Deoderizing a refrigerator - successfully?
Question:How does one successfully deoderize a refrigerator that's been unplugged and empty for over a year?
It looks clean on the inside, but the smell is horrible right now - enough to gag a full-grown maggot! Opening the door for one full second is enought to stink up the entire house. I've tried leaving boxes of baking soda in both compartments for over 2 months, but it's NOT working at all.
I'd like NOT to have to trash it and get a new one - this is a summer house, and I don't plan to spend much time there... anyone have any workable solutions? HELP!!
Answers:
try cleaning it with soapy water and bleach. Rinse with pure white vinegar. the vinegar smell will go away. If you are leaving the refridgerator unplugged while you are gone- you need to prop the doors open. when you are cleaning the fridge- make sure to clean the gasket around the doors- that is where alot of the bacteria grows too. after all the cleaning- you can also wad up a bunch of newspapers and leave them in the fridge. the odors will absorb into the papers and you can just throw them out. I know this works with plastic containers like tupperware. There also may be something under the fridge like a dead mouse? You may have to pull the fridge out away from the wall and clean under it. AND there may be stagnant water in the drip pan underneath if it's a self defrosting. That water will have a nasty smell too. Take the tray out and clean it with bleach water after you empty it. And check the tubing- as it may be plugged with gunk and causing a smell.
baking soda
Allright, i have had the same problem. You want to get a bucket of water and add bleach. Then just basically scrub it down. Then after you do that, open a box of baking soda and put it in there.
Something wicked has found its way into the cracks. I had a freezer like this; I got it outside and introduced it to Mr. Gardenhose. Once I was able to get it really wet and scrub it, I found some of the stains just happened to match the paint (milk). Once I got to scrubbing, the smell went away.
The door may have old stuff in the joints, shelves and liner (all around the opening). The liner usually comes off pretty easily and can harbor a lot of junk in the folds.
If it's a summer house, consider that a new, small refrigerator isn't very expensive.
I admit getting the thing outdoors was tough. But I could stand the smell out there and get a lot of water on it and that really was an asset. Perhaps a big fan and big sloppy sponge might do a fair job, too. There's a drip tray underneath that can get smelly; clean that too.
Try putting a bowl of coffee grounds in the fridge. We have found that that is one thing that has helped us in this area. Of course the baking soda was always a good one.
When leaving a fridge unplugged and empty is is best to leave the door at least ajar and to leave like coffee grounds in it. Keeping it closed up is one of the worst things to do for an unused and unplugged fridge.
Another suggestion might be to try to wash it down with warm water and white vinegar solution first. (If you can get close enough to do that.)
Best of luck to you.
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