How to remove refrigerator odors ?

Do you know how to remove refrigerator odors effectively?
It is easy.

Refrigerator odor is a regular problem. There are a lot of things inside the refrigerator that are causing the smell. Whenever you open your refrigerator and smell something bad, it is the right time to do an investigation.

You need to investigate it for several reasons. First, nobody wants to consume something that comes from a stinking place. Second, that smell means that there is probably mold, bacteria or mildew fermenting inside due to leaving food for too long. Third, smells can transform the flavors of food. Fourth, the smell may caused by a power outage from a storm or some other outage. And, certainly it is just not healthy either.

Here are a few tips that should remove refrigerator odor.

1) Clean the refrigerator.

First of all, make sure that you unplug your refrigerator. Remove all contents and all interior parts.

Scrub the interior to remove all the grime in it. Then prepare a solution of 2 tablespoons baking soda and 1 quart warm water. Use this mixture to wash the interior thoroughly. Rinse and wipe dry. It is better if you can aim a house fan at the interior and leave house windows open to promote air circulation. Leave the refrigerator door open and let the refrigerator air out for 2 hours.

Meanwhile wash the removable interior parts thoroughly in a solution of warm water and liquid dish detergent. Do not use household cleaners especially abrasive ones because they can damage plastics. Never put glass or plastic parts in hot water. Hot water may cause them to break or become softer.

Clean the freezer section according to the manual instructions that came with your refrigerator. If you don't have the manual, you should be able to find it online.

Install all contents and all interior parts in place. Switch on the plug. If the odor still occurred, try next tips.


2) Try one or all of these methods:

- Spread baking soda on shallow pans.
Unplug the refrigerator. Spread baking soda on shallow pans and place them on the empty shelves to absorb odors. Leave the refrigerator door open for 4 hours. Repeat if necessary.

- Spread activated carbon on shallow pans.
Activated carbon is also known as activated charcoal. It usually can be found at pet stores, hypermarket and appliance stores.
Remove all contents from the refrigerator. Spread activated charcoal on shallow pans and place them on the empty shelves to absorb odors. Leave door closed and run at low temperature for 3 days.

- Spread cat litter on shallow pans.
Follow same method as using activated carbon.

- Imitation vanilla poured into a saucer.
Follow same method as using activated carbon.

- Pack each shelf of empty refrigerator with crumpled newspaper.
This method requires longer time but effective. Set a cup of water on the top shelf, or sprinkle the newspaper lightly with water. Run at low temperature for 5-6 days

- Use a commercial odor remover.
Purchase any commercial odor remover. Just follow the manufacturer's instructions exactly.

If none of the suggested ideas have worked, there may be something inside the insulation that is causing the problem. Contact an appliance expert to obtain an estimate for liner and insulation replacement.