Is your refrigerator smelling funky? Leftover food that’s been sitting in there for too long is likely the culprit. It is important to take care of offensive refrigerator smells right away, or else they can permeate every inch of your fridge, even the mechanicals. If this happens, these odors can be difficult to remove, which is why you should clean your smelly fridge as soon as possible.

Clear Out Your Fridge

Even if you found the item that is causing the odor, it is important to clear out the entire contents of your refrigerator and freeze. If the smell is a result of a power outage, make sure to get rid of any food that could be spoiled. You don’t want to take any chances.

Clean the Bins and Shelves

Take out all the shelves, drawers, ice trays, bins, and any other components inside your fridge. Wash in the sink with hot, soapy water. For particularly offensive refrigerator smells, try mixing up a solution of 1 tablespoon of liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of water. Use this solution to wipe down bins and shelves, then rinse with water.

Clean the Interior

Now that all the components are clean, it’s time to clean the interior. We recommend combining a solution of 1 cup of baking soda per gallon of water. Soak a sponge in the solution, and use it to clean the interior of the fridge. 

Air Out Your Fridge

Unplug your refrigerator, and leave the doors open. It would be good to air our your refrigerator for at least a day. If you can still smell the odor, try wiping down the interior again with the baking soda solution, and let it air out again.

Clean Your Evaporator

If the smell persists after the above steps, the smells may have permeated the evaporator coil. The evaporator is responsible for producing cold air for the fridge and is located in the back wall of the freezer. Remove the screws that anchor the panel, and unplug from the electronic controls and icemaker. Remove the panel and give it a good wash. You can use a spray bottle with warm soapy water to clean the coils.

Is your refrigerator smelling funky? Leftover food that’s been sitting in there for too long is likely the culprit. It is important to take care of offensive refrigerator smells right away, or else they can permeate every inch of your fridge, even the mechanicals. If this happens, these odors can be difficult to remove, which is why you should clean your smelly fridge as soon as possible.

Clear Out Your Fridge

Even if you found the item that is causing the odor, it is important to clear out the entire contents of your refrigerator and freeze. If the smell is a result of a power outage, make sure to get rid of any food that could be spoiled. You don’t want to take any chances.

Clean the Bins and Shelves

Take out all the shelves, drawers, ice trays, bins, and any other components inside your fridge. Wash in the sink with hot, soapy water. For particularly offensive refrigerator smells, try mixing up a solution of 1 tablespoon of liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of water. Use this solution to wipe down bins and shelves, then rinse with water.

Clean the Interior

Now that all the components are clean, it’s time to clean the interior. We recommend combining a solution of 1 cup of baking soda per gallon of water. Soak a sponge in the solution, and use it to clean the interior of the fridge. 

Air Out Your Fridge

Unplug your refrigerator, and leave the doors open. It would be good to air our your refrigerator for at least a day. If you can still smell the odor, try wiping down the interior again with the baking soda solution, and let it air out again.

Clean Your Evaporator

If the smell persists after the above steps, the smells may have permeated the evaporator coil. The evaporator is responsible for producing cold air for the fridge and is located in the back wall of the freezer. Remove the screws that anchor the panel, and unplug from the electronic controls and icemaker. Remove the panel and give it a good wash. You can use a spray bottle with warm soapy water to clean the coils.