Help - Smelly Fridge/Freezer

iris

We returned home last Saturday from one week's holiday, only to find that the trip switch had 'gone off' on our consumer board and knocked out the electric to all our plugs. It looks as if the electric has been off for maybe the whole week, because nothing has been recorded via our TV.


We have an American style fridge/freezer and although I have thrown away everything and wiped/washed out the interiors of both cabinets and drawers many times there is still a lingering 'smell' every time I open the doors.


Does anyone have any ideas/recommendations how I can get rid of the 'smell'.


So far I have tried wiping out with hot soapy water, white vinegar, soda crystals, baking soda. I have even tried wiping the inside with vanilla extract (as suggested via google), but this made the smell worse:eek:


My husband says we are going to have to buy a new American fridge/freezer, but at a cost of c £1000, I am hoping you good OS'ers can come up with a solution.


Forgot to say, we don't have a water dispenser/ice maker.

Horace

Have you cleaned out the drip tray? That might be full of stinky water.

Put a bowl of oats in your fridge to absorb any nasty niffs.

iris

Horace wrote: »

Have you cleaned out the drip tray? That might be full of stinky water.

Put a bowl of oats in your fridge to absorb any nasty niffs.

Thank you for your reply. Will try putting oats in fridge/freezer.


Where would I find the drip tray in a frost free American style fridge/freezer?

[Deleted User]

A dish of dry bicarbonate of soda in there should help absorb smells, particularly if you wash the interior with a bicarb wash beforehand.

iris

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

A dish of dry bicarbonate of soda in there should help absorb smells, particularly if you wash the interior with a bicarb wash beforehand.

Thank you for your reply.


Have already washed the interior with bicarb and have a dish of dry bicarb in the fridge.

iris

Horace wrote: »

Have you cleaned out the drip tray? That might be full of stinky water.

Put a bowl of oats in your fridge to absorb any nasty niffs.

Have taken the back off fridge/freezer and found the drip tray, which did contain a small amount of wet gunge, however it was very difficult to clean it out as it couldn't be removed, but we did our best with a cloth and dry kitchen roll.


We have turned the fridge/freezer back on and it is working ok, but still smells. I have also put 2 fridge deodourizers in there in the hope that this helps.


As the electricity was off for a week we are wondering if the smell is actually in the interior plastic and in fact can never be eliminated. If this is the case then we will have to buy a new one:cool:

Horace

I don't think that the plastic interior would absorb smells especially as people put all kinds of stinky things in their fridges eg. onions, fish etc etc and then the fridge would small all the time.

Do you know why the trip went leaving your home without power - could it be that somewhere your electrics are faulty? If there is a fishy smell that usually emanates from plugs when there is a fault with the wiring inside and it gives off an odour that smells like rotten fish.

I know you have found the drip tray but I do not have an American fridge so wouldn't know - details would be in the handbook.

sparrer

Try a lemon cut in quarters. I leave one in my standard ff (change it every week or 10 days) and it keeps it fresh, I don't see why it wouldn't work in an American-style one.

iris

sparrer wrote: »

Try a lemon cut in quarters. I leave one in my standard ff (change it every week or 10 days) and it keeps it fresh, I don't see why it wouldn't work in an American-style one.

I have already tried the lemon trick, but it didn't work.

AlwaysAllie

If you really can't shift the smell and are considering a replacement....

A) I wonder if there are firms that clean fridges (a bit like they do ovens). Not something I'd normally use but might be cheaper than a new fridge

are you insured?

AA

iris

Horace wrote: »

I don't think that the plastic interior would absorb smells especially as people put all kinds of stinky things in their fridges eg. onions, fish etc etc and then the fridge would small all the time.

Do you know why the trip went leaving your home without power - could it be that somewhere your electrics are faulty? If there is a fishy smell that usually emanates from plugs when there is a fault with the wiring inside and it gives off an odour that smells like rotten fish.

I know you have found the drip tray but I do not have an American fridge so wouldn't know - details would be in the handbook.

I agree that the plastic interior wouldn't absorb smells under 'normal' circumstances, but this fridge/freezer has been left for a week with defrosted food in it, and believe me it did smell awful when we got home.


The 'smell' wasn't fishy (I know that smell well) and the handbook didn't give details of where to find the drip tray:cool:


I agree that it is worrying that our trip switch went off for seemingly no reason and we have checked everything. Our property is only 13 years old, so our electrics are very modern.


My husband thinks that maybe moisture could have got into our outside plug, so this has been disconnected. He thinks that we will never know the reason, as apparently these trip switches are very sensitive and can go off if there is a power surge/power drop. We live in a rural area where our power goes off often for just a few seconds, especially when there is a thunder storm.


I am pleased to report that this morning the 'smell' has gone and everything seems normal again. Thank you for your help Horace.