How to Clean a Smelly Refrigerator Quickly

If you have a smelly refrigerator and want to get rid of the odor quickly, this guide is for you! Removing a nasty smell is easy, and cleaning won’t take too long. Simply follow our steps, and your fridge will be odor free in no time.

While a quick clean will eliminate a smell quickly, giving your refrigerator a deep clean a few times a year is a good idea. To help you give your fridge a deep clean at some point, we have also included instructions in this article which you can find in the second section.

Steps to clean a refrigerator quickly

Before starting, ensure you have dish soap (or white vinegar), a clean cloth, a sponge, a container, and a small brush. Once you have the right tools and supplies, here’s what to do:

1. Switch the power off. Before cleaning your refrigerator, make sure you switch the power off.
2. Empty your refrigerator. The next step is to remove all food and other items from your fridge. When doing so, check the expiration date of each one and throw out anything that has gone past the use-by date. You can also quickly smell each item and throw out anything with a foul odor.
3. Remove and clean the shelves. Once the fridge is empty, remove all of the shelves and drawers. All of the shelves and drawers can be washed in your kitchen sink with hot soapy water. Use a sponge or small brush to remove any stubborn stains. Once clean, leave them to drip dry while you clean the inside of the fridge.
4. Clean the inside of your refrigerator. Before cleaning your fridge, you need to either make a cleaning solution or use a suitable commercial spray cleaner. To make a natural cleaning spray, fill an empty bottle with equal parts water and white vinegar. You can also make a cleaning solution using a few drops of liquid dish soap mixed with water. To clean the interior of your fridge, spray and wipe every surface. You can then use a clean cloth to dry each surface.
5. Clean the door gaskets. Once the interior is clean, clean the door gaskets/ seals with your cleaning solution. If you can’t get right into the gasket, use a small brush like a toothbrush.
6. Place the shelves back in. Once the fridge interior and door gasket are clean, place all the clean shelves and drawers back into your fridge.
7. Finish up. Now that your fridge is clean, you can return all your food and other items. Place a small container of baking soda in your fridge without a lid. This will capture any remaining odors in your fridge. Once all the food and other items are back in your fridge, turn the power back on.

Steps to deep clean your refrigerator

Giving your refrigerator a regular deep clean is a great way to prevent foul odors from developing in your appliance. It will also help your fridge operate more efficiently, saving you money on your energy bill.

Here’s how to do a deep clean of your refrigerator:

1. Switch the power off. Before cleaning your refrigerator, make sure you switch the power off.
2. Empty your refrigerator. Remove every item from your fridge. When removing items, check the expiry date of each one and throw out anything that has gone past the use-by date or if it smells bad.
3. Remove the shelves. Once the fridge is empty, remove all the shelves and drawers and place them in hot, soapy water in your kitchen sink to soak.
4. Defrost the freezer. If your refrigerator has a freezer compartment, it is a good time to defrost and clean it. All you need to do is switch the power off, remove all items, and leave the door open to let the inside of your freezer completely thaw out. Place all food items in a cooler while you are defrosting your freezer.
5. Clean the shelves. All the shelves and drawers can be washed in your kitchen sink once they have soaked for a few minutes. Use a sponge or small brush to remove any stubborn stains. Once clean, leave them to drip dry while you clean the inside of the fridge.
6. Make a cleaning solution. Before cleaning your fridge, you need to either make a cleaning solution or you can use a suitable commercial spray cleaner. To make a natural cleaning spray, fill an empty bottle with equal parts water and white vinegar. You can also make a cleaning solution using a few drops of liquid dish soap mixed with water. 
7. Clean the interior. To clean the interior of your fridge and freezer, spray and wipe every surface. You can then use a clean cloth to dry up any excess moisture.
8. Clean the door gaskets. Once the interior is clean, clean the door gaskets/seals with your cleaning solution. If you can’t get deep into the gasket, use a small brush like a toothbrush.
9. Clean the exterior. The next step is to clean the exterior surfaces of your appliance. This can be done by spraying and wiping each area. If you have a stainless-steel fridge, use a specialty cleaner or white vinegar.
10. Clean the condenser coils. While doing a deep clean, cleaning the condenser coils is a good idea. This can be done by pulling your fridge out from the wall, locating the coils, and then wiping them with a damp cloth. Another option is to use a vacuum cleaner to remove dust from the coils. Let the coils defrost before turning your fridge back on if they are frozen.
11. Place the shelves back in. Once every surface of your fridge has been cleaned, place all the clean shelves and drawers back in.
12. Finish up. Now that your fridge is clean and your freezer is defrosted, you can return all your food and other items. To help prevent odors from developing, place a small container of baking soda in your fridge. Once all the food and other items are back in your fridge, turn the power back on.