By Patrick Adams
If there’s one kitchen appliance you could not last long without, then that’s definitely the refrigerator. The ability to refrigerate food is considered a huge milestone in the development of human civilization so losing your fridge to a malfunction is literally a trip to the 19th century.
However, most fridges don’t just break down on their own, at least when they are properly maintained. Apart from servicing the fridge, you should clean it often because food spills inside the fridge are a common occurrence. All in all, you should learn how to keep your fridge fully functional and clean both on the outside and the inside.
Clean out the fridge once every two weeks
Luckily, food is comparatively cheap in the West. That’s why we fill the fridge to the brim, often not thinking whether we’ll consume all the groceries. A lot of food gets wasted this way, which has become a global problem. As far as your household is concerned, there is no real need to waste both food and money if you clean out the fridge regularly.
Our advice is to go through the fridge and throw everything that might have gone off or passed its due date. Adopt this routine every time you go shopping, which is roughly every fortnight. This way, the fridge will be clean on the inside and there will be no foul smells when you open the refrigerator door.
Vacuuming the fridge?
Modern refrigerators come with a number of compartments inside. There are special racks for eggs, bins for beverages, drawers for vegetables, etc. This division of the fridge from the inside makes storage easier because you can fit more groceries inside but it’s a logistical nightmare when it comes to cleaning. There are so many crevices and corners inside the fridge that you cannot reach that it makes you give up on the whole process.
In order not to go berserk while cleaning the fridge, turn on the vacuum cleaner and feel free to vacuum all the crumbs and other debris inside the fridge. Ni food leftovers should be left around lying in the fridge so use whatever method is necessary to clean them, including vacuuming them.
Cleaning the coils
Speaking of cleaning the fridge, don’t forget the outside of the cooling unit. Namely, the coils are places where most dust settles, so you should take the fridge out, get behind it, and clean the coils thoroughly. Of course, make sure the fridge is plugged out before you start cleaning the coils.
The danger of getting electrocuted is close to zero but you should take care of static electricity which can give you a decent shock. Once the coils are clean once more, expect the refrigerator to operate more efficiently, which means using less power.
Being ready to repair the fridge on a short notice
Even refrigerators made the best brands in the industry break down. All the measures listed here will help you have a fully functional fridge for years to come but at some point, things will go downhill. However, a malfunction of the refrigerator should not catch you off-guard.
Do some online searching for the best same day fridge repairs in your area and note the number down. You can even ask the repairmen do they charge a fixed rate fee, regardless of how lit takes to fix the fridge. This way, you’ll be ready to react on a moment’s notice when the fridge stops working. After all, you cannot last long without a working refrigerator as the food inside will start to go off.
Keep a cloth near the fridge to wipe the bottom of bottles and jars
A rather simple, yet highly effective cleaning method is to always keep a wet cloth near the fridge to wipe the bottom of jars and bottles that go inside the fridge. Every time you put something sticky inside the fridge, the shelves get soiled and the cold solidifies the dirt so it’s harder to scrub it afterwards. A clean cloth will prevent the dirt from a jar of honey, for example, get inside the fridge in the first place.
Organize the food inside the fridge
In order to ensure the maximum use of space and the functionality of all the compartments inside the fridge, you should organize the food. At first, label the baskets where you’ll store food of similar type. For instance, you can have a separate basket for condiments, then dairies, meat, etc.
Moreover, you can store food according to a meal planner so the cheese would be close to the ketchup bottle and lettuce since these are the ingredients to make a sandwich. Such placement means that you will get everything you need for the meal you are preparing in seconds so there is no need to open and close the fridge door several times, letting the cold air escape.
Store food leftovers in plain sight
We’ve mentioned at the beginning that you should clean out the fridge once in a while but food leftovers often get overlooked. You’re always thinking of eating them later but this “later” seems to never come.
In order not to miss the box with food leftovers, make sure there is a separate shelf at eye level intended for it. If you see this food, you’ll consume it sooner, thus reducing waste. The worst solution is to shove these food containers filled with food leftovers at the back of the fridge where it’ll surely rotten.
Line the shelves with placemats
If you keep spilling stuff inside the fridge, then consider lining the shelves with placemats. They are made from a waterproof material that you can wash in the washing machine. When you spill something inside the fridge, simply remove the mat, clean it, and put it back into place. They are ideal for families with children who will learn a valuable lesson in cleaning after themselves.
We hope that you realize that simply owning a fridge is not enough these days because the cooler needs to 100% functional and clean. Regular maintenance is made easier by several tips listed above, from cleaning the fridge out to placemats on shelves. Finally, you need to have a number of trusted repairman when the refrigerator breaks down because it’s one of the most essential appliances inside your home.
