Are you looking to get your kitchen clean? As you search for kitchen cleaning tips, you can’t forget about the importance of cleaning your fridge.

Even though your refrigerator is cool, bacteria can still grow and lurk in your fridge. Foodborne illnesses make around 48 million Americans sick each year, and many of these bacteria are already in the food when you buy it. This means our fridge can be a breeding ground for bacteria if it is not cleaned thoroughly.

Keep reading to learn more about how to keep your fridge clean and keep your food safe to eat. 

How Often Should You Clean Your Fridge?

You need to deep clean your fridge at least every three to six months. To do this, you will need to empty all the food out of your fridge. Be careful because bacteria can multiply quickly at room temp, so be sure you have plans to keep meat, dairy products, and other food cool while you are cleaning.

You can do it quicker if you clean more regularly. Try deep cleaning the fridge before you do your weekly grocery run. That way there is less food in the fridge to worry about.

Make sure you throw away any food that is past its prime. Check the “best used by” date and look for any other jars that look suspicious. Yes, that jar of olives that has been opened for months should not be a squatter in your fridge any longer. 

Deep Cleaning Kitchen Tips for the Fridge

It’s best to do the with a partner or family member. This way, someone can scrub the removable parts while someone works inside the fridge. You can get the job done in half the time!

It’s a great way to enlist the kids’ help. They can learn about the different types of food and help organize the food. 

Instead of using a grungy sponge over and over again, use paper towels. This speeds up the process because you don’t have to stop to clean out the sponge or rage. Make sure you use high-quality paper towels with high absorbency.

Wash the Shelves and Salad Crispers

After you remove the salad crisper drawers located at the bottom of your fridge, pull out all the removable shelves. If you are unsure how to get them out, check the owner’s manual, so you don’t damage anything. 

If your shelves are made of glass, you may want to let them warm up a little bit so they don’t shatter when you use hot water. You want to use a washing liquid and hot water. You can also use anti-bacterial sprays. 

If you have food residue stuck between the corners of the shelf, use a toothpick to pluck out that gunk. Make sure you let the shelves dry with either a towel or naturally before you put them back in the fridge.

Tackle the Interior

If you have help, this is the other part of the cleaning. If not, it’s time to turn to the inside as your shelves dry. You don’t want to use hot water because it will raise the interior temperature. You can use an anti-bacterial spray or make a cleaning solution using cold water to wipe out the inside. 

Make sure you also get the grooves where your shelves sit. They are hotspots for dirt and bacteria. You can use a cotton swab to get those hard-to-reach areas.

Don’t forget to dry out the interior. You can use either cloth towels or paper towels.

Turn to the Outside

You don’t want to overlook the door hands and door surrounds. These are high contact areas and germs can build up. 

If your freezer is on the bottom of your fridge, use a vacuum attachment to remove crumbs that have fallen in the folds of the door. You can also use a stiff brush (like a toothbrush) to dislodge them. 

Remember the Condenser Coils

Now, that the inside and outside of your fridge are clean. When is the last time you pulled the fridge out and checked the condenser coils? These coils are on the back of the fridge and are pretty easy to clean.

You will need to turn off the fridge. Then vacuum the coils to get rid of dust. You should do this once a year so they do not get clogged. 

Other Quick Kitchen Cleaning Tips

Wondering about some other tips to keep your kitchen clean? First, you can break down cleaning into smaller steps. While you wait for the water to boil or the oven to heat up, don’t just stand there—wipe off the counter or load the dishwasher.

Clean as you cook as well. If you spill something, wipe it up immediately. 

Daily Kitchen Cleaning Tips

What can you do each day to give you the peace of mind of a clean home? These simple steps keep your kitchen clean and don’t take much time:

  • Change your kitchen towels daily
  • Clean up right after dinner
  • Load the dishwasher and run every night
  • Wipe off the table right after you eat
  • Remove items off the counter and clean up with hot soapy water
  • Take out the trash every night
  • Soak pots and pans right after you use them so food doesn’t get stuck
  • Sweep the floor each night
  • Clean the sink after use with hot soapy water
  • Wipe off your appliances

You don’t have to do all this yourself! Give everyone a chore to help the kitchen stay clean. 

Kitchen Cleaning Tips to Make Your Life Easier

No one likes a dirty cluttered kitchen. It can make you feel overwhelmed, and you may be embarrassed if someone stops by unexpectedly. Use these kitchen cleaning tips to help you stay on top of your fridge and your kitchen.

Do you feel overwhelmed with work and life but still want a clean house? No worries. We are here to help your home sparkle.

Contact us today for a free quote. A clean home is just a click away—which will really make your life easier! We can even give you some other easy kitchen cleaning tips to keep your home clean in between our visits.