How to get rid of the smell in the refrigerator

It often happens that extraneous aromas appear in our “electronic pantry”. Why this happens and how to get rid of the smell in the refrigerator will be discussed in this article.

Causes of Bad Smell in the Refrigerator

There are usually three of them:

1. Technical.
2. Sanitary and hygienic.
3. Violation of food storage rules.

Let’s consider them in order.

Technical

Removing the smell of paint and plastic in a new refrigerator is easy. At home, unpacking, for example, a brand new “Indesite» or Atlas, rinse it thoroughly inside and leave it open for a couple of hours. This will help to weather the extraneous factory “flavors”.

Attention! Having bought a cheap model with low quality plastic, you should know that it will take a long time to fight the pungent smell inside.

The smell in an old refrigerator may indicate:

• malfunctions in the autofreeze system;
• blockage of the condensate drain;
• accumulation and decay of moisture in the seals;
• clogging of the deodorizer in the device;
• power outages.

How to eliminate some of the listed problems at home, a technically trained owner knows. It is best and most reliable to carry out prevention in a timely manner.

It is necessary to regularly and accurately inspect, clean and flush the system, from the back wall to the casing and rubber seals. You should also change parts that have become unusable and take care of stabilizing the voltage in the network.

Only a master can destroy the bad smell of freon when it leaks.

Sanitation

Another reason for the unpleasant smell in the refrigerator is indirectly related to the first. We are talking about planned maintenance of equipment, which first of all should be remembered by housewives.

Recommended:

• once a week, do an “audit” in the chamber and light preventive cleaning, eliminating stains from spilled products, grease and dirt;
• Once every six months or a year, completely defrost and wash the appliance with cleaning products such as Topperr.

Before washing, do not forget to unplug the refrigerator from the mains. Check the cleanliness of the drain at the back of the chamber. To treat and remove the rotten smell, use detergents.

• Folk remedies help well – solutions of soda (2 tablespoons per liter of water), ammonia (a teaspoon of ammonia per liter), vinegar (one to one) or vodka with lemon (a tablespoon of juice and 10 tablespoons of vodka per liter).

• Dry shelves and containers thoroughly before placing them in the refrigerator. To refresh, put activated charcoal tablets, single tea bags, lemon or gel absorber inside.

Storage Rules

When purchasing products, we do not always pay attention to the conditions and terms of their storage. Failure to follow the recommendations may cause odor from the chamber. Much depends on what and where they put it inside. This is described in the instructions for the device.

Let us briefly recall the main recommendations:

• Smoked hams, sausage, cheese, keep in wax paper. They are the source of a strong smell that stays for a long time.
• Outside the freezer, meat and fish become breeding grounds for bacteria.
• Put cooked spicy dishes with spices in tightly closed containers or pack in cling film.
• Periodically check the safety of perishable food. It can get old, dry or moldy.
• When leaving for a long time, do not leave quickly perishable food, turn off or switch the device to economy mode. It is better to keep an empty chamber ajar during this period.

How to remove odors from the refrigerator

If all of the above measures fail, consider how to kill or neutralize terrible odors. Detergents, aroma absorbers, ionizers and industrial carbon filters help to remove the smell of mold, rotten meat, and repel old odors. They are sold in hardware stores in a large assortment.

It is better to use eco-friendly and non-toxic. For example, OdorGone will even deal with strong odors and bacteria in a few hours. The domestic “Indesit” with a spray gun works effectively. Top House wipes and spray also serve to clean contaminated surfaces. In just 5-10 minutes a day, a battery-powered ionizer copes with disinfection.

On a note! Drying after washing is best done with a fan heater.

In the fight against spores of microbes and mold, irradiation for half an hour with a blue lamp will help.

From folk methods, we will focus on inexpensive and affordable substances. What absorbs odors well:

• baking soda stored in an open container and must be replaced at least once a month;
• vinegar, diluted with water in a ratio of 1: 1, placed inside the apparatus for a couple of hours;
• crushed activated or charcoal, placed overnight in a chamber.

Slightly less effective are half a potato or an apple, a crust of rye bread or an orange, a mixture of cinnamon and vinegar, ground coffee, salt or sugar.

By applying the above tips, you will get rid of problems – and the food in the refrigerator will always be fresh and of high quality.