from fingerprints and grease stains. Then wipe dry.
Move the equipment away from the wall and vacuum its inner wall to remove dust, lint, and pet hair.
Pay attention to the tray for collecting melt water - it needs to be washed with antibacterial substances and wiped dry.
Leave the unit open for a couple of hours so that it is completely dry from the inside, then return the food and connect the unit to the outlet.

Additional Tips

The refrigerator is one of the most necessary household appliances in the kitchen. It requires careful care; this device does not tolerate negligence. Systematically carried out large-scale cleaning will rid your refrigeration unit of unnecessary odors and help preserve cooked food and products.

It is not recommended to use aggressive products to clean the outside of the refrigerator.