According to nationaldaycalendar.com the home economists at Whirlpool Home Appliances established the Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day in 1999 to encourage families to prepare for the Thanksgiving holiday. Indeed, autumn is a good time to freshen up the fridge and make room for fresh seasonal foods. There are three parts to cleaning a refrigerator: decluttering the contents, washing the inside and cleaning the outside. If your time and energy are limited it might be more manageable to focus on just one aspect at a time by breaking the job down into three or more sessions.
Declutter the inside to remove old and unused food. Work shelf by shelf. Remove the contents and decide whether each item is still good and/or wanted. Get rid of the old stuff and replace the keepers. (Click on Read More ...)
Declutter the inside to remove old and unused food. Work shelf by shelf. Remove the contents and decide whether each item is still good and/or wanted. Get rid of the old stuff and replace the keepers. (Click on Read More ...)
(A general guideline is that condiments remain good from one month to one year depending on the type. After four days leftovers lose their nutritional value and may be unhealthy due to bacteria or bacterial byproducts that cannot be detected by smell or taste.) Now is a good time to begin dating your food containers if you are not in this habit already. Use a permanent marker to write the date on the container or on a removable label when food is put away. In the future you will know just how old something is without guessing. Declutter each shelf, drawer and door rack. Be sure to allow time for taking out trash and washing containers. If you only have time for one section – that’s okay. Schedule another session on the calendar and come back to it.
The next step is to wash the inside of the fridge. Remove contents one section at a time. Wash shelves and drawers in place for a quick clean or remove them to wash in the sink for a more thorough job. Wipe the interior walls and the bottom as well. A pail of warm soapy water is fine. Add a little bleach if you feel the need. Or, if you prefer, vinegar and water can be used instead. Dry and replace each shelf or drawer and replace the contents.
The next step is to wash the inside of the fridge. Remove contents one section at a time. Wash shelves and drawers in place for a quick clean or remove them to wash in the sink for a more thorough job. Wipe the interior walls and the bottom as well. A pail of warm soapy water is fine. Add a little bleach if you feel the need. Or, if you prefer, vinegar and water can be used instead. Dry and replace each shelf or drawer and replace the contents.
On the outside, wash the front and sides with the same solution options. For tough spots apply your cleaner of choice and allow it to set for a few minutes before scrubbing or try brushing with a baking soda paste or a cleanser containing bleach. A little bleach is especially helpful on the magnetic seal to remove mold/mildew. Take care - stainless steel finishes may need special products to safely clean and remove streaks and fingerprints. Don’t forget to vacuum under and behind the fridge paying special attention to clear around the coils. Use the vacuum crevice tool and/or a special coil brush to loosen and remove dust.
Take advantage of National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day to declutter your fridge and make it more healthy!
Take advantage of National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day to declutter your fridge and make it more healthy!
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