One of the most important things that you can do to keep a clean kitchen is to keep a clean and well organized refrigerator. Our fridges need attention just like any other equipment in the kitchen. It is very crucial to always keep them clean and orderly which has many benefits. First, a clean fridge is free of molds. Moldy or spoiled food in your refrigerator can lead to a lot of medical issues in your body. When our refrigerator is well organized inside, we also don’t have to take out stuff just to be able to get what we want which may have been pushed far inside. Then lastly, a well arranged fridge helps us consume our foods before they expire hence save money.
If you want to keep your precious fridge clean and well-arranged then follow these tips;
1. Clean all the boxes, bottles, jam jars, sticky condiment bottles and milk cartons before you put them in the fridge. The reason behind this is because these things can spill or leak while inside the fridge hence mess up your fridge shelves. It’s really important to wipe them before you put them inside.
2. Keep the things which spoil easily or will expire first in a nearby place where you can see them. Some things like meat, strawberries and vegetables usually spoil easily hence you should keep them where you can easily see them or else you won’t believe the horrible smell when they start rotting.
3. You can put dates on stuff. Sometimes your pre-cleaning tricks, may not work. Stick a marker next to your fridge and use it to mark the date an item enters your icebox. By dating food items you will easily identify when you put your yummy pizza in the fridge. This method really helps the forgetful forks.
4. Clean the edges of the fridge where the doors meet against the icebox. Some people forget this and a lot of dirt collects there. This dirt not only can give your fridge unpleasant look but also can make it smelly. You can clean these edges using hot water and a rag with a touch of white vinegar. You can do this after every few weeks and your fridge will be always squeaky clean.
5. Clean the coils at the back of your fridge. Most of the people just mind about the front of the fridge. It’s rarely to see someone cleaning the back of fridge which is very crucial also for the functioning of the fridge.
6. Clean the drip pan in your fridge. Some fridges lack this part but if yours has it, remember to clean it. You can find the drip pan by removing the grill from the bottom of your fridge then use a flashlight to find it. It’s made to be pulled out, wear gloves and remove it, and clean the dirt out of it
7. Clean the exteriors. For maximum cleaning of your fridge, you have to clean the exteriors. Vinegar works very efficiently with a rag and can be used to clean the doors and sides of the fridge. Don’t worry if your fridge is made of stainless steel because the white vinegar also works.
8. Remove the drawers and clean them with and scrub them with a mixture of warm water and soap. Then use the white vinegar again mixed in water in ration 1:1 and clean the drawers using a clean rag.
9. Produce like vegetables and fruits. They are put into plastic sacks when you are gathering them in the produce aisle at the grocery store should be removed from these sacks when you put them in your refrigerator
10. Pack left over foods in tightly sealed containers once you are finished with them. This will give bacteria less time to flourish. By using tight seals, less air will be available to spoil your meals.
11. Throw away anything that has expired or old foods which have bad smell. This will save you from salmonella poisoning which is can lead to death
12. Separate your food into groups. Keep your dairy apart from your meat or produce, for instance. This is a great way to keep everything organized.
13. Have a spare refrigerator in the basement or garage. Bottled drinks can be stored in this extra space to leave room for more food in your main appliance. This way you do not have to wait for your drinks to get cold when one container becomes empty.
14. Wipe the shelves and refrigerator drawers as you throw out old food. Also, clean and reuse or recycle any empty bins or bottles. Use a cleaner that kills germs to wipe spots and stains that appear on the shelves right away. You should also wipe the bottoms of bottles, jar or other containers before putting them away to avoid the spread of germs into your fridge.
15. Keep odor away from your fridge. Place a new already opened box of baking soda at the back of the top shelf of the fridge. This will help keep odor in check as the baking soda absorbs bad smells. Always take a permanent marker and write the date on the box. Remember to change it every 3 months. In addition always place items in the fridge in either a plastic sealed bag or plastic container. If you leave an onion half-cut in the crisper, you fridge will smell like an onion and your milk and juices will taste like it. Smells travel so keep them at bay. Also add a baking soda box to the freezer and follow the same premise.
16. Don’t postpone cleaning the fridge. Sometimes, you see a bottle of juice leaking in your fridge and say you will clean later, that “later” becomes “neve”.
Conclusion
You should always clean your refrigerator and wash it on both inside and outside as often as you need to. The above tips will guide you through this journey. This will keep bacteria and mold away from the fridge and your food will taste better. It will make your fridge look presentable to your family and also to those unsuspecting house visitors.
