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How To: Get Rid of Refrigerator Odors

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We've done a lot of refrigerator cleaning lately: one top-to-bottom cleaning when we moved out of our old apartment, and another full cleaning when we moved in to our new space. Both times, we removed the shelves and drawers, washed them in the sink with soap and hot water, and wiped down the inside of the fridge with Mrs. Meyers all-purpose cleaner. But if you've done all that and your refrigerator still smells a little funky, what do you do? Click below to find out.

 
 

After removing any expired food and cleaning all surfaces (with baking soda and water or another green cleaner), use baking soda to remove residual odors. Line a cookie sheet with a layer of baking soda, put it in the bottom of the refrigerator, and keep it there for 24 hours. To keep the refrigerator odor-free, clean it regularly and stow an open box of baking soda inside, replacing the box every few months.

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How To..., cleaning, baking soda, refrigerator cleaning

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Comments (17)

Coffee grinds also work!

posted by Nevis on May 15th 2008 at 10:51am
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a teaspoon of vanilla extract on a cottonball/pad (from Martha Stewart and it works great)

posted by Lady J on May 15th 2008 at 11:07am
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2nd the coffee grinds tip. They work great!

posted by katie on May 15th 2008 at 11:20am
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i'm gonna try the vanilla on cotton idea...

**sidenote-- that little blue butter container is adorable!!!!**

posted by little flower on May 15th 2008 at 11:25am
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Squeeze some lemons into a bowl of water and vinegar and leave it in the frig over night.

Also works great to microwave it slightly to loosen stuck ons in your microwave, and will also rid microwave's odor...and then afterward i leave it sitting under the sink (where i sometime store the trash bin) to absorb the odor down there.

So just one mixed bowl...you can use it in frig, then move it to use in microwave, and then transfer it to undersink areas like kitchen or bathroom or rid odors there, too. Very efficient, very "green," very economic, and very multi-task!

posted by callbob on May 15th 2008 at 11:34am
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newspaper! wad some up and leave for a day or so...should work great!!

posted by Marcee-ah on May 15th 2008 at 11:48am
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more importantly- where can we get the butter dish?

posted by brooklynjennie on May 15th 2008 at 11:53am
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I've also heard charcoal briquettes work. Put some in an open container and leave in the fridge for a few days, then throw away.

posted by splim on May 15th 2008 at 12:26pm
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better yet - baking soda vinegar. Concoction bubbles like alka seltzer heaven, and absorbs all odors in a day.

posted by cecicela on May 15th 2008 at 12:32pm
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Unrelated: Who keeps peanut butter in the fridge? Doesn't that make it like cold tar when it comes time to spread it on your bread?

posted by DavidC on May 15th 2008 at 1:33pm
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PB with less ingredients (peanuts, salt only) doesn't have preservatives. Once it is well stirred it's not too bad. Still can't spread it on weak white bread. It's great on sturdy wheat breads.


One of my fav shows is "How clean is your house?" BBCAmerica one gal had a fridge (in use) that had a biological layer or some such thing. It was so hazardous that the fridge was too toxic to clean and HAD to thrown away for the safety of all.

SO if it is bad enough maybe you should toss the fridge!

posted by Cally on May 15th 2008 at 3:20pm
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My wife uses that peanut butter and it says on the jar to keep it in the fridge. If you don't, the oil seperates and you have to stir it up ever day to use it.

posted by JohnnySlimane on May 15th 2008 at 3:29pm
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Is that FAGE lurking in the back? I love fage. So much that if I go on it will sound like an advertisement.

posted by erinorea on May 15th 2008 at 4:16pm
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I use wet brown paper bag from Whole Foods. I haven't tried TJ's bag though.

posted by iaintgoingthere on May 15th 2008 at 7:26pm
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the real peanut butter crime here is creamy. ugh.

chunky rules!!!!!

posted by kelton on May 16th 2008 at 5:28am
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white vinegar -- wipe down whatever surfaces there are and if funky scent persists, a small open bowl of white vinegar left overnight should do it

have you considered there may be some well-hidden funky bits you missed in cleaning?

posted by thedivingbelle on May 16th 2008 at 10:04am
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one could also always have baking soda in both the refrigerator and freezer to absorb odors. check out the
ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda Fridge-n-Freezer™ Odor Absorber (16 oz.) at http://www.armhammer.com/basics/products/ . we get them from target for about sixty cents a piece and rarely have to replace them.

posted by jan3t on May 18th 2008 at 9:30pm
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