You can eliminate stubborn refrigerator odors by doing a deep clean, replacing the air filter, and maintaining the right temperature inside your fridge. While spoiled food or spills are often the obvious culprits, lingering smells can remain even after removing old leftovers. Start by cleaning every surface with a safe solution of baking soda, vinegar, or lemon, and scrub drawers and shelves thoroughly. Check and clean the drip pan, clear debris underneath the fridge, and leave the doors open to air it out if possible. Finally, replace the refrigerator air filter every six months to keep air circulating fresh and odor-free.
Cleaning a Stinky Refrigerator
A deep clean can go a long way to resolving your refrigerator odor issues. Here are a few suggestions to help make this process a success.
- Ensure your fridge is at the correct
temperature, typically between 35°F and 37°F. This is important for preventing
refrigerator odors. - Get rid of old food. Really take a look at
what’s in your refrigerator and get rid of anything that is past the point of
being eaten, whether or not it seems likely to be causing the refrigerator odor. - Clean every surface with a non-toxic cleaning
solution. Some people choose to use water with vinegar, lemon juice or baking
soda to eliminate refrigerator odor absorbed by plastic. - Start with the refrigerator doors, where sauces
often spill. - Remove shelves, scrub them down and leave them
to soak. - Remove vegetable drawers, scrub and allow to
soak. - Keep an open box of baking soda in your fridge
to continuously absorb refrigerator odors going forward. - If you still have a stinky refrigerator, it
could be due to the drip pan. The drip pan collects condensation from the
refrigerator. Check in your manual or online to find out if your fridge has a
drip pan and how to access it. Turn off the power and unplug your fridge before
removing the drip pan, then clean the drip pan and replace. - Move your fridge aside to clean underneath your
stinky refrigerator, if you believe old food and dirt on the floor below could
be the cause of the smell. - If you have the opportunity to do so, leave your
fridge to air out for 24 hours, unplugged and without any food inside. - Change the refrigerator air filter.
Replacing the Refrigerator Air Filter
Once the refrigerator deep clean is complete, it’s a good idea to use this opportunity to replace the refrigerator air filter as well. Your refrigerator circulates air that has passed through the refrigerator air filter. The refrigerator air filter traps smells of rotting food, keeping the air inside your fridge clean.
The first step towards replacing your refrigerator air filter is to buy a new refrigerator air filter that best matches your refrigerator make and model. Popular brands include Whirlpool Fresh Flow Air Filters, Kenmore refrigerator air filters, and LG refrigerator air filters.
Replacing the refrigerator air filter is a simple ten minute task. Simply find the location of the refrigerator air filter, replace old with new, and press the reset button. Aim to replace your refrigerator air filter once every 6 months, or when your refrigerator air filter monitor tells you to.
Find Refrigerator Air Filter Parts with Repair Clinic
To find the right refrigerator air filter or other parts for your refrigerator, simply type your refrigerator model number into our website search bar. Also explore Whirlpool Fresh Flow Air Filters, Kenmore refrigerator air filters, and LG refrigerator air filters.