Get Rid of Bad Smells in Your Fridge

Fridges are a great way to keep your food cool and perishables from spoiling. Unfortunately, they can trap odors. If your fridge is starting get a bad smell, read this article to learn how to get rid of it.

10 Second Summary

1. Unplug the fridge and remove everything inside.
2. Clean it with a mixture of baking soda and warm water.
3. Put everything back in and plug the fridge.
4. Place an open container of baking soda inside to keep odors at bay.

Steps

Cleaning

  1. Turn off the refrigerator and unplug it.
  2. Remove all the items from your fridge. As you go, discard any expired food that is developing into a science project.
  3. Place any food you choose to keep in a cooler while you work. Add ice if it will be out for some time for better preservation.
  4. Make a mixture of baking soda and warm water. Dissolve 1/2 cup of baking soda into a sink filled with warm water.
  5. Take out all shelves, bins and any other removable parts. Wash and rinse all of the parts before thoroughly drying them. Don't forget to wipe as much of the walls and floor of the fridge as you can, even under the crisper drawers.
  6. Clean the drip tray. This is located beneath the refrigerator. Be careful because it likely contains dirty water. Remove the grill from beneath the doors, carefully pull it out and dump the contents.

Using Odor-Removers

  1. Use baking soda. To get rid of odors, spread a box of baking soda across a baking sheet and place in the refrigerator. Keep the door closed until the smell disappears, then discard the baking soda. To try to counteract everyday odors, keep an open box of baking soda in your fridge at all times.
    • If you want to use it as a cleaning method, dissolve 1/2 cup of baking soda into water.
  2. Add vinegar. White vinegar neutralizes many of the same smells as baking soda. Put an open cup or bowl in the fridge, or mix it in with water as an effective cleaning solution.
  3. Use oats as an odor-absorber. Leave a bowl of oats out in your fridge and this will suck in the bad smells.
  4. Use coffee grounds. Place dry, fresh coffee grounds in a few shallow bowls or spread across baking sheets. Keep the bowls or sheets on different levels of your refrigerator. The smells should leave within a few days.
  5. Let activated charcoal absorb bad odors. Similar to the coffee grounds method, place the activated charcoal -- do not use charcoal briquettes -- in a couple of shallow bowls or on baking sheets and put them on different shelves in the fridge. Set the refrigerator temperature to low and leave in with the door closed for several days. The smells in question should go away within a few days.
    • Activated charcoal can be purchased from pet stores or drugstores.
    • Activated charcoal can be refreshed by placing in the oven at 350ºF/180C for 20 minutes.
  6. Use unscented chlorophyll cat litter. Spread in a shallow pan and leave in the refrigerator until the smell disappears.



Tips

  • Cleaning the fridge with vanilla extract also ensures that the odor is eliminated. To make your fridge smell clean, you can add soak up vanilla extract into a cotton ball and then place the ball inside the fridge.
  • As much as possible, contain foods in airtight containers. They will stay fresher longer and the odors will not spread as much if they do spoil.
  • To prevent odors in the future, make a point to look in once a week or so and remove expired food. Try looking right before you take out the trash. It's a good reminder and items don't sit around in your kitchen trash smelling bad.
  • Regardless of which method(s) you choose, don't put the food back into your refrigerator until the stench has cleared.
  • After cleaning the fridge, also clean the condiment bottles and containers of food before putting them back in. Sometimes bad smells can cling to them.
  • If you must leave a refrigerator turned off or unplugged for a period of time, clean it thoroughly first and remove all food. Then, leave it propped open a bit. Even when cleaned, a warm and closed fridge is certain to smell bad in time.

Warnings

  • Never clean a cold glass shelf with hot water. Either allow it to come to room temperature or use lukewarm water. A sudden temperature change can shatter the glass.
  • Avoid using abrasive cleaning items––these have the potential for scratching the refrigerator surfaces.

Things You'll Need

  • Soap and water
  • A sponge or dish rag
  • Coffee grounds or baking soda
  • Bowls or baking sheets/shallow pans
  • Baking soda

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Sources and Citations

  • Martha Stewart, Martha Stewart's Homekeeping Handbook, p. 91, (2006), ISBN 978-0-517-57700-4 – research source
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