It’s recommended to deep clean your fridge every 3 to 4 months. This habit is essential to maintain hygiene inside your fridge as well as keep it at its top performance. There are many fridge cleaning but many people try to clean the fridge with bleach as it is a frequently used product to clean daily-use objects.
So, can you clean a fridge with bleach or is it harmful?
Here’s What You Need to Know About Cleaning Fridge with Bleach:
Bleach is a popular cleaning agent to clean fridges. However, to clean your fridge with bleach, you should dilute it first as it is a strong chemical using which in its original concentration can erode the fridge’s top layer over time. Don’t directly spray bleach on the fridge’s surface, wet a towel with bleach and then use it to clean your fridge indirectly using bleach.
To clean the fridge, you need to be extra careful especially when trying to clean it using bleach. So, in this article, I’ve explained the important do’s and don’ts of cleaning a fridge with bleach and also things to keep in mind while cleaning fridge for either hygiene purpose, performance reasons, or both. Read on!
Is it Safe to Clean the Fridge with Bleach?
Bleach is a powerful chemical cleaner that is often used to remove bacteria or molds, however, it should not be directly used to clean the interior of the refrigerator. Most professionals advise against using bleach directly to clean the fridge since it can degrade the internal materials and provide a health risk if it gets into the food. Bleach contains chlorine which is a cleaning agent and is used in water filters and cleansers but using it directly will increase the chemical presence.
Another reason using bleach directly is not recommended is because foods absorb the smell. You’ll want to choose a mild cleaning agent that’s preferable unscented. For this task, it is suggested to use hot water and baking soda.
If you are using bleach to clean let it sit on the surface for 15 minutes to effectively let the bleach do its work. If you will not let the surface dry, the bleach smell will remain in the fridge and other vegetables/ fruits may absorb it. Also, it takes few minutes for the bleach to work effectively to remove the molds and the smell of the refrigerator.
Diluting the Bleach
First, clean your fridge with a mild cleanser or warm soda water. Then sterilize the inside with a tablespoon of bleach diluted in a gallon of water, then dry well before replacing shelves and drawers. Dilute bleach in as 200 ml bleach in 1 gallon of water or 200ml per 4 liters of water. Then soak the prepared solution with a cloth and apply it to the surface of the fridge.
Other alternatives to cleaning from a blech solution include:
- vinegar distilled solution
- vinegar cleanser
- fridge cleaning spray
Always remember that no matter what you use – bleach or any other alternative which might have harsh properties, first pour some solution in the cloth then wipe it. Putting the solution directly might make the surface lose its texture and shine.
What are The Best Ways to Clean a Fridge
There are many ways one can clean their fridge. Using vinegar water and bleach water solution is considered to be the best cleaner. Apart from these, there are also many cleaning solutions available which you check in your nearest central store.
Cleaning your refrigerator might take hours and a lot of cleaning. And, if you’re serious about doing the job right, you’ll have to work hard to remove the fridge molds and clean the pet hair, dust, and filth that has accumulated on the condenser coils. So yes it is a long and tiring process, if you think you are short on time you can search for a service provider near your area who is providing paid cleaning services. The average charge for professionally clean refrigerator interior is $25 to $40 and the full refrigerator cleaning and servicing charge costs around $95 – $120.
If you are looking to quickly clean the fridge for hygiene purposes, you’ll be good to go if you just clean & wash the interior units of the fridge. If you’re cleaning the fridge for its longevity then you need to clean the dust, molds that have been collected over the months and years, and while you’re at it, you can also inspect if your refrigerator is leaking or low on cooling gas.
How to Clean Fridge Properly?
Here is how you can properly clean your fridge with an added sanitization methods to remove molds –
- First, throw out food that has developed a smell
- Then empty your refrigerator and wash the shelves separately first and keep them dry.
- Clean and sanitize your refrigerator
- Here you can clean using the vinegar-water solution, soapy water solution, the market brought fridge cleaning sprays.
- Now lastly to sterilize your refrigerator, use 1 tablespoon liquid bleach with 1 gallon of water and let it dry for 15-20 minutes.
- Now keep back all the shelves and arrange your veggies and other stuff back in order. Do’s and Don’ts while cleaning the fridge
Cleaning the fridge once in three weeks is sufficient, you can choose days where the food is about to end or the day you go grocery shopping. With less food in the fridge, it will be easier to store them outside and clean them.
Do’s & Don’ts while Cleaning the Fridge
Here are some important do and don’t one should keep in mind while cleaning the fridge.
- Cleaning using Benzene, Thinner, or Clorox is not recommended. They may scratch the appliance’s surface and provide a fire hazard.
- While the refrigerator is plugged in, do not spray it with water since this may produce an electric shock.
- make sure the power cord is unplugged before you begin cleaning
- Pour your cleanser into a soft lint-free cloth or paper towel with water and then use it.
- When cleaning the refrigerator, avoid using any type of detergent because it may discolor or harm the appliance.
Do’s & Don’ts to use Bleach for Cleaning Daily Objects
Here are some important points to note when cleaning the fridge with bleach.
- Do not apply the bleach directly with your hands, it will burn your skin. Directly breathing is bad for your health especially if you have a sinus.
- Always rinse the surface properly and let your interiors dry then only put the shelves.
- Each day you use it, make a new bleach and water solution.
If you think bleach is not the best option and wish to go with something else, here are some alternatives to bleach for cleaning-
- Vinegar and water solution
- Wet wipes
- Baking soda and water solution
- Soapy water
Conclusion
Summing up you can definitely clean your fridge with bleach, just make sure you take important precautions like diluting it first (always), not directly applying it with your hands, and letting the surface dry for few minutes. It is important we clean our fridge at least once a month to avoid any molds from forming and keep the bad smell away.
You can always hire a service provider or maybe call your seller if they provide any cleaning services if you think you do not have the time.
Bonus point of cleaning the fridge- It boosts your fridge lifespan!
