How do I clean a fridge properly?

Most fridge cleaning covers the visible shelves and misses the three places that matter: the drain channel where water pools and stagnates, the door seal where mould grows in the folds, and the coils at the back where dust makes the compressor work harder than it needs to.

What you'll need

• Bicarbonate of soda
• Cloths and a soft brush
• Cotton bud or pipe cleaner
• Cool bag for the contents
• Vacuum with a brush attachment (optional)

Step by step

1. Empty the fridge into a cool bag and check dates as you go.The clean is a natural audit. Most fridges contain something well past its date.
2. Remove all shelves and drawers, and let glass ones reach room temperature before washing.Cold glass in hot water can crack. Give them ten minutes.
3. Wash removable parts in warm soapy water and dry them.Off the appliance, in the sink. Much easier and much more thorough.
4. Wipe the interior with a tablespoon of bicarbonate of soda in a litre of warm water.It cleans and deodorises without leaving a scent that food will absorb.
5. Find and clear the drain hole at the back of the fridge floor.A small hole, usually in a channel at the back. It blocks with debris and the water goes stagnant — a common hidden source of smell.
6. Clean the door seal, folding it back to reach inside the channel.Mould grows in the folds. An old toothbrush and bicarbonate solution works well.
7. Pull the fridge out and brush or vacuum dust off the condenser coils at the back.Dust insulates the coils, so the compressor runs longer. This is the efficiency step people never do.
8. Dry everything, reassemble, and check the temperature reads 0–5°C once it's back up to speed.Use a thermometer rather than trusting the dial.

Tips

• Do it the day before a big shop, when the fridge is emptiest.
• Line the salad drawers with kitchen paper — it absorbs moisture, keeps vegetables fresher and makes the next clean trivial.
• Check the door seal by closing the door on a piece of paper. If it pulls out easily, the seal has gone and the fridge is working harder than it should.
• Clean quarterly, and wipe spills immediately. Almost every fridge smell started as something small that dried on.

Common mistakes

• Ignoring the drain hole — It's a common source of smell and standing water, and almost nobody knows it exists.
• Never cleaning the coils — Dust makes the compressor work harder, increasing running cost and shortening the appliance's life.
• Using scented cleaners — Fridges absorb odours and transfer them to food.
• Washing cold glass shelves in hot water — Thermal shock can crack them.

Questions people ask