How do I remove smells from a fridge?

Why fridges smell, how to clear it properly, and what actually absorbs odours afterwards.

Difficulty: beginner
Time: 45 min
Read: 2 min

Short answer

Empty it, wash every surface including the door seal and the drip channel at the back, and clear the drain hole. Then leave an open tub of bicarbonate of soda inside. Smells almost always come from a specific source — a spill under a drawer or a blocked drain channel — rather than from the fridge in general.

A fridge that smells has something in it producing the smell, and covering it with an absorber without finding it just delays the problem. The two places people never look are the drip channel at the back of the fridge and the underside of the salad drawers.

What you'll need

Bicarbonate of soda
Warm water and cloths
Cotton bud or pipe cleaner
Cool bag for the contents (optional)

Step by step

Empty the fridge completely and check every item's date.The source is often something obvious once everything is out. Put perishables in a cool bag while you work.
Remove all shelves and drawers and wash them in warm soapy water.Let glass shelves come to room temperature before washing — cold glass in hot water can crack.
Wash the interior with a solution of bicarbonate of soda in warm water.About a tablespoon per litre. It neutralises odours rather than adding a competing scent.
Clean the door seal thoroughly, folding it back to reach inside the folds.Mould and spills collect in the seal channel and it's rarely cleaned.
Find and clear the drain hole at the back of the fridge floor.A small hole leading to a channel. It blocks with debris and the standing water goes stagnant — this is a very common hidden cause.
Pull the fridge out and check underneath and behind for spills.There's usually a drip tray at the back over the compressor. It can also be the source.
Dry everything, reassemble and leave an open tub of bicarbonate of soda inside.Replace it every couple of months. It absorbs rather than masks.
Store strong-smelling foods sealed rather than covered.Cling film over a bowl doesn't stop odour transfer. Sealed containers do.

Tips

If the smell persists after a proper clean, leave a bowl of used coffee grounds or crumpled newspaper inside for a couple of days with the fridge running — both absorb strongly.
Activated charcoal is more effective than bicarbonate as an absorber, though less convenient to buy.
A fridge running too warm accelerates spoilage. Check the temperature with a thermometer while you have it empty — it should be 0–5°C.
Wipe spills immediately. Almost every fridge smell started as something small that dried and was forgotten.

Common mistakes

Using a scented cleaner — Fridges absorb odours, so you replace one smell with another and food picks it up.
Not checking the drain hole — It's a genuinely common cause and almost nobody knows it's there.
Cleaning without emptying — The source is usually underneath or behind something.
Relying on an absorber without cleaning — It masks the symptom while the source continues.

Questions people ask

Does bicarbonate of soda actually work?

As an ongoing absorber, yes — it neutralises acidic and some other odour compounds. It won't remove an active source, so clean first and use it to maintain.

Why does my fridge smell after a power cut?

Contents spoiled while it was warm, and the liquids often ran into places you can't see. A full empty-and-clean including the drain channel is needed.