How to Deep Clean Your Fridge

Do you know more than 5 million cases of food poisoning happen in Australia annually due to poor handling and storing of food? It can happen when you eat contaminated food from eateries or your home.

Thousands of disease-causing pathogens are present on your refrigerator’s door and handle. They are also inside the appliance because household fridges are often neglected during routine house cleaning.

Without regular sanitation, your fridge accumulates bacteria, viruses and mould, making stored foods susceptible to contamination. Bacteria and fungi also degrade the indoor air quality of the refrigerator with foul odours.

Therefore, you must deep clean your fridge monthly to keep it sanitary and organised. Hiring a professional service for end of lease cleaning in Gold Coast is a great solution to avoid stress and hassle at the end of a tenancy.

However, here’s what you must do to thoroughly sanitise your fridge for household hygiene.

Toss, Consume, Donate

The first step for deep cleaning is decluttering to get rid of spoiled, expired and unwanted food and drinks. Explore your fridge thoroughly to check prepared dishes, raw vegetables, fruits, meats and other edibles. Put spoiled food into the disposal or compost bin to discard them responsibly.

Furthermore, look at expiry or best-before dates on canned and packed items to toss things past the viable dates. If the items expire in a month or two and you don’t need them, set them aside for donating to a food bank.

Lastly, only keep things you will consume to have a mess-free and spacious refrigerator. Consume all these things before deep cleaning the appliance, or keep them in another fridge or freezer to prevent spoiling.

Safety Precautions

Since a refrigerator is an electronic appliance and a storage unit for edibles, you must take the following safety precautions before and while cleaning it.

Turn off the main power to the appliance. Ensure the plug is out of the socket.

Defrost the freezer before cleaning to avoid cuts, bruises and scrapes from ice.

Avoid using steel wool, scouring pads and other harsh tools to remove stubborn stains or build-up.

Don’t use commercial cleaners with benzene, ammonia, thinners or volatile organic compounds. They can damage appliance surfaces & cause respiratory problems for you or others in the house.

Never leave any appliance surface or component dripping with water, cleaning solution or other liquids; it increases the risk of electrical shock.

Shelves, Holders & Containers

Remove all shelves, holders and containers from the appliance’s freezer, door and main body. Wash them in the sink with warm water and dishwashing liquid, then wipe with a microfiber cloth. Next, keep the removable parts in an open area to aerate and remain safe while you clean the rest of the fridge.

The Freezer

Cleaning the freezer is easiest when you have defrosted it before cleaning as you don’t have to scrap off or break the ice. After defrosting, gently wipe the remaining moisture with a dry microfiber towel.

Next, spray a soap and water solution and scrub the compartment with a sponge. Scrub in a circular motion like the professional cleaners who offer bond cleaning Gold Coast to agitate dust, dirt or food stains and remove them with less elbow grease. Lastly, wipe the residues and cleaner with a damp microfiber cloth and let the freezer air dry.

Door

After taking off the removable parts from the door, gently wipe it with a damp cheesecloth or microfiber wipe. If the door has hard-to-remove grime, spills, or stains, make a runny paste of baking soda, dishwashing liquid and water in a bowl. Pick the paste with a sponge and scrub the affected areas gently. Afterwards, remove the residues and buff the surfaces with a terry towel.

Main Body

Make a homemade cleaning solution by mixing white vinegar, water and liquid soap in a spray bottle. Keep the quantity of vinegar and water in equal proportions.

Next, spray the solution inside the main body, ensuring it coats every part and let it dwell for 2 minutes before scrubbing with a sponge. Wipe the interior with a damp microfiber cloth, then a dry terry towel. Keep the door open to let aerate the compartment.

Exterior Surface & Parts

Take out the drip pan and discard collected water before washing soap and warm water. Let the pan dry with other removed components from the fridge.

Next, using a soft brush or a vacuum cleaner crevice tool, remove spools of dust, fuzz and other physical debris from the coils and the back of the appliance.

Spray the fridge door, sides and handles with the homemade cleaner, and wipe with a damp microfiber cloth. Move to bottom, as it is a professional technique end of lease cleaners in Gold Coast use to prevent recontamination of cleaned areas.

Endnote

Affix all the removed components of the fridge after cleaning and restock your fridge. Routinely deep clean it using the tips shared above to prevent foodborne illness and foul odour inside the appliance.

When moving out of a rental property, book professional end of lease cleaners in Gold Coast to clean it. Make sure to complete the deep cleaning of the fridge before they arrive, or let them do it if you lack the time.