How to Clean a Refrigerator

It's that time of the month, time to clean out the refrigerator and give it a good once over to keep bacteria and germs from building up on the appliance people use in their kitchen more than any other.

When the refrigerator is left unclean, there is a chance for food borne bacteria that causes illnesses to spread and then it could be ingested by a family when the food is not cooked properly. This could cause food poising.

Step 1: If there is a knob inside that can be turned to 'off' for the temperature, this is where to begin. If there is not a temperature control knob, then unplug the appliance from the socket.

Step 2: Remove all the food items and everything else from the refrigerator and throw away anything that is outdated, molding or otherwise smells bad. This should be done on a weekly basis or every time new groceries are put in the refrigerator.

Step 3: Take out all the shelves to wash them either in the kitchen sink or the bathtub where there is more room.

Step 4: Use mild dish soap, warm water and a dash of bleach to kill any germs. Be careful with glass shelves which are cold and warm water because this could have the shelf cracking or shattering. It might be a good idea to let the glass shelf sit out to become room temperature for an hour or so before plunging it into the warm, soapy water.

Step 5: Use a coarse type scrubbing sponge to remove caked on food particles. Rinse with clear warm water. Using a removable shower hose from the bathtub works great for this.

Step 6: While the shelves are drying, take a clean sponge or washcloth and wipe down the inside of the refrigerator with the same mixture of mild dish soap, bleach and warm water. Baking soda could be used instead of the bleach for the same results.

Step 7: Be sure to wipe out the drawers and door shelving where a lot of sauces and other food items collect.

Step 8: Any stuck on food on the walls or floor of the refrigerator could be cleaned with an old toothbrush or other small bristled brush.

Step 9 : Once the refrigerator has dried (which should not take that long), turn the knob back to the correct temperature setting to allow the appliance time to chill.

Step 10: Replace the shelves and then as one replaces all the food, wipe down the bottles to make sure there is not sticky stuff that will dirty the clean refrigerator.

A thorough cleaning of a refrigerator should be conducted approximately once a month, with frequent in between wiping of the shelves each week.