How to remove bad smell from refrigerator. How to remove odor from the refrigerator and keep food fresh

Of course, an unpleasant smell from the refrigerator can upset any housewife, and if a similar problem has arisen in your kitchen, then you have probably started looking for ways to solve it. So, for what reasons does such a nuisance happen and how to get rid of it in the shortest possible time?

Where can an unpleasant smell come from in the refrigerator? Everyone knows that thanks to the refrigerator we can keep food fresh longer, but sooner or later any product begins to deteriorate and, accordingly, emit unpleasant aromas. Simply put, this is due to various bacteria that multiply in food over time. Food expiration date. If the expiration date of sausage, cheese or anything else has expired, then it is possible that this will cause corresponding consequences, and the refrigerator will no longer protect expired products from the stench. Problems with electricity. Also, unfortunately, at times, interruptions in the power supply may occur, which naturally triggers the process of defrosting meat and various semi-finished products located in the freezer - this can also trigger the appearance of unpleasant odors.Water in the refrigerator. By the way, the source of the problem is not always the food in the refrigerator - often it’s all about the water that has stagnated in it. You should definitely check the refrigerator drain - it is possible that a blockage has occurred and bacteria have begun to multiply in the water. Residues. It is possible that you have long ago gotten rid of some smelly product, but it still makes itself felt. This can happen if, for example, there was rotten meat on one of the shelves, you threw it away, but the juice from it managed to drain into one of the drawers, or just a small puddle remained on the shelf itself, hidden from your eyes. How to quickly get rid of the smell in the refrigerator Special detergents will help remove the smell from the refrigerator. One of such products is Odor Gone - it is produced specifically for units located in meat processing plants. With its help, you will remove any persistent and unpleasant odors from the refrigerator in a few hours. Even ordinary dishwashing detergent can help you - as a rule, it can cope not only with dirty dishes, but also with unpleasant odors in the refrigerator. In addition, pay attention to special wipes for wiping refrigerators, which are often sold in hardware stores. You can remove odors from the refrigerator using odor absorbers. Use a natural odor absorber - vinegar. This is a very simple remedy and at the same time very effective. So, you need to dilute vinegar with water in a one to one ratio. Use the resulting solution to clean the refrigerator and its removable elements. When the unit is turned on again and you place food in it, additionally place a glass of vinegar solution there for a couple of hours. Defrost and ventilate If you decide to get down to business and rule out the possibility that food is the cause of the unpleasant odor, you will have to remove all food from the refrigerator and freezer. Also, don’t forget to get shelves and all kinds of drawers. After the refrigerator has defrosted and all the water has drained from it, dissolve some cleaning agent in the water and rinse the unit thoroughly inside and out! You should also thoroughly wash all the shelves and drawers that you previously removed. After this, carefully wipe the refrigerator with a soft cloth and let it ventilate for several hours (of course, the doors of the refrigerator and freezer themselves should be open, and the unit itself should be in an inoperative state).

How to remove an unpleasant odor from a refrigerator that has not been used for a long time Sometimes, various stagnant odors may remain in the refrigerator, despite the fact that it has not been used for a long period. It is important to make sure that the special drain hole located inside the chamber is clean, as it could become clogged. In general, it is advisable to carry out a similar procedure every year. After making sure that the drain hole is in order, take care of the compartments of the refrigerator and its removable parts - they should be thoroughly rinsed. For this, various store-bought cleaning solutions, or products prepared from improvised ingredients, are quite suitable for you. Lemon juice Wash the refrigerator thoroughly with water, then use this solution - 1 tsp. lemon juice per glass warm water. Soak a soft cloth in this lemon water and “walk” it along all the walls and shelves of the refrigerator. After completing the procedure, leave the switched off refrigerator to ventilate for several hours. How to eliminate bad odor in the refrigerator folk remedies Soda. Using regular baking soda, you can completely get rid of the unpleasant smell in the refrigerator. Pour some baking soda into a small container and place the container in the refrigerator. However, it is worth noting that this method can only get rid of odor, but, unfortunately, not germs. However, you will get rid of this problem if you wash the inside of the refrigerator with this solution - 1 tbsp. baking soda diluted in 1 liter of water. Sugar and salt. Salt and sugar are wonderful natural absorbers of various odors, and if you notice some dubious aroma in the refrigerator, then place a saucer with fine salt or sugar there for several days.

Bread. Regular black bread will help you eliminate foreign odors from the refrigerator. Cut it into small pieces and place it on the shelves - as a rule, the next day there will be no trace of the strange smell. It is worth noting that the refrigerator must be empty. Lemon. For this method you will need lemon small size or lime. So, cut the citrus into two halves and remove all the pulp. Now you should pour a little soda or activated carbon into each formed “cup”. After this, put the halves on the shelves for several days. Magnesium sulfate. To apply this method, you will first need to go to the pharmacy and purchase Magnesium Sulfate, which is also called Epsom salt. You should mix 1 cup of purchased salt with 1 cup of baking soda. After this, add 30 ml to the mixture ordinary water and 5 drops of your favorite essential oil(it’s good to use lemon, mint or orange for these purposes). Transfer the mixture into a suitable jar, which should then be transferred to open form in the refrigerator. Cat litter. Of course, this method will seem very dubious to many, but at the same time it never ceases to be very effective! So, grab some loose cat litter from a recently opened bag and pour it into a small container. The vessel should be placed on one of the refrigerator shelves, and the product will soon rid the unit of the unpleasant odor.

How to remove odor from a new refrigerator (smell of rubber, packaging, new plastic) To the chagrin of many buyers, newly purchased appliances emit a very unpleasant odor at first, and most refrigerator models will not escape this fate. Even if you buy a unit that has not been used by anyone before, this does not guarantee that it will not contain the smell of rubber, new plastic or packaging. You probably don't want these aromas to mix with food odors, so we recommend that you take care of the problem. For this purpose, almost any detergent that is used for dishes can be suitable for you. Just dilute a teaspoon of the product in two liters of warm water, and wipe the refrigerator with this solution. Subsequently, go over the same places with a regular damp cloth, and then with a dry one. After completing this procedure, leave the refrigerator doors open for two to three hours so that it is well ventilated. After this, as a rule, you can turn on the unit and use it for its intended purpose.

Throw away spoiled food promptly. If you don’t want an unpleasant odor to appear in your refrigerator again and again, then it is important to promptly throw away food that has reached its expiration date. Also try not to let pots and plates with prepared food stagnate on the shelves - they tend to spoil quite quickly. By the way, it is important to pay attention to those food products that are located on the door of the unit - housewives often forget about some of them on long time , and later this becomes a problem. Sort different products separately. If you don’t want the products to absorb each other’s smell, then try to sort them - store vegetables with vegetables, and meat products with other meat products. When mixing some scents, an unpleasant odor may form, but this sorting will prevent this problem. Store leftover food in special containers. To prevent leftover food from becoming airy and you do not smell it immediately after opening the refrigerator door, try to store it in special containers. By the way, this is very convenient for another reason - when there is not much food left, but at the same time it takes up a very spacious pan, it is better to move it, in order, among other things, to free up space on the shelf. Use cling film. Ordinary cling film can be a wonderful alternative to a container; if you wrap some foods in it, you will not only keep them safe for a longer period, but also prevent the appearance of unpleasant odors. Wash the refrigerator once a month. Not only to eliminate, but also to prevent such a problem, we recommend setting aside some time every month to wash the refrigerator. Thus, it is unlikely that any spoiled product will be “stuck” in it. In addition, being confident that the refrigerator is clean, if an unpleasant odor occurs, you will be able to quickly determine its source. Do a general defrost once a year. You should completely defrost your refrigerator at least once a year. Over the course of several months, many different odors can accumulate on the icy walls of the freezer chamber of the unit, and subsequently this becomes more and more noticeable. Do not leave perishable foods for a long time. If you know that there is some perishable product stored on the refrigerator shelf, do not let it sit there for a long time. By the way, in this way you will not only protect the unit from unpleasant odors, but also do a good service to your body, because it obviously will not benefit from food that has expired. Review the products once a week (so as not to miss or forget what to throw away ). Of course, it is better not to let spoiled products “make themselves known” with an unpleasant odor. You can completely prevent this trouble if you carry out a kind of audit in your refrigerator every week. If you find food that is already close to going to the trash, it is better not to postpone this procedure until later - immediately get rid of the food that is no longer fresh. Wipe down the shelves. Wipe down the refrigerator shelves periodically. Of course, this is not a full-fledged wash, but it is still better to do this procedure at least a couple of times a week. Subsequently, a full wash will be much easier, and no old puddles or stains will form on the shelves. Use special means to maintain freshness (absorbers, flavorings). If you are not a supporter of folk remedies for achieving cleanliness, then we recommend using store-bought odor absorbers and flavors. In many hardware stores, as well as in supermarkets with household appliances, there are special aerosol air fresheners for refrigerators with various pleasant aromas on sale. We also recommend paying attention to air ionizers, which can destroy various microbes by spreading ozone around them. Note that another advantage of these devices is their compactness. As a rule, the battery charge can last for a couple of months.

The smell of rotten meat is one of the most persistent and unpleasant. Getting rid of it is not very easy. No matter how good the owners are, this trouble can happen in every home. It can deteriorate not only due to forgetfulness and negligence, but also if it was of dubious quality from the very beginning. It is anaerobic bacteria that can exist and reproduce without oxygen, and their waste products are the source of an unbearable stench.

The microorganisms themselves are not only found on a spoiled piece of meat, but also “disperse” throughout all the chambers of the refrigerator. Therefore, they get rid of not only it, but also other products, since they are most likely already contaminated.

Turn off the power and defrost the refrigerator. Throw away spoiled meat immediately! Take out all other products, carefully inspect and get rid of low-quality ones. Impregnated with the smell of rotten meat, they are no longer suitable for consumption and pose a great danger to human health and life.

It is necessary to get rid of not only the repulsive odor, it is very important to prevent further reproduction microbes and bacteria. To do this, you need to empty the refrigerator of removable parts (shelves, drawers, containers) and thoroughly wash all surfaces with a simple warm water. While cleaning special attention attention should be given to the shelf on which the rotten meat was located and the plastic containers.

Traditional folk remedies

How can you remove the smell of rotten meat from the refrigerator? There are many effective and simple ways processing household appliance organic and chemicals. Even if they are not in the house, they are quickly and easily made with your own hands.

It is important to remember: when using any product to clean the refrigerator, you need to let it dry thoroughly, leaving the door open.

Natural odor neutralizers

Sometimes repeated and thorough cleaning of the refrigerator does not completely get rid of the stench of rotten meat. Then special odor absorbers are used to household refrigerators– sorbents. These substances have a high ability to absorb and absorb various unpleasant odors. These include, in particular:

• Activated carbon or charcoal - place 5-6 tablets in the refrigerator for several days. At the same time, it must operate at low power.
• Baking soda – Divide the powder into small shallow containers. Put them on internal shelves and in freezer so that it absorbs all the odors. Doors refrigerator leave open for 24 hours without connecting to the network.

To finally solve the problem, you have to change the sorbent several times. You can completely get rid of the unpleasant odor after three to four days.

Certain foods have good absorbent qualities:

• Brown bread - cut into cubes and leave in the refrigerator for two to three days.
• Coffee (beans, freshly ground), dried coffee grounds– Arrange evenly on saucers. Place in different parts of the refrigerator. The cheapest drink is suitable for this procedure.
• Citrus fruits will help consolidate the result. Slice oranges or lemons and place in the refrigerator. They will not only absorb the repulsive odor, but also give the internal chambers a pleasant aroma.

In the fight for freshness, natural neutralizers - natural aroma absorbers - can come to the rescue. These include thyme, cloves, cinnamon, turmeric, tarragon, and celery.

Tools and reagents household chemicals

Today, any hardware store has big choice modern household chemicals. These are effective non-toxic drugs. Designed not only to remove dirt and destroy various microorganisms, but also to absorb with great success such a persistent and unpleasant odor of spoiled meat products. Available in the form of spray, balls, filters, ionizers.

They differ in both composition and principle of action:

A variety of absorbents that not only effectively absorb and prevent odor, but also completely eliminate it after 2-3 months. They can be placed on shelves and glued to the walls of the chamber. IN Lately are becoming increasingly popular.

Cleaning sprays, hygiene products for the refrigerator cabinet, which actively help in short term. They are easy to remove unwanted odor. After spraying, the spray does not need to be washed off.

Wet wipes that are actively used in household for absorbing odors in refrigerators.

Modern refrigerators are not only high-tech, but also capricious devices. They react to different chemical elements differently. Many products are not suitable for all models, so you should pay attention to their composition. Significant damage can be caused by active chemical ingredients. In addition, the food-grade plastic from which the refrigerator parts are made can absorb the smell of chlorine for a long time.

If after all the methods used there remains persistent odor, which means bacteria got inside the unit. In this case, only a specialist who will replace the insulation can help.

If an unpleasant odor spreads throughout the kitchen, you will need to do the same steps, but on a room scale. It is necessary to wash walls, cabinets, floors, and windows using disinfectants. To treat the floor, a chlorine solution or any product from a household chemical store is suitable.

It is advisable to take the refrigerator with all its contents out onto the balcony or street until the smell disappears completely.

After cleaning, a little trick will help you freshen the air in the kitchen: turn on the burner on the stove for a while and turn it off. Place a small lemon or orange peel on a hot surface. And that’s it, you can enjoy the cleanliness and pleasant fragrance.

It often happens that an unpleasant odor emanates from the refrigerator. This moment can be especially awkward when guests gather in the kitchen. I really want there to be no unpleasant smell when opening and closing the door. There are many ways to eliminate it, which will be discussed below.

Smell in the refrigerator

The list of reasons why a smell begins to appear from the refrigerator can be endless: spoiled food, spilled milk or kefir, a faulty cooling system. Due to the fact that everything inside is lined with plastic, it can be difficult to get rid of an unpleasant odor, because plastic absorbs everything very well. If glass shelves can be washed quickly, the walls require more careful care.

How to remove odor from the refrigerator

It is not always possible to quickly remove the smell from the refrigerator - it is much easier to deal with its occurrence. Always make sure that spoiled food does not accumulate, store milk carefully, and do not put food away without packaging, especially fish and meat. Today you can buy different containers, bags, jars that will help maintain not only the freshness of products, but also cleanliness. If the chamber begins to smell rotten, then you first need to eliminate the cause, clean the walls (if necessary, you will even have to defrost the freezer), and then ventilate it for several hours.

Odor absorber for refrigerator

Additional means To maintain cleanliness, you can use a special odor absorber in the refrigerator. It is an absorbent that will very quickly (literally in a matter of hours) absorb any stench, and you will not feel even a hint of an unpleasant odor. You won't have to clean anything. Such absorbers have a shelf life of no more than a month, but then they should be renewed or replaced with new ones. The asking price is from 100 rubles and above.

If you don’t want to spend money on buying an absorber, then you can try making the product yourself. The absorbent can be rice or activated carbon. They absorb any odor well, but they will have to be changed more often - at least once a week. Place a handful of absorbent in a sock or simply wrap it in a cloth and put it in a corner of the refrigerator. In a few hours the problem will be fixed.

Refrigerator freshener

Recently, refrigerator fresheners have appeared on the market. Such products are found among household products, but they should not be confused with ordinary toilet fresheners. The filter can be attached or installed anywhere and emits the aroma of your choice. If the smell is not very strong, for example, industrial, then such a device will be effective and the chamber will stop smelling.

How to remove odor from a refrigerator

When faced with a problem, do not limit yourself to just an absorber or spray. First, you need to thoroughly wash the refrigerator compartment and sort through the food to find the cause of the stench. Excellent tool for cleaning the refrigerator and removing odors - vinegar. It is best to dilute the substance with water and spray it on the walls of the chamber. At first it will smell strongly of acid, but then the unpleasant aroma will disappear. Tip: if you leave the door open for a couple of hours, all unwanted odors can quickly disappear. Vinegar can be replaced with ammonia.

Other chemicals to mention include chlorine and powerful odor eliminators, which are sold in specialized departments. Natural freshener also lemon or juice. It not only gets rid of stench well, but also leaves a pleasant citrus aroma. After washing with usual means, you can cut the lemon into slices and arrange on shelves. This refreshing method can be used not only to eliminate stench, but also simply to maintain freshness in the chamber.

How to remove odor in the refrigerator

Although there are many folk ways, odor elimination in the refrigerator can be done using household chemicals: chlorine solution, ammonia, special exterminators. True, then you will have to store food there, so it is very important to thoroughly wash these products with water, and at the end you can additionally wipe the surfaces with lemon juice. Next, you will learn how to get rid of the smell in the refrigerator using proven folk methods and improvised means.

How to remove bad smell from refrigerator

It is very difficult to get rid of a rotten stench, but unfortunately, this happens: while you were not at home, the electricity went out - the freezer defrosted and began to smell unpleasant. Bad smells in the refrigerator cannot always be easily washed away. Even thorough washing will not help here, only disinfection at home. How to eliminate odor in the refrigerator:

• First, open the chamber, take out the products and chamber parts: drawers, shelves.
• If the inside continues to stink, it means the smell has already been absorbed well, so wash everything thoroughly with baking soda.
• Then do strong solution made from vinegar and water - an excellent remedy for odor in the refrigerator.
• Wipe the walls with a damp cloth, do not close the doors.
• Repeat the procedure several times until the odor begins to disappear. This may take several days or even weeks.
• As soon as the freezer stops smelling, you can start using it again.

How to remove fish smell from the refrigerator

The most unpleasant is the smell of fish in the refrigerator. It will not be easy to get rid of it, but you will have to do it, otherwise it will simply be impossible to use the refrigerator. An ordinary fragrance or freshener will not do the job here, nor will an odor absorber from the store. How to remove it from the camera:

• First of all, the walls and shelves need to be thoroughly washed with all possible natural or chemical means: bleach, salt and vinegar, vodka, lemon juice.
• Next, fill the clean chamber with food, and use ordinary potatoes instead of an absorber. Just cut the vegetable into slices and arrange on shelves. Such folk method I have never let a housewife down yet.

Smell of mold in the refrigerator

Mold often appears in the refrigerator, especially this problem is familiar to those who store potato tubers or other vegetables and forget about them until the typical smell appears. You can also destroy it. First, clean the inside of the camera. To do this, use any of the tools and recipes listed above. An excellent, inexpensive remedy for the smell of mold in the refrigerator is ordinary bread, which quickly absorbs the unpleasant odor. Knowing how to remove odor from your refrigerator will make it easier to keep it clean.

Video: how to get rid of unpleasant smell in the refrigerator

I'll put in my 15 cents))
Sorry for the long post.
What we have: New flat, repair, new refrigerator Side by side, for which the apartment has expanded three!!! doorways, and the kitchen wall was remodeled.
Summer is coming. The whole family gets into the car and goes on vacation across the expanses of the Motherland. Before the vacation, I personally turned off all the electricity in the apartment (new wiring so that it wouldn’t short out) and, satisfied, went on vacation.
We were gone for exactly two weeks.
Imagine an oil painting: I’ve been driving home from the sea for 24 hours. It’s really just a day behind the wheel. Those. I’m driving and not just dreaming of a cool pillow and a warm blanket, I’m actually mentally wrapped up in this blanket. And here it is: Home, beloved, home!
IN three-room apartment The only thing that didn’t smell was the hall! And that’s because the hall is farthest from the kitchen! It's hell in the kitchen! In two rooms nearby and in the corridor there are approaches to the underworld! I still don’t understand how the neighbors didn’t call the Ministry of Emergency Situations? They threw away absolutely everything. There was about thirty kilograms of grub. Everything is in the trash. Instead of strong healthy sleep after a tiring journey from the sea - three hours of struggle with the incredible stench. Moreover, these three hours flew by! It was the first time in my life that I encountered such an amber.
We divided the responsibilities: my wife cleans the refrigerator, I throw out food and wash the shelves, my daughter goes to the store for lemons/vinegar/soda/freshener. I thought I was a tough guy. But after an hour and a half of fiddling around in the bathroom with the shelves from the refrigerator, I began to feel sick. How my wife washed the inside of the refrigerator is a mystery to me. Heroic woman. It’s good that maggots didn’t appear. Considering that I was the culprit of the “celebration”, and knowing the price tag of the refrigerator at 130 rubles, I washed sullenly and persistently. My wife also encouraged me. And I could have killed))
From the Internet it became clear that the most radical way to get rid of the stench is to take the refrigerator and throw it in the trash along with the grub. Yeah, right now! He’s six months old, he’s still just a baby)) He’s practically the main member of the family! And for sure – the most expensive after the car! In general, throwing it away was out of the question.
Here, citizens, I want to tell you that your main ally in this thankless task is not detergents, odor absorbers, not soda and charcoal - but your patience and time.
Our handsome guy spent a total of a month undergoing “prevention.” It sat for a week, washed, closed and with all sorts of absorbers. Then I removed the doors, part of the drain and all the other little things that I could. Everything I took off was taken to the balcony. Within two weeks, all the spare parts were exhausted and stopped emitting aromas. We washed the insides with all sorts of vinegars/sodas. We treated it with a product called “Odorgon” and covered it with film for a day. Odorgon really helps, but the smell does not disappear completely, but begins to mix with the smell of the product. They washed it with vinegar and left it stinking. For the first few days, it was impossible to eat in the kitchen. Not a gag reflex, of course, but close to it. I wanted to eat, went into the kitchen and suddenly became hungry. There was a smell in the corridor, but there was almost no smell in the rooms. When you return home from work, you realize that the apartment smells of something, then, apparently, you sniff it.
I treated it with Odorgon a second time, and at this point I ran out of a 200 ml tube for almost 800 rubles. Again I covered it in film for a day. Well, for the remaining time the refrigerator stood and aired out. Three or four times a week I washed it with vinegar. Several times I placed a pan of boiling water mixed with vinegar inside. They say the vinegar vapors take out the smell of decay)) There was always coal in the refrigerator. I washed it with lemon juice and baking soda several times. In general, in a month, I think I washed it at least 20 times with all sorts of products. Now it smells not so much of all sorts of flavorings, but of my care and attention))
Result: in refrigeration chamber the smell went away completely. Those. It smells there, but not of rotten meat, but of the remnants of that very “Odorgon”, which is either citrusy or floral. Quite nice. The smell remained in the freezer. More precisely, such a light aroma, again mixed with the smell of Odorgon.
We were tired of living without a refrigerator, so we started it, put out all sorts of air fresheners and started living. When the freezer got cold, the smell became very faint, I think it will disappear over time.
Some people write that because of such cases, it is no longer possible to remove germs from the refrigerator. I won’t argue, maybe it’s so. But I think that any refrigerator is full of microbes, regardless of whether the meat has ever rotted in it or not.
Therefore, do not rush to throw away, be patient, turn on the optimist and God grant you a cooler summer so that the food on the balcony does not spoil quickly this month))) 09.21.2015 14:56:05, AndreyA

Greetings dear readers. We didn’t write for a long time because we were away and didn’t have enough time to write. But here we are at home and the topic has arisen, how to remove the smell from the refrigerator.

A refrigerator is an irreplaceable thing in the house. For probably 100 years now, humanity has been using this device so that housewives can keep food fresh for a long time. Although, I was once on an excursion to the Kungur caves, near the city of Perm, where I learned from the guide that cavemen used those very caves to store food. And it's very cold there.

So it turns out that the value of the refrigerator is very high. By the refrigerator you can also judge the owner herself, not only by what’s inside, but also by how it’s inside. That is, cleanliness, smells. Well, how can you remove the smell from the refrigerator if it does appear?

We’ll tell you several options, and first I’ll tell you the unpleasant, but also funny story that happened to us the other day.

How did this even happen?

As I already said, we were away as a family, on vacation. We left for 10 days and had a great time. In general, usually when we leave for a long time, we think through everything carefully so as not to forget anything. But as usually happens, we will forget something, but this is not critical.

Terrible smell from the refrigerator

But this time I forgot... forgot that the refrigerator needs electricity to work. Funny isn't it? Do you understand the consequences of no electricity for 10 days?

The funny thing is that my wife went and turned off all the outlets except the titanium. And I had already put on my shoes and thought, why take off my shoes, the machine is nearby, so I turned it off. Well, that’s it, I went down joyfully, into the car and on vacation. My wife didn’t know what I was doing.

About a week later, the thought began to swirl in my head that I had forgotten something. I remembered quickly. He grabbed his head. I felt very ashamed, because such a banality: how did this even happen to me? Then he told his wife. I thought he would kill me. It turned out okay, but I just wanted to beat her up 😆 . Of course, there was no point in interrupting the vacation.

The most interesting thing is that when we arrived home, we agreed that I messed up and I’ll clean everything up. I think that's fair. The meat there was about 2 kg of pork and maybe 1 kg of chicken, fish, eggs - everything that gives off a terrible smell. In general, we are mentally prepared; it is necessary to remove the smell from the refrigerator. As a result, the smell... simply cannot be described in words, I had to apply a wet rag to my nose and mouth. Helped a little with nausea.

That’s why I’m writing this article to help housewives, and maybe men. To remove the smell from their refrigerator, we tried many of the recommendations described on the Internet. At the same time, we will describe what really helps in the daily operation of the refrigerator, and what helped us in the situation described above.

Write in the comments your experience and how you deal with the smell from the refrigerator. And for those who are wondering if we were able to remove the smell from the refrigerator, read on. I think it will be useful for everyone.

We remove smells from the refrigerator using only proven methods.

We will examine the topic gradually. First, to understand what and how, you need to find out the cause of the smell. For example, you just bought a refrigerator. Beautiful, modern, installed, you open the door, examine it and smell an unpleasant smell.

Cleaning the refrigerator thoroughly

Most often, this is what happens, it smells like fresh plastic inside. More precisely, these are traces technical assembly, new plastic is not High Quality and so on. What to do to remove the smell from the refrigerator:

• First unplug the refrigerator. Necessarily. Any actions that you perform with the refrigerator, in addition to storing food, are done when the device is unplugged.
• We apply a soap solution or a special detergent for refrigerators.
• We wash everything we can and where possible. Including elastic bands, all the shelves, under the elastic bands, and so on.
• Wipe everything with a dry cloth so that no moisture remains.
• Leave the doors open for 2-4 hours to air out.

This is usually enough to remove the smell from the refrigerator. But if the smell is still there, then:

• use industrial or natural odor absorbers, or modern ionizers for refrigerators. We'll tell you a little more about them below.

We remove odors acquired over time.

Sometimes it happens that the owner is watching the refrigerator, but an unpleasant smell appears. There are several reasons for this:

Still, they didn’t keep track, something went wrong. This happens most often.

Placed foods with strong odors in the refrigerator and did not cover it with cling film or a lid.

The refrigerator is rarely cleaned and defrosted.

They accidentally turned off the refrigerator, left for a long time, or maybe they just turned off the lights for a long time, and you are not at home. The situation that happened in our family is described above.

Anyone can handle the first three cases. And it’s easy, but with the latter it’s harder. But everything is in order.

Action plan:

First, unplug the refrigerator from the outlet and defrost it completely.

We put the food somewhere cool, dark so that it doesn’t spoil. It is, of course, better to defrost precisely when there is a minimum of food in the refrigerator.

We wait until the inside becomes normal room temperature. This will likely intensify the smell. This is fine.

It is necessary to thoroughly rinse the refrigerator. Moreover, I do not recommend using strong detergents. It is better to use them when the condition is neglected and it is difficult to remove the smell from the refrigerator.

Don’t forget to wipe everything dry, especially the elastic bands, and check the refrigerator for 2-4 hours.

Now you can put everything back and turn on the refrigerator.

Use industrial or natural odor absorbers, or modern ionizers for refrigerators.

It is advisable to defrost the refrigerator as planned, on the day you have planned, so that there is a minimum of food in the refrigerator so that nothing spoils.

Refrigerator maintenance procedures
storing food not in the freezer.

So that we don’t have to think quickly and in turmoil and try to remove the smell from the refrigerator, we just need to take care of the refrigerator. In fact, there is nothing complicated here. Here's what we recommend doing on a regular basis:

• Get rid of not fresh products in a timely manner. It is better to inspect the refrigerator at least once a week for any food that is not fresh or stale. For example, I, as a man, rarely look behind pots or jars. And they say why, what I saw, I took, what I didn’t see, they say, no, no. So women, watch the refrigerator 😆 .
• It is advisable to store all products in the refrigerator either in containers with a tight lid, or in film, or in jars with a tight lid. Especially odorous foods, such as spices, smoked meats, fish, and so on. Yes, their smells are pleasant, but when they accumulate in the refrigerator, such smells become not at all pleasant.
• Carry out scheduled defrosting of the refrigerator and immediately washing it approximately once every 3-6 months. Or according to the refrigerator manufacturer's recommendations.
• Immediately wash away food marks or spilled liquids.

Proper storage products

This is minimal, not difficult. But the refrigerator will not “smell” of a different bouquet. But if you are going to go away for a long time, then it is advisable:

• Empty the refrigerator of food.
• Defrost and wipe dry.
• Leave the doors open.

This perfect option, but I understand that few people do this. It's just that anything can happen in your absence. They can turn off the lights for a very long time, or maybe the refrigerator just breaks down, or whatever. Well, at least don't turn off the refrigerator!

We treat difficult case: Something is rotten in the refrigerator.

This is our case described above. At the same time, it is not necessary to leave for a long time. It turns out that even while you are at work, the refrigerator could be turned off for half a day, and then something could go wrong. Usually meat, fish and so on. It is very difficult to remove this smell from the refrigerator.

I’ll say right away: it’s easier, much easier, to just go out and buy a new refrigerator. But if this option doesn’t suit you, well, it’s trite financially now, then here’s what we did:

• Remove and throw out anything that has spoiled from the refrigerator. It is even possible that something that has not spoiled, but could smell.
• Be careful when cleaning, sometimes the smell is so disgusting that you can simply faint, so it’s better to protect your respiratory organs from the nasty smell. For example, a mask with a soaked cloth. Not really, but it helps.
• Rinse everything thoroughly soap solution or strong detergent for the kitchen or refrigerator. Just to clean everything up. Get into all the cracks, in and under the elastic bands. Rinse everything.
• Wipe dry and leave the doors open until dry.

If this helped you, then everything is not so bad for you. This did not help us remove the smell from the refrigerator. More precisely, the smell has become less, but it is dangerous to keep food there, and it is impossible to breathe.

When something goes bad in the refrigerator, it is better to replace it. If not, then a set of measures should be taken.

I would like to note the following. What does it smell like? That's what:

Molecules and particles of damaged tissue have eaten into upper layer plastics. Bacteria also remained on the surface and in hard-to-reach places.

Some particles of the missing product got into the difficult available seats. For example, under elastic bands, in seams and, accordingly, inside the refrigerator. Also, spoiled elements often remain in the drain holes.

In the second case, you need to either contact the service and the technician will clean everything. Or take everything apart yourself and clean everything. Often this helps significantly.

In the first case, you will have to resort to folk and proven remedies.

Folk and proven remedies to remove odors from the refrigerator.

All folk remedies are applied to a cleaned refrigerator. Necessarily.

The most common is soda solution.

baking soda for cleaning the refrigerator

An excellent tool. We don’t make it completely weak, in general, don’t skimp on the soda. It helps kill bacteria well and absorbs odors. It also sands plastics well. Simply put, make a lot of movements on the surface. With its help, various stains, even complex ones, are washed well.

Personally, this method did not help us 100%, but about 60% of the smell was gone. We could have walked like this a couple more times, but we decided to try other options. A baking soda put a big Plus.

The simplest is table vinegar.

vinegar for cleaning refrigerator

It removes odor well, we tried it in the freezer, where the smell is the worst. But again, it helped us by about half. But it will definitely remove strong odors.

It should be diluted approximately 1 to 1. That is, 1 glass of vinegar to 1 glass of water. In this case, we take 9% vinegar. Not acid. Also, don’t forget to wear gloves and a medical mask.

The most caustic - ammonia. Or, in other words, an ammonia solution.

ammonia solution for cleaning the refrigerator

It copes less with odor than the products above. But still the smell becomes less. In this case, it is necessary to use a thick mask moistened with water that covers the nose and mouth. The eyes also hurt. I used a wet towel on my nose and mouth.

The most expensive way is lemon juice.
lemon juice for cleaning the refrigerator

At the same time, the smell is amazing. With this product we practically got rid of the smell. But practically. Maybe because they didn’t use juice, but citric acid (powder).

We need to use freshly squeezed juice and vodka, or diluted alcohol. Proportion 1 to 10. That is, for a spoonful of juice - 10 spoons of vodka. If there is no vodka, then 2 parts juice to part water.

If you use powder, then 1 to 2. That is, for 2 spoons of powder - 1 spoon of warm water.

In general, lemon is a good natural adsorbent, which is why it is used in many expensive detergents.

That's all the most effective folk remedies. I note that they are not a panacea for odor. In some cases they help, in others they don’t. Even if after these methods there is still a smell, but only slightly, then use adsorbents, either natural or industrial.

If the smell remains, be sure to clean the inside of the refrigerator and the drain holes. You can call a specialist, they will do it quickly.

Absorbers of unpleasant odors.

There are both industrial and natural absorbents. They cope well with odors. More precisely, so that they do not exist. However, if the odors are very strong, they will not help remove the smell from the refrigerator completely. They are used either after thorough washing (both simple and folk remedies), or simply, every day, so that there are no odors at all.

Let's look at industrial adsorbents first.

Purifiers and odor absorbers are small devices that purify the air in the refrigerator. They come with an ionization function. They simply pass air through them like regular filters. This kills the bacteria. Useful thing. They are:

Silica gel balls. You can buy them, or you can use the ones that come in boxes with the shoes. For an average refrigerator, about 5 sachets are enough for 6 months.

silica gel beads

Absorbers with activated carbon. It removes moisture and is suitable only for vegetables and fruits, keeping them fresh.

Activated carbon absorbers

Gel absorber. Contains lemon juice and algae extract. Removes odors well.

Gel absorber

Mineral salt crystal filler. Its inconvenience is that you have to wash it several times a month, removing the top layers.

Crystals

Absorber-ozonator. Battery-powered electronic device. Very effective not only with odors.

Absorber-ozonizer

Natural adsorbents also help very well. they are easy to get.

Soda. It is advisable to pour it into a deep container and place it on the central shelf. Or better yet, on all shelves, if space allows. You can scatter them into mugs and put them on each shelf.

Vinegar . Pour into a glass and place baking soda in the center. You can moisten the cotton wool and leave it for a day.

Coffee . Both ground and in grains. You need to pour it into small circles and place it on each shelf. Very effective. You can use any coffee.

Lemon. It should be cut into plates and placed on shelves. However, when the lemon begins to deteriorate, it needs to be replaced.

Activated carbon . It is suitable for vegetables and fruits. You need to crush several packs and pour them into small glasses. Place in the refrigerator where vegetables or fruits are. Change coal every month.

Black Rye bread. But it only helps against faint odors. Place a few slices on the shelves.

Salt, sugar and rice absorb odors well. We use it in the same way as soda.

That's all for us. As for our refrigerator... The smell disappeared only after about a week, using a complete wash with soapy water, vinegar, ammonia, soda and citric acid. Next, we turned on the refrigerator, and coffee helped completely remove the smell from the refrigerator. Now we use the baking soda on the shelf.

Write in the comments your ways of dealing with the smell from the refrigerator, what helped you. That's all for now, everyone.

Updated: September 11, 2017 by: Subbotin Pavel