How to banish unpleasant smells from your fridge
We’ve all been there; you open the fridge door to forage for a snack, only to be greeted by a foul smell. Did you forget to throw away a mouldy block of cheese? Or maybe something leaked? Either way, it’s never a nice moment, but it’s something most of us have experienced one time or another. The only thing worse than removing such a smell is dealing with the lingering after-effects that have compromised everything else you’ve stored.
The good news is there’s a quick way to deal with this smelly situation. And even better, there’s one lifesaving ingredient that can prevent the problem in the future. Read on for our top tips for dealing with a smelly fridge…
Why does my fridge smell?
Any cheese fans will know it doesn’t take much to fill the fridge with a strong odour, but whether it’s cheese, garlic or a forgotten mouldy bowl of leftovers, smells can linger behind that closed fridge door. Plus, there are lots of nooks and crannies in fridges for dirt and grime to get into.
The household ingredient that can help
Luckily, there’s an unexpected solution to your unwanted fridge odours: bicarbonate of soda.
If your fridge is starting to smell, try wiping down the walls, shelves and door seals with a solution of 15ml (1tbsp) bicarbonate of soda to 1 litre warm water, or use a disinfectant solution such as Milton Sterilising Fluid.
Prevent nasty niffs
Bicarbonate of soda will actively deodorise wherever it’s placed. It does this by neutralising the acidic and alkaline odour molecules in the air.
That means you can simply leave an open ramekin or bowl of bicarbonate of soda inside the fridge to stop future smells developing. It should last up to three months before you have to replace it – try dating the container so you remember when to change it.
If you’d rather save your bicarbonate of soda for baking, you can also buy specialised fridge deodorisers, such as the Acana Fridge Odour Absorber.
Wipe down thoroughly
To keep the fridge odour-free, clean it regularly by wiping down all inside surfaces with a damp cloth, then drying it well with a soft cloth. Clean the outside with a solution of washing-up liquid, being sure to wipe around the handle. We like the general purpose e-cloth. You can use baby oil to prevent fingermarks on stainless steel in the future.
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