This goes without saying but your fridge is one of, if not the most important appliances in your home as we approach the holiday season. It is truly the main vehicle for storing all your food before and after Thanksgiving (can anyone say leftovers?) which is why its super important to deep clean your fridge and partake in National Clean Out Your Fridge Day! We already know what you're thinking... how does one take part in the day? Well, thats simple – just set aside an hour (or two) and prepare to deep clean your fridge from top to bottom, inside and out! It's a really cool project to knock out on the weekend (...see what we did there...).
Follow these easy steps to deep clean your fridge:
1. Empty + Donate
Clear off some space on your countertop and take everything out of your fridge (this includes stuff in drawers, as well as anything on the doors). As you empty, check the dates on everything and throw anything out that may have expired a while ago. Remember to recycle any containers where you can! PS – did you find stuff you don't think you'll need? Don't throw it out – donate it to a local food bank if you can! There is always someone in need, especially around the holiday season so don't be wasteful.
2. Time to Clean
Using a damp cloth (or sponge cloth) wipe down every single surface inside your fridge which includes inside + outside of shelves, corners of shelves, underneath shelves, and around any visible vents that may help push cold air into your fridge. If there is anything that may be stuck onto a shelf (whether it is glass, wire or plastic), dip a sponge or dish brush into some warm soapy water and scrub the area that needs to be cleaned.
3. Don't forget the gaskets
This is 100% the most forgotten place to clean, and you probably have never cleaned the gaskets ever! Don't worry, we won't judge you... but please don't forget them! Using a damp cloth, wipe down the top and sides to make sure when your doors close, there is a tight seal. If you can't reach stuff that may be stuck inside the grooves of the gaskets, grab a dish brush to help clean them out! Our Ring Brush is perfect for this and is one of our favorite cleaning hacks (who knew a dish brush could be perfect for fridge cleaning?)
4. Put everything back
Once the inside is clean, start putting things back into your fridge but organize as you go to help keep similar items together. This will make organizing food this holiday season 100 times easier! But seriously, an organized fridge is a game-changer and will make your life sooooo much easier leading up to Thanksgiving (and the madness of organizing all of that food).
5. Don't forget the freezer!
Things in your freezer may stay fresher for longer, but that doesn't mean you still shouldn't do a once-over with your freezer as well. Use the same approach as you took with the inside of your fridge and empty everything out! As you empty it, check all the dates to make sure things are still good. If they are not good anymore, throw them out (but remember to recycle any containers if you can as you are cleaning). After that, put everything back in and don't forget to clean the gaskets on the doors to ensure a tight seal there, too!
6. Don't forget the doors!
Keeping the inside clean is one thing, but don't forget to clean the outside! If your fridge is stainless, use a stainless steel microfiber cloth and cleaner and remember to clean with the grain, never against it. If your fridge is not stainless, simply grab a microfiber cloth + your favorite all surface cleaner and wipe the door down from top to bottom (including the tops and sides of the doors). When the door is done, don't forget the handles! Spritz the cloth and then wipe the front, back, and sides of the handles down.
7. Surrounding areas
Thats right – we're not stopping with the fridge itself! Using a vent brush, don't forget to clean underneath, between and behind your fridge. Along with the gaskets on your fridge doors, this is also one of the most forgotten places to clean when it comes to your fridge but it shouldn't be! Every time you clean your kitchen you should clean under, between and behind your fridge because you never know what will end up down there, and since you can't always see it, you tend not to clean it as much.
8. Make it a monthly thing!
There are no rules to how often you can clean your fridge! Do this once a month to make sure your fridge stays super clean and runs as efficient as possible, especially during the holiday season when your fridge will be getting used a lot more than usual. To make things easier, use some tech and ask your digital assistant on your phone or tablet to set up a recurring monthly reminder to clean your fridge. It's as easy as that! Making sure your fridge keeps its cool during the most important time of the year is key to ensuring your food stays fresh. It's also important that there are no food related tragedies this holiday season (unless you drop the turkey on the floor... which we can't help you there).
Shop this post:
1. WaterBlock Gloves
2. All Purpose Microfiber Cloths
3. Ring Brush
4. Vent Brush
5. Stainless Steel Cloth
6. Sponge Cloths