How to remove smell from the refrigerator

Causes of unpleasant odours in the refrigerator

The first step of the pedestal among the most common causes of the formation of unpleasant odours in the refrigerator is held by strongly smelling foods: a lot of food depletes the pungent odour, which eventually diverges around the perimeter of the refrigerator and, less often, the freezer (sauerkraut, some types of cheeses, etc. products). Agree, eating dessert soaked in the persistent aroma of smoked fish is a dubious pleasure.

On the second place in the list of bad-smelling provisions is spoiled food. Therefore, it is extremely important to monitor the shelf life of stored provisions and get rid of products with signs of spoilage in a timely manner. However, food can deteriorate not only by oversight, but also, for example, due to power outages.

Sometimes the cause of the formation of a musty smell inside the refrigerator becomes a clogged drain for melt water (in models with an automatic defrosting system). Water stagnates around the drain hole, in which bacteria actively breed, emitting unpleasant odours.

The reason for the musty smell in the refrigerator is often a clogged drainage hole.

Another source of odour is dirty packaging or the remains of spilled liquid food, if they were poorly or untimely wiped. Also, an unpleasant aroma is formed in the refrigerator when it is left idle for a long time and the internal walls of the device have time to become covered with mold. A solution of water and household soap will help to get rid of it (lye is the "killer" of the fungus).

Finally, sometimes new refrigeration units that have not yet been put into operation smell extremely specific, which is found in many representatives of the kind of household appliances in general.

Refrigerators with deodorizer

Elimination of odours by folk methods

Most methods of combating unpleasant odours by folk methods are reduced to thorough washing of all the "insides" of the refrigerator with special solutions from improvised means. Before you start fighting with the odours, you will need to turn off the power to the device, take out all the drawers and remove the shelves. Then everything needs to be thoroughly rinsed and allowed to dry naturally.

The internal surfaces of the refrigerator need periodic hygienic cleaning.

One of the most effective improvised means is an aqueous solution of vinegar. Just soften them with a soft napkin and wipe the previously emptied refrigerator inside with it. At the end of the procedure, it is advisable to thoroughly ventilate the camera.

In the most severe cases, when, it would seem, the refrigerator is washed, and the smell still does not go away, a solution with ammonia helps out. It can be diluted in water (in an approximate ratio of 1:10) or moisten a cloth with ammonia and wipe the walls of the working chamber with it.

Useful to know! Remember that ammonia in undiluted form is toxic, so try to take precautions: do not inhale its vapors and work with gloves.

A soda solution (1 tablespoon of baking soda per 1 liter of water) helps to overcome less persistent odours, which in addition serves as an excellent disinfectant for the internal surfaces of the refrigerator.

A natural assistant in the elimination of extraneous flavors is lemon juice or its substitute in the person of citric acid. With them, everything is also according to the standard scheme: an aqueous solution of a homogeneous consistency is made, the "insides" of the refrigerator are wiped with a moistened sponge and then they are given time to dry.

An aqueous solution for effective control of unpleasant odours is easy to create from improvised means.

Crumbled activated charcoal tablets, absorbing aromas, like a sponge, also help to forget about an unpleasant smell for several weeks. They should be stored in an open container.

Odour absorbers for the refrigerator

Ready-made solutions for odour absorbers of various types are increasingly found on store shelves:

aerosol air fresheners;
spherical absorbers with silica gel;
bags with activated carbon granules;
odour absorbers in the form of a crystal of mineral salts;
air ionizers that kill bacteria by spreading ozone around them.

Plastic balls with carbon sorbent eliminate unpleasant odours, destroy bacteria, simultaneously prolonging the shelf life of fresh vegetables and fruits.

In addition, advanced "players" in the market of modern refrigerators can boast of their own devices for eliminating aromas and preventing the mixing of odours of products stored in different compartments: a carbon filter or a deodorizer put into service.

Built-in refrigerators with deodorizer

Odour Maskers

By "prescribing" some food absorbents inside the refrigerator, unpleasant odours can be significantly weakened or completely masked. So, rice grains, open containers with salt and sugar, aromatic herbs and spices, coffee beans are well suited for permanent use. Slices of dried black bread, sliced slices of potatoes or onions and, perhaps, the most popular odour absorber — citrus slices and lemon peel are much more often to be replaced.

Lemon slices are well suited for the role of a natural air freshener in the refrigerator.

Rules: what to do so that there are no smells in the refrigerator

To do this, follow the simple rules:

at least twice a year, arrange a general cleaning in the refrigerator with a thorough washing of everything and everything;
store food supplies in a closed form (under the lid or "under the hood" of the food film);
conduct an audit to identify damaged products;
do not postpone "for later" cleaning up the spilled contents, immediately wiping it with a sponge.

Useful advice. If you are going on vacation for a long time, try to leave a minimum of food in the refrigerator.

Compliance with these simple actions will help to keep the storage of food supplies clean and maintain a pleasant aroma in it.

Automatic room air purifiers