5 Homemade Solutions to Clean and Disinfect Your Refrigerator
You must disinfect your refrigerator on a regular basis. Not only can it start to smell bad, but because of constant contact with various foods, it tends to get dirty quickly. This creates the perfect environment for the growth of microorganisms that you don’t always seed.
Although it may go unnoticed by the naked eye, refrigerator walls and compartments accumulate residue that can then contaminate food you just stored or accelerate their decomposition.
In addition to commercial products, you can use several natural ingredients to clean it and leave it impeccable. Discover those ingredients below.
1. Baking soda, the best product to disinfect your refrigerator
Baking soda is a substance that deep cleans and deodorizes at the same time. Therefore, you can disinfect your refrigerator with it.
It’ll help you to remove the most difficult remains that have been stuck in the most difficult to clean areas and will help neutralize unpleasant odors.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons of baking soda (30 g)
- 2 cups of warm water (500 ml)
Supplies
- Deep bowl
- Sponge or scouring pad
- Absorbent cloth
Preparation
- First, add the baking soda to the bowl and then cover it with the water.
- Mix the ingredients until dissolved and then use it.
How to use
- Firstly, dip a sponge or scoring pad in the liquid with dissolved baking soda and rub it on the walls and compartments of your refrigerator.
- Leave on for five minutes. Finally, remove with a clean absorbent cloth.
- Repeat the procedure once a week.
Read also: 12 Ways to Clean Your Home with Baking Soda
2. Lemon juice
The natural acids found in lemon juice also help remove accumulated grease and dirt. In addition, it leaves a pleasant aroma in your fridge.
Ingredients
- The juice from 3 lemons
- 2 cups of warm water (500 ml)
Supplies
- Spray bottle
- Clean towel or cloth
Preparation
- Firstly, squeeze the juice from the lemons and pour into a spray bottle along with the warm water.
- Then, shake it well to mix and apply it to your refrigerator.
How to use
- Firstly, remove all foods and removable parts from the refrigerator. Then, spray the lemon cleanser.
- Leave on for 5 minutes and finally rub it with a clean towel or cloth.
- Finally, to ensure cleanliness, repeat this method twice a week.
3. White vinegar
White vinegar is a product that you can take advantage of to disinfect your fridge and clean various surfaces. It’ll easily degrease and disinfect everything and won’t leave a trace of bad odors. In some cases, you can combine it with baking soda and lemon juice to get a more powerful whitening mixture.
Ingredients
- ½ cup of white vinegar (125 ml)
- 1 cup of warm water (250 ml)
Supplies
- Spray bottle
- Absorbent cloth
Preparation
- Dilute the white vinegar with the warm water and pour into a spray bottle.
How to use
- Empty the refrigerator and spray the vinegar on all the walls and surfaces you want to clean.
- Leave on for five minutes and then wipe with an absorbent cloth.
- Use at least once a week.
4. Olive oil and lemon
The homemade cleaner that you can make by mixing olive oil and lemon is ideal for leaving the surfaces of stainless steel refrigerators flawless. These components help remove dirt and spills without damaging the material or leaving a greasy feel.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons of olive oil (64 g)
- 3 tablespoons of lemon juice (30 ml)
Supplies
- Plate or other container
- Soft cloth
Preparation
- Combine the olive oil and lemon juice in a plate or other container.
How to use
- Firstly, rub the product onto the surface of the refrigerator with the help of a soft cloth.
- Let it sit for 10 minutes and then wipe it down with a slightly damp cloth.
- Use once a week.
Visit this article: Virgin Olive Oils: Are They All Good For You?
5. Tea tree oil
Tea tree oil is an organic natural product with disinfecting properties that help disinfect your refrigerator and other elements. Although it doesn’t remove food residues with the effectiveness of the previous solutions, it’s a good choice for adding pleasant aromas to cleaning solutions.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons of tea tree essential oil (30 g)
- 1 cup of warm water (250 ml)
Supplies
- Spray bottle
- Microfiber cloth
Preparation
- Dilute the tea tree oil with the warm water. Then, pour into the spray bottle.
How to use
- Firstly, shake the liquid and spray it on the walls of the refrigerator.
- Then, remove the excess with a microfiber cloth.
- Finally, repeat the procedure two or three times a week.
Ready to start cleaning? If you haven’t disinfected your refrigerator yet, choose any of these methods for an effortless and spotless clean.