What to do if the refrigerator smells bad: 10+ simple solutions

The first thing to do in case of a bad smell in the refrigerator is to check the containers and packaging: very often poorly closed containers with missing, sometimes completely normal, food become sources of stench. So inspect the sous vide salmon and look in the jars – it might be time to throw some away and pack some more in another bag.

Before telling you which products to use to eliminate odors in the refrigerator, we must tell you the most pleasant news: it will still have to be washed – until traces of food are removed from the shelves, on which bacteria have already accumulated. in Shanghai, freshness will remain an unattainable ideal. So take everything out, throw away any missing food, then wipe down and dry the shelves. “Most likely, this will be enough to solve the problem,” says Ann Ruozzi, co-owner of the cleaning company.

“Cheese, like kerosene, can be imagined too much. He wants to take the whole boat back for himself. It permeates the basket and gives everything a cheesy taste. You don’t know what you’re eating: apple pie, sausage or strawberries and cream. Everything looks like cheese to you. Cheese has too much flavor,” Jerome K. Jerome once wrote.

Unfortunately, it’s not just cheese that behaves this way: many products have strong flavorings, and when mixed, the resulting cacophony can damage anyone’s sense of smell. In this case, the advice to eliminate unpleasant odors in the refrigerator is simple: use tightly closed containers to store these foods and wash them properly after use.

Are you looking for the easiest ways to eliminate odors in your refrigerator? This tip takes about five seconds: take a packet of soda out of the cupboard, open it and put it on a shelf: baking soda is a champion at absorbing unpleasant odors. Do you prefer elegant and sophisticated solutions? Pour the powder into a beautiful jar and add 5-10 drops of your favorite essential oil. Need to deal with a really serious problem? Place two packets of baking soda on a baking sheet and leave it in the refrigerator overnight.

The plastic from which the “inside” of many household appliances is made has a serious drawback: it can absorb odors and retain them for a long time. Do you want to forever get rid of the memories of a poorly packaged mackerel or a sandwich that was successfully hidden in a corner for two whole months? There are various effective methods for removing odors from the refrigerator, but the best is to use a lemon: simply cut it, rub the pulp on the surface, wait 10 to 20 minutes, then rinse. (Bonus: Citrus juice can restore the whiteness of plastic.)

Here’s how to remove food odors from your refrigerator with coffee grounds: Dry them, pour them into a canvas bag or open jar, and place them on a shelf. The powder works thanks to the nitrogen it contains – it not only absorbs unpleasant flavors, but also replaces them with its own pleasant ones. However, tea also works well – just put a few bags in the fridge.

A dirty condenser can be another reason for the appearance of an unpleasant smell – few people think about this when washing the refrigerator, but in vain!

Do you want your kitchen to always smell like you just baked cakes? Take a cotton ball, place a few drops of vanilla essence on it and place it in the door: this is a great way to remove food odors from the refrigerator. Don’t like vanilla? Replace it with essential oil: cedar, juniper, eucalyptus, tea tree, lemon and mint are best – they have antibacterial properties.

Some refrigerators are equipped with trays to catch condensation that forms during the cooling process. These containers need to be emptied and washed regularly or they will smell horrible. Check the instructions for your device (we assume the paper version is unlikely to survive, but you can easily find an electronic version on the Internet) to see if it has any part that requires timely cleaning.

It’s better not to figure out how to get rid of the smell of rotten food in the refrigerator than to let it appear. Special antibacterial mats are an excellent solution: their spongy texture allows air to circulate under the products, thus preventing spoilage. And of course, if something spills, it’s much easier to wash a rug than a shelf.

A vinegar spray is not the simplest home remedy for eliminating odors in the refrigerator, because there is another one-component solution – ordinary three percent hydrogen peroxide, which can be purchased in any no matter which pharmacy. Pour it into a spray bottle, spray it on the shelves and walls, wait 10 minutes, then rinse: this powerful disinfectant will destroy all the germs causing foul odors.

And finally, if no remedy helps, then think: how old is your refrigerator? Maybe it’s time to change it, and not try to save it?

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