When you clean your fridge, you want it to stay clean for as long as possible. That’s why it’s so disheartening when you spend all that time making sure your fridge looks immaculate, only to have it knock you out with a weird smell the next time you poke your head inside. After all that fridge cleaning, what could be making your fridge smell funky?

Your fridge has absorbed the odor.
Refrigerator odors come from either bacteria or mold, often from food spoilage or moisture buildup in the wrong places. If a bad smell persists after you clean your fridge, you likely missed some lingering microbes. Cleaning with dish soap will often mask odors but not eliminate them, meaning you may need to revisit the walls after an initial deep clean.
Plastic absorbs odors and holds onto odor-causing bacteria, so you might have to use an antibacterial cleaner if you still get smells coming from the walls. Bleach is the most effective option for killing the source of a funky odor. But because harsh chemicals can break down the plastic fridge lining, this is an excellent time to employ gentler homemade alternatives.

Clogged filters.
Many modern refrigerators have an air filter that cleans the circulating air and a water filter for the water in your door dispenser or ice maker. Both of these generally need to be checked and changed once every six months.
If it has been a while since you looked at your filters, check your user’s manual to find the replacement part numbers and instructions for cleaning them. Mold and foul odors can accumulate in these areas, and a refresh could save you from a nasty fridge smell. It’s also a good idea to pitch any ice and clean the ice bucket after replacing an old water filter.

There's mold in the drip pan.
Few people remember the hidden drip pan when they do a refrigerator deep clean. The pan sits under the fridge, catching moisture from the condensate line. Over time, that moisture can create a perfect breeding ground for mold, which will make itself known with foul, musty aromas.
Check your user’s manual for instructions on removing your drip pan. Empty the pan and give it a thorough cleaning with soapy water. Dry it completely before reinstalling it.

Is it safe to clean a refrigerator with vinegar?
Absolutely! You can start attacking lingering fridge smells with a handy vinegar all-purpose spray, as it's a mild disinfectant that can help eliminate foul odors on the walls. Fill a spray bottle with equal parts distilled white vinegar and water and spray it on the walls. Let it sit for a few minutes and wipe it down with a clean rag.
Like vinegar, lemon contains a weak acid that can deodorize the inside of the fridge. Citric acid can break down certain bacteria while imparting a pleasant scent. Squeeze the juice from a lemon onto a clean cloth and wipe down the inside of the fridge. For added freshness, put the squeezed lemon pieces on a plate toward the back of the fridge to circulate the scent.

Can hydrogen peroxide eliminate odors?
It can. The one drawback to vinegar and lemon is that they give off scents as well, and in an enclosed space, they linger and circulate for a while. Appliance manufacturers often recommend against using pungent cleaners like these because of their staying power and potential for affecting the food inside the fridge.
If you want an odor-free alternative, try hydrogen peroxide instead. The 3% peroxide in your medicine cabinet is gentle on plastic, safe to handle, and a potent disinfectant that can kill the germs causing those foul fridge smells.
Spray the inside of your refrigerator with hydrogen peroxide. Let it sit for a few minutes before wiping it down.

SOURCE: anitashousekeeping.com

When you clean your fridge, you want it to stay clean for as long as possible. That’s why it’s so disheartening when you spend all that time making sure your fridge looks immaculate, only to have it knock you out with a weird smell the next time you poke your head inside. After all that fridge cleaning, what could be making your fridge smell funky?

Your fridge has absorbed the odor.
Refrigerator odors come from either bacteria or mold, often from food spoilage or moisture buildup in the wrong places. If a bad smell persists after you clean your fridge, you likely missed some lingering microbes. Cleaning with dish soap will often mask odors but not eliminate them, meaning you may need to revisit the walls after an initial deep clean.
Plastic absorbs odors and holds onto odor-causing bacteria, so you might have to use an antibacterial cleaner if you still get smells coming from the walls. Bleach is the most effective option for killing the source of a funky odor. But because harsh chemicals can break down the plastic fridge lining, this is an excellent time to employ gentler homemade alternatives.

Clogged filters.
Many modern refrigerators have an air filter that cleans the circulating air and a water filter for the water in your door dispenser or ice maker. Both of these generally need to be checked and changed once every six months.
If it has been a while since you looked at your filters, check your user’s manual to find the replacement part numbers and instructions for cleaning them. Mold and foul odors can accumulate in these areas, and a refresh could save you from a nasty fridge smell. It’s also a good idea to pitch any ice and clean the ice bucket after replacing an old water filter.

There's mold in the drip pan.
Few people remember the hidden drip pan when they do a refrigerator deep clean. The pan sits under the fridge, catching moisture from the condensate line. Over time, that moisture can create a perfect breeding ground for mold, which will make itself known with foul, musty aromas.
Check your user’s manual for instructions on removing your drip pan. Empty the pan and give it a thorough cleaning with soapy water. Dry it completely before reinstalling it.

Is it safe to clean a refrigerator with vinegar?
Absolutely! You can start attacking lingering fridge smells with a handy vinegar all-purpose spray, as it's a mild disinfectant that can help eliminate foul odors on the walls. Fill a spray bottle with equal parts distilled white vinegar and water and spray it on the walls. Let it sit for a few minutes and wipe it down with a clean rag.
Like vinegar, lemon contains a weak acid that can deodorize the inside of the fridge. Citric acid can break down certain bacteria while imparting a pleasant scent. Squeeze the juice from a lemon onto a clean cloth and wipe down the inside of the fridge. For added freshness, put the squeezed lemon pieces on a plate toward the back of the fridge to circulate the scent.

Can hydrogen peroxide eliminate odors?
It can. The one drawback to vinegar and lemon is that they give off scents as well, and in an enclosed space, they linger and circulate for a while. Appliance manufacturers often recommend against using pungent cleaners like these because of their staying power and potential for affecting the food inside the fridge.
If you want an odor-free alternative, try hydrogen peroxide instead. The 3% peroxide in your medicine cabinet is gentle on plastic, safe to handle, and a potent disinfectant that can kill the germs causing those foul fridge smells.
Spray the inside of your refrigerator with hydrogen peroxide. Let it sit for a few minutes before wiping it down.

SOURCE: anitashousekeeping.com