It’s National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day, and you know what that means?! It’s time to dig through your fridge and get it all cleaned out and ready for the holiday season! Cleaning out the fridge is never fun, but it feels so good when it’s done. Plus, it’ll make meal prep and cooking easier when you actually know what’s hiding in there! If it’s been a while since you’ve tackled everything in your fridge, here’s some tips to make the process easier:
1. Make sure you have everything you need. There’s nothing worse than starting a big project like cleaning out your fridge and then realizing that you’re missing something partway through. Some of the things you’ll want to make sure to have on hand:
- Trash bags: more than likely, you’ll uncover a few spoiled goodies lurking in the depths of your fridge that’ll need to make the trash their new home.
- Wiping materials: paper towels, rags, sponges, or brushes will all get the job done. Just pick the one you prefer and make sure to have it handy!
- Cleaning solution: there’s a lot of options here as well depending on what your preferences are. You can use a multi-purpose based cleaner, bleach, or even dish soap to clean and sanitize your fridge. If the thought of these cleaners near your food makes you nervous you can use a solution of equal parts white vinegar and warm water. It’s up to you what you use, just be careful if you’re using more than one cleaner since they may not mix well!
- Gloves: if touching spoiled food grosses you out you might want to invest in a simple pair of rubber gloves.
- Magic Eraser: take a quick look to see if you’ve got some staining in your fridge. If so, a Magic Eraser can help get those tougher stains out.
- Toothbrush: for the harder to reach nooks and crannies of your fridge.
- Cooler or freezer space: to store those highly perishable foods you may have in your fridge while you’re cleaning it out.
- Fresh box of baking soda: if you like using baking soda as a deodorizer in your fridge this is a good time to replace your current box.
2. Pump up the jams. Seriously, having some music or a great podcast to listen to while tackling your fridge can make the process so much more bearable.
3. Empty your refrigerator. That’s right, pull it all out. Not only does having an empty fridge make it much easier to clean, it also forces you to take stock of everything you have. Check expiration dates on condiments as you’re removing them and set everything that’s expired aside. Once your fridge cleaning adventure is over you can empty all the condiment containers and reuse or recycle them as you see fit.
4. Remove any drawers, shelves, etc. If it can come out, take it out. Wash the insides and outsides of drawers and shelves with dish soap and hot water. If your kitchen sink isn’t very big, try using a utility sink or even your hose outside (depending on the weather).
5. Scrub, scrub, scrub. Start at the top of your refrigerator, and work your way down. Scrub shelves, walls, corners, and every other inch of your fridge. For stuck-on gunk, try placing a hot, damp rag over the spill for a minute and then wipe. Tough stains can generally be removed with a Magic Eraser.
6. Let things dry. You can either let things air dry which can take a while, or grab some paper towels or a clean towel to dry things off. Excess moisture can contribute to food spoilage and possible mold growth, so you want to make sure you don’t leave any little puddles!
7. Survey your food. Take a look at everything you pulled out of your fridge. Any spoiled and expired food should be disposed of. Wipe down the outsides of condiment containers and tighten caps as needed.
8. Put things back in their place. Rearrange shelves, put drawers back where they belong, and reassemble all the fridge parts you took out to clean earlier. Then, it’s time to put your food back in the fridge. To prevent early spoilage, try these tips for food placement:
- Door: condiments, salad dressings, and other highly stable foods can go here. You want to avoid putting dairy products, meats, and other highly perishable foods in your fridge doors since these areas experience the greatest temperature fluctuations. Think about which condiments you use most often and put these on the easier to reach shelves. Accidentally find two of the same thing? Put the one that’s going to expire first in front, so it’s the most noticeable.
- Drawers: produce territory! Make sure you’re only putting fruits in one and vegetables in the other. Fruits and veggies stored together often make each other spoil faster.
- Bottom: raw meats should be below everything else in your fridge (if possible) on their own shelf or in their own drawer. This ensures that they can’t drip on your other food and avoids cross contamination issues. Wherever you store your raw meats should be thoroughly sanitized on a weekly basis as well to limit cross contamination potential.
- The depths: dairy products should be stored in the back of your fridge, away from the door. They’re highly perishable, and the coldest part of your refrigerator is the furthest away from the door. Dairy also absorbs odors and flavors from other foods, so store them in their own solitary spot if possible.
- Think about how often you use the foods in your fridge as well. Put things that often get forgotten until they spoil at eye level. If you have kids, put things they use most often at a level where they can easily reach them. Be strategic with where you store your food to get the most out of it!
9. Scrub the outside. That’s right, we’re not done cleaning yet! Wipe down the top, sides, front, and handles of your fridge. You worked so hard on the inside, might as well clean the outside too, right?
10. Schedule your next deep clean. To keep everything as fresh and sanitary as possible, your fridge should be cleaned each and every season! To keep things as clean as possible in between, wipe up spills as they happen, clean a shelf here and there, and pull out drawers to clean periodically.
When’s the last time you’ve cleaned your refrigerator? What strategies do you use to keep your fridge clean?