A clean fridge is an essential part of a good and healthy home. Over time your fridge will accumulate food leftovers and the shelves may become sticky from jars of jam and sauces. Expired food and condiments can lead to food poisoning from bacteria. Leftover food can start to grow mold. It is very important to clean your fridge periodically and throw out all expired food.

Many of us find this task daunting. For this reason, we often postpone fridge cleaning until the problem reaches a point where it can no longer be avoided. However, fridge cleaning doesn’t have to be a daunting task that sits on your to-do list.

There are a number of things you can do to make fridge cleaning easier. Number one is timing. You want to do your cleaning before grocery shopping. The less items you have in your fridge the easier it will be.

Next, you need to prepare an area to put all your fridges contents. This can be the kitchen counter or on a table close by. This will free up space so you can easily bring all the shelves out for washing. Lastly, you want to get proper cleaning solutions and materials.

Suggested Cleaning Materials:

-Garbage

-Melamine foam or Magic Eraser

-Vim

-Window cleaner

-A Few Cleaning Cloths

After you have emptied your fridge completely and disposed of all expired goods, remove all shelves and drawers. Set them aside for cleaning in the tub. Use melamine foam with Vim to scrub down the interior of the fridge. Wipe off the surfaces with a damp cloth.

Afterwards, you  can use a window cleaning solution, preferably one that also disinfects, to get rid of odour causing bacteria.

After the fridge is clean, take each shelf to the bath tub. Clean it the same way as you did with the interior. However, after scrubbing you can rinse the shelves with warm water either with a shower head or with a water pitcher to speed up the rinsing process. Don’t forget to clean the shelves with window cleaner before you put them back.

After everything has been cleaned, your food is ready to go back in. Just wipe the bottom of any jars that are dirty. Replace the expired goods the next time you go shopping.

Helpful Tip: If you don’t have window washing solution or want to use an eco-friendly solution you can simply use white vinegar.