How to care for fridges and freezers

Fridges and freezes should regularly go under maintenance to ensure a clean and working environment for the storage of food. Here are some tips to keeping them clean:

Regular checks

Develop the habit of going through the contents of your fridge and freezer on a regular basis. This is to prevent forgotten food items from growing mouldy and food spills from festering on shelves. It is advisable to check the items in your fridge and freezer once a week and throw out any food that has expired. Then, give the shelves and drawers a good wipe to get rid of any spills or food debris.

How to clean your fridge thoroughly

1. First, move the fridge away from the wall and turn the fridge off.
2. Remove all food items and place perishable produce in a coolbox.
3. Detach all shelves and drawers if possible and wash them with dish washing liquid and hot water.
4. Using a cloth dipped in soapy water, wipe all interior and exterior surfaces to get rid of grease and marks, before repeating the process with a damp cloth, and then a dry cloth.
5. Remember to clean the inside of the folds of the door seal as crumbs and dirt often collect there.
6. Vacuum up the dust and debris settled on the condenser coil on the back.
7. Place a bowl of baking soda inside the fridge to remove any lingering odours.
8. Once cleaning is completed, replace all shelves, drawers and food items. Remember to turn the fridge back on.

Defrosting the freezer

1. This process should be done as soon as the ice in the freezer reaches a thickness of around 3cm.
2. Turn the freezer off and check through its contents.
3. Get rid of any food items that have been sitting in the freezer for far too long. Place remaining items in a coolbox.
4. Place bowls of hot water in the freezer to quicken the defrosting process and replace them whenever they’re cool.
5. Refrain from using sharp tools to scrape the ice as you may risk damaging the cooling elements of the freezer.
6. While the ice is left to defrost, remove the shelves and drawers and clean them with hot soap water.
7. Once the ice has completely melted, mop up the water with towels before wiping the freezer dry.
8. Replace the shelves, drawers and food contents. Make sure you switch the freezer back on.