How to Prevent Refrigerator Odor

At one point or another, just about everyone will succumb to the foul smelling refrigerator. A stinky refrigerator can be frustrating because it is not always simple to detect the source of the odor. This can prove very embarrassing if you have friends or family over and they are also exposed to refrigerator funk. The obnoxious odor could be attributed to many things such as spoilage, unclean refrigerator conditions or simply keeping very potent smelling products such as garlic or onions on hand. There are easy remedies to take to maintain a pleasant or at least neutral smelling refrigerator.

Spoilage

Meat is one of the main contributors to odors caused by spoilage. Raw meat should be used immediately or cooked within a day or two after purchase. If time is slipping away and the meat has not been cooked for the first day or so, cook it off immediately, then freeze for later use. Raw meet should be wrapped tightly, stored on bottom shelf and have no potential to leak any blood or juices. A leaky package of meat will not only create odor, it will also cross contaminate other food in the refrigerator.

Inspect he deli crisper to insure the cold cuts have not expired. Make sure any packaged hot dogs that have been opened, are re-sealed and placed in seal tight storage bags to prevent the juices from running into the bottom of the drawer and spoiling.

Keep leftovers to a minimum to a day or so. If the food will not be consumed soon, it is likely the containers or plates will keep getting pushed back to the rear of the refrigerator. Before you know it, they tasty leftovers will begin to grow mold and develop a nasty odor.

Keep vegetables sealed and rotated. Those fruits and vegetables that are commonly consumed such as tomatoes, apples and grapes should be moved forward and stored separately from the new purchase.

Cleaning

Aside from proper storage of meats, fruits and vegetables; odor prevention starts and finishes with a thorough cleaning of the refrigerator on a monthly basis. Keep a monthly schedule of giving the storage shelves, drawers, and seals a good wipe down with hot detergent water or a strong anti-bacterial solution or bleach based cleanser such as comet. After washing and drying the interior of the refrigerator, line the base of the deli and vegetable crispers with thick paper towels to protect the base. Finish the cleaning phase by placing a box of opened baking soda to the rear of the refrigerator to absorb any future odors.

Containment of Products

Some of the worst culprits of stinking up the refrigerator include items like onions, garlic, and certain cheeses. Bulbs that have been cut up should be stored in air tight containers such as Tupperware or Glad ware. A simple covering of plastic wrap or foil over these vegetables will not be enough to contain the odor. For strong smelling cheese such as blue or gorgonzola, consider keeping them contained in double zip lock or plastic containers.

Aside from these tips, additional measures should be taken to keep the environment odor free such as keeping all bottled items such as milk jugs, ketchup bottles, soda bottles, and cream products wiped clean at the base to avoid any film being developed on the shelves. Many of these items have scum or liquid stuck to the bottoms at time of purchase, so inspect all these items after bringing them home from the store and clean wherever necessary