Cleaning Your Refrigerator
It’s essential to keep your refrigerator clean. Learn how to clean your refrigerator well to prevent sickness and disease.
Materials Needed:
Hydrogen Peroxide
Microfiber cleaning cloths
Dawn dish soap
Several clean towels
Commence by clearing out the contents of your refrigerator, placing them on your countertop, in a box, or any space that frees up room. While this step might seem laborious, it significantly simplifies the subsequent stages of the cleaning process.
The next phase involves cleansing your refrigerator’s bins, shelves, and drawers. A practical approach I’ve found is to remove these components from the fridge and immerse them in a bathtub. Fill the tub with warm water and a dash of Dawn dish soap, then place the parts in the tub to soak.
During the time the soapy water is taking effect, you can proceed to wipe down the interior of your fridge. Generously spray the interior with hydrogen peroxide (or your preferred cleaning spray), and then use a microfiber cleaning cloth to wipe it clean. (This step becomes remarkably swift and effortless once the shelves are removed.)
Following that, inspect the refrigerator components soaking in the bathtub and give them a brief scrub if needed. Rinse them with clean water and lay them out on a few fresh bath towels to air dry. (In my case, the shelves and drawers dried within approximately 15 minutes, but if you reside in a humid environment, you might need to towel dry them.)
Put the drawers, shelves, and bins back into your fridge. Congratulations on completing Phase 1! 🙂
Organizing Your Refrigerator
Materials Needed:
Small bins
Labels or masking tape
Markers
Before hastily reassembling the food items in your fridge as they were, now is an opportune moment to contemplate adjusting the shelf heights. If taller items have posed fitting issues previously, try elevating a shelf by a notch or two to create more space. It’s a seemingly minor adjustment that can yield a notable impact!
Utilizing Bins
Once your items are positioned as desired, you can systematically return food items to your fridge. This is where the bins come into play! I procured four small bins at my local dollar store for $1 each, so they don’t have to be costly. Determining precisely what to place in each container might be subjective, as everyone maintains a distinct assortment of food in their fridge. Nonetheless, a sensible starting point involves categorizing items into groups of similar kinds and then placing each group in its designated bin.
Simplify identification of the contents in each bin by labeling them using masking tape on the bin’s front surface. Additionally, label your food, specifying its identity and the date of purchase/storage. The inclusion of dates aids in reminding you to consume items before their expiration.
Temperature Zones
Another aspect to consider during food arrangement is the distinct temperature “zones” within your fridge. Shelves situated on the door interior tend to be slightly warmer. This makes them suitable for storing condiments, butter, pasteurized juices, and other items with minimal food safety concerns.
The lowest section of your fridge is typically the coldest. It’s prudent to store raw meat on this shelf. For added safety, place the meat on a tray or plate to catch any unintended drips, preventing potential contamination of items in lower bins.
The central region of your fridge maintains a consistently cold temperature, permitting the storage of various items.
Produce Drawers
Your produce drawers offer valuable storage options, depending on your needs. Many vegetables retain their quality better with some humidity, making the “high humidity” drawer (if labeled) a suitable choice. Conversely, fruits fare better with less moisture, making the “low humidity” drawer appropriate for storage.
Some individuals store their fruits and vegetables in the main compartment of the fridge, and that’s perfectly acceptable! If avoiding this scenario is more manageable by keeping your produce outside the drawers, then that takes precedence.
In essence, that covers the process! Following these steps will likely transform the appearance of your fridge significantly. Reward yourself for your diligence and give yourself a well-deserved pat on the back!
Visit our blog to learn more apartment living tips and read our ultimate apartment appliance cleaning guide!
