Cleaning Fridge (don't read if you're eating)

kethry

ok... i need to clean out the fridge. There's nothing going off in there food wise, but i also know that the part of the fridge where the water drains off, at the bottom, back, is .. well. full of grot and is really gross. Not to mention its leaking horrible brown fluid underneath the (unused) veg tray.

I want to get the fridge really clean and stuff ready for the christmas food - so what's the best way to go about it all? obviously, remove all the food, the shelves and wash everything .. any other tips?

keth
xx

nearlyrich

Microfibre cloth and hot water works wonders in my fridge, the secret to stopping the brown water all over is to clean out the channel every week or when you restock the fridge.

If it smells you can put some bicarbonate of soda in to absorb the smell. Be careful of using strong smelling cleaning stuff in fridges as it can taint the food.

Hope that helps.

kethry

nope it doesn't smell, so that's not something to worry about. looks like i just have to get in there and get dirty.. thankfully i have everything you've listed already, so that's cool!

thanks!

keth
xx

V.Lucky

Guess what - I still haven't found the hole in my fridge yet!! Convinced there isn't one and you are all having me on!

emilyt

We had to pull our fridge out and clean the back. some milk was put back in the fridge lying on its side. It had dripped into the hole and the smell was awful. After wearing gloves and a mask and cleaning the tray at the back with stardrops it was good as new.

squeaky

V.Lucky wrote:

Guess what - I still haven't found the hole in my fridge yet!! Convinced there isn't one and you are all having me on!

There REALLY is one, honest

Your drianage channels will be in a slight v to the centre, usually, and in the back wall right in the bottom of that will be a hole.

Q-itps, drinking straws or pipe cleaners are all means of getting it clear of gunk.

Good luck

jcr16

i always used to use hot water and washin up liquid for fridge. but now i use star drops. to prevent smell i have half a lemon, scoop the middle out and fill with salt. not sure how it works but it does.

kathyd_2

I'd be inclined to pull the fridge out and take a look at the back. I think there is a small tray like thingy that may have similar gunky stuff that was in the hole, iykwim.

squeaky

kathyd wrote:

I'd be inclined to pull the fridge out and take a look at the back. I think there is a small tray like thingy that may have similar gunky stuff that was in the hole, iykwim.

Yes there is, and it's well worth a clean out every now and then. (The water from defrosting the chiller plate drains down onto a container mounted on top of the compressor where the warmth allows it to gently evaporate. If this fills up with accumulated gunk it can overflow).

Luckily, blockages are normally at the start of the drain hole inside the fridge.

kethry

i didn't do the fridge in the end up... i got up to do it yesterday but my chest started reacting to moving around a lot (coughing etc.) so i cut myself a break and contented myself with doing the xmas pud, some yummy scrummy slices and pizza for dinner, and packed myself off to bed early. Fell asleep in the first half hour of dracula, which i really wanted to see, so i must have been poorly.

am determined to try today though, although... all these descriptions of a tray at the back of the fridge are really alarming me. I've *never* pulled the fridge out, not since we moved in in August 2004, its a tall fridge (as big as most fridge/freezers) with boxes to one side and the microwave and various other stuff on top.. moving it out is a HUGE job. how stupid, to put the tray at the back!!! i guess i'll have to think about this, cos the grot that is in the drainage hole just isn't healthy, and i'd imagine if the grot is dripping into a drainage tray at the back that its even less healthy..

lovely.. just the news to wake up to! thanks guys!

i'll let you know how i get on..

keth
xx

kethry

*private keth stumbles out of the battlefield into the command tent to report, a noxious odour following her.. snaps to attention before the commander*

"MA'AM! Private keth reporting as ordered, Ma'AM!" the commander looks up.

"very good, private keth, at ease. summary of the battle so far?" private keth falls into the "at ease" stance.

"Ma'am, first part of the battle has been completed as ordered, Ma'am! fridge is clear of all consumables.. horrors lurking in corners have been despatched into the doom of black plastic sacks. Captain BP* was very brave, Ma'am, went in with all guns blazing, the fridge STINKS of stardrops now, Ma'am... listening post is happily engaged in listening to the critters die painfully. Currently awaiting for kitchen floor to dry and then stage 2 will commence, Ma'am... clearance of THE GUNK!" the commander looks up, a grave look on her face.

"and which brave soul has volunteered to clean The Gunk? prayers need to be said for them.." private keth pulls her cap off her head.

"that would be me, Ma'am, prayers are appreciated." the commander nods.

"very well. dismissed."

private keth salutes smartly, executes a crisp about-turn and marches out of the tent back to the hell that is The Fridge to her doom.. attacking THE GUNK!!!

A whisper comes on the wind... ((pray for me...))

* BP = other half