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Cleaning a refrigerator may seem like a pretty simple task but to really deep clean it you need to follow 34 steps. Yes, there really are 34 steps! By following these 34 steps you will have a sparkling clean refrigerator in about an hour, maybe an hour and a half at most. Once your refrigerator is clean, daily and weekly maintenance will keep it that way.
How to clean a refrigerator in 34 steps:
Start with good music or audio book (not an official step but I like to start this way 🙂 )
Supplies:
- Empty trash can and bag
- Gloves
- All-purpose cleaner or disinfectant
- Sponge with scrubby
- Wash clothes
- Paper towels
- Old toothbrush
- Bucket with water
Directions:
- Start with refrigerator almost empty.
- Remove each item, check expiration date, toss if expired.
- If the item is not expired, wipe each item down.
- Set off to the side.
- Remove shelves, drawers, guard rails from doors (if applicable), set off to the side.
- Now that the refrigerator is empty spray the entire thing down with disinfectant spray and let sit.
- Take shelves, drawers, etc to bathroom.
- Place in tub and spray down. (If shelves are really dirty let sit few minutes).
- Get your sponge, using the scrubby side scrub shelves, drawers, etc down.
- If you have a handheld showerhead, rinse with cold water using the sponge or washcloth wipe shelves down making sure all the dirty, yuckiness is gone they are clean and shiny.
- Leave shelves, drawers, and guardrails in tub to dry.
- Return to kitchen.
- Spray door gaskets down too.
- Scrub door gaskets gently with an old toothbrush.
- Wipe away grime with damp cloth.
- Carefully, pull gaskets open to make sure all gunk and cleaner is removed.
- Wipe clean and free of residue.
- Starting at the top scrub the entire refrigerator down with scrubby side of sponge.
- If you have stubborn stuck on gunk you might need a hard bristle scrub brush and/or more elbow grease.
- Don’t forget to scrub the door shelves too.
- Take a damp cloth and wipe all the loosened gunk into a pile and either wipe into your gloved hand or into a paper towel and throw away.
- Wipe everything down again with a clean damp cloth.
- Rinsing the cloth as often as needed in a bucket of cold water.
- Wipe the entire refrigerator down again with clean cloths making sure all cleaner residue is removed.
- A spray bottle of water or vinegar is good to have so you can spray the refrigerator with water/vinegar and wipe away.
- Use clean kitchen towels to dry the fridge.
- Dry everything off.
- Go get removable parts and dry with towels.
- Put them back in the fridge. Placing them correctly is always a challenge!
- Put food and condiments away. Great time to reorganize!
- Remove everything from the front of the fridge door.
- Spray outside of refrigerator with disinfectant.
- Wipe the fridge door down with damp cloth.
- Dry the door off with clean towels.
Now that you have a sparkling clean refrigerator, you need to maintain it. Maintaining the cleanness of your fridge is super simple.
- When thawing meat or anything else that might leak, place it in a shallow pan. When you remove the meat, remove the pan and clean it so that it will be ready for the next time.
- As soon as you see a spill wipe it up.
- This step relates to the step above, wipe down containers BEFORE returning to the fridge.
- When checking the contents of the fridge for your next grocery trip, wipe down the shelves and drawers.
- Every night, wipe the door handle and front of the fridge off when cleaning the kitchen up for the evening.
Have a blessed day!
Brandi
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I need to clean my refrigerator, but it is never empty! Thanks for linking up to the Bloggers Brags Pinterest Party. I have pinned it to the Bloggers Brags Pinterest Board.
I would imagine so with having a large family! Thank you.