How to Keep Your Fridge Smelling Nice and Fresh

We don't want to smell something bad anywhere in the house, but especially the fridge because we save our food and drink there. When your fridge smells bad, sometimes it's not so easy to find the cause of it, and it could be quite a handful. This is how to keep your fridge smelling nice and fresh.

Why Does Your Fridge Smell?

There could be a lot of reasons why your fridge smells bad. The first and most obvious cause is usually the food leftover. When we couldn't finish a meal, usually we put it in the fridge, and sometimes we forgot about it and left it in the fridge for days until it smelled.

This is because the longer you keep your leftovers in there, they could develop their own microbiome inside your refrigerator. Not only storing bad food, storing food or drink with a strong smell can also make your fridge smell bad.

You can eliminate this problem by using natural odor absorbent substances like coffee powder to get rid of the bad smells. You can also make sure to always check the leftovers in your fridge, and throw them away once they are no longer edible. When you are storing strong smelling food or drink, make sure you put it inside a container first.

Sometimes you've looked everywhere, cleaned it, but the smell is still there. This could be because the source of smell you've been looking for is actually in the plastics inside because they've absorbed the bad smelling odor.

If this happens, you have to clean it using a different two-steps method. Step one, you need to clean your fridge with bleach or vinegar that will kill the hidden molds and get rid of the smells. Step two, pour baking soda in an open bowl and put it in your fridge for 2-3 days. If the bad smell is still there, discard the old baking soda and put in a bowl of fresh one.

Another potential cause of a bad smelling fridge is the temperature. Due to the temperature, bacteria may be growing in your fridge, making your food and drink not so fresh or edible anymore, and then causing an unpleasant odor.

To avoid bad odors from the temperature, you need to make sure the temperature in your fridge stays below 4° Celsius because bacteria can easily grow in a fridge with the temperature of 4° Celsius or higher. The ideal temperature is between 1.6° Celsius - 2.8° Celsius.

Sometimes, the problem is not inside your fridge, like the dirty drip tray. When people clean their fridge, the drip tray is often overlooked. The drip tray is moist, which is perfect for mold or bacteria to grow, and then causing the bad odor.

You can remove your drip tray by looking at your fridge manual to locate and remove it properly. Clean it with vinegar and soapy water, wait until it's completely dried, then reinstall it. Repeat this process once every three months to keep your fridge smelling nice and fresh.

The Drain system could also be the cause of a bad smelling fridge. Every refrigerator is equipped with a drain hole that collects the excess moisture. If this drain hole is clogged, the condensation will produce an unpleasant odor. If this is the problem, you need to call in a professional to take care of it.

The last reason that could be the result of your bad smelling fridge, is the leaking Freon. Freon keeps every refrigerator cool and even though the Freon cooling system is closed and internal, a leakage could happen. If this one is the cause, you also need to call a professional refrigerator technician.

How to Keep Your Fridge Clean and Smelling Good?

Keeping your fridge clean and smelling good is not only convenient but also important for your health. The first thing you need to do is regularly clean the fridge by removing all items inside, and wipe the fridge both inside and outside.

If you think this will take a long time and you are afraid that some of your food or drink will spoil, put the sensitive items in a temporary cooler, or simply put them in a box or bowl and fill them with ice to avoid spoilage.

After cleaning the fridge, you can use natural deodorizer to keep out the bad odor. Vinegar and baking soda are simple yet great options for you, simply put either one of these ingredients in an open bowl, put it inside your fridge, and just leave it there for at least 24 hours. This simple method will keep your fridge smelling nice and fresh.

These natural ingredients are actually better at removing bad odors than chemical cleaners you can get in the convenience store. This is because unlike the store-bought products that will only cover up the smells, natural ingredients like vinegar and baking soda will actually absorb them.

The next thing you should do is maintain the correct and ideal temperature for your fridge which is between 1.6° Celsius - 2.8° Celsius. This is very important because the warmer the temperature, the easier it is for mold and bacteria to grow inside your refrigerator.

Airtight containers can help you keep your fridge clean and smell fresh. If you put your leftovers into your fridge in their Styrofoam or cardboard packages, your fridge will smell just overnight. Putting your leftovers in an airtight container will prevent the bad odor. Not only that, this will also make your fridge more organized and neat.

Adding your favorite scent could be the last step on how to keep your fridge smelling nice and fresh. You can put a few tablespoons of salt along with a peel of your favorite citrus into an open bowl, and leave it inside your fridge. This method is highly effective because the salt will absorb unpleasant odor and the peel of citrus will emit a nice and fresh smell.