Cleaning the fridge is one part of household cleaning tips that’s never talked of enough. Especially if you’re the type to prefer chemical free cleaning for fridges in your home. Luckily, you can clean your fridge using natural fridge cleaners made with ingredients you can readily find in your kitchen.
Natural Fridge Cleaners
1. Vinegar
This natural fridge cleaner is made from acetic acid. Its acidity can dissolve grease, any tough stains and can kill bacteria.
White vinegar or cleaning vinegar can be used to wipe a fridge down from all sorts of stains and dirt, although cleaning vinegar has a higher acidity level, which means it can cut through tougher stains.
Mix equal amounts of hot water and vinegar to get started, or you can decide to use it undiluted, whichever way works very efficiently. If you don’t like the smell of vinegar, you can add in any nice scenting essential oil to reduce the smell. It is important to note that not every appliance or surface can handle the acidity of the vinegar.
2. Lemon Juice
Lemon juice is completely natural and organic. The best part is that it’s also straightforward to use. Squeeze lemon juice into a spray bottle to clean the refrigerator. It doesn’t just wipe stains away, it also deodorizes the fridge and leaves it smelling fresh. Lemon juice can also be added to any homemade natural fridge cleaner.
3. Sodium Chloride (Salt)
Table salt has ionic qualities that can absorb certain stains like grease. It is also a catalyst for other cleaning agents like vinegar. This means that it boosts the cleaning and deodorizing process.
Salt works very well in getting rid of stains in a fridge. Mix a good amount of salt in a large bucket of hot water. Add the juice from a lemon to give a nice scent, and then start cleaning.
It is important to steer clear of non-iodized salts like Himalayan salt, sea salt, or rock salt because they have added chemicals that should not come in contact with our food.
4. Tomato Juice
This is a great way to clean a fridge, and it also gets rid of any bad odor. Wipe the fridge down with a cloth that has been soaked in tomato juice. After a minute or two, clean the refrigerator with soapy water (add only a drop of soap in a large bucket of water. This is to prevent the fridge from smelling soapy and the food from absorbing it), and then rinse. The refrigerator will look good as new.
5. Baking Soda
This kitchen ingredient has a lot of health benefits, and along with this, it can be used as a cleaning agent. Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) contains a mild alkali that causes grease and dirt to dissolve very easily. It is a non-toxic ingredient that can reduce stench. This is why it is always recommended to use it when cleaning a fridge.
Mix baking soda and warm water into a thick paste. Use a cloth to wipe down the fridge with the paste. For tougher stains, cover it with the paste for about ten minutes, then rinse out.
Steps To Take When Using Natural Fridge Cleaners
1. Empty The Contents Of The Fridge
Take out all the food products in the fridge. Put them on a counter next to you, so when you’re storing them back inside, you don’t waste time searching for where you kept an item.
After this step has been completed, turn off the fridge to allow it to get to room temperature. While waiting for this to happen, you can wipe down any sticky stains from the jars and bottles.
Take out any shelves or fittings from inside the fridge. This should be easier to do since the refrigerator isn’t as cold. If you can’t get them out, simply wait for a few minutes. Place those shelves aside to allow them to defrost.
2. Use A Natural Fridge Cleaner
You can either place your cleaner in a bowl or use it as a spray. If you don’t like the way it smells, you can add lemon juice, essential oils, or vanilla extract to solve this.
Put a good amount of cleaner on stains, gunk, or grease, then leave for about ten minutes. You might want to leave it for longer for tougher stains. Use a soft, damp cloth to wipe down the fridge. Repeat this step until you get your desired result.
Use a little amount of soap and lots of water to clean the shelves. If there’s any stain not coming off, cover it with the cleaner and leave it to sit for some minutes, then repeat the process.
3. Refill The Fridge
Place the fittings and shelves back inside. Wipe down anything that needs cleaning before placing it back in the fridge, and then you’re done. You can also clean the outside of the fridge but use soap and water instead.
Additional Tips for Cleaning Your Fridge
1. Preserve Your Food
The best time to clean your fridge is when its content is almost empty or when there are no perishable products. The refrigerator will be turned off during the cleaning process to save electricity. If you can’t wait until your fridge is empty, there’s no need to panic, and there are other ways you can preserve your food.
Foods like chicken and dairy products do not do well at room temperature because bacteria can quickly multiply in that duration. To stop this from happening, get a cool bag, stuff it with ice blocks and then place your chicken, beef, etc in them.
2. Time Your Cleaning
Timing your cleaning is very important, especially if you have any leftover food in the fridge. You want to make sure you don’t spend too much time cleaning the fridge allowing the food to defrost.
3. Prepare Beforehand
Before you start cleaning, make sure you’ve already made your natural fridge cleaner, and you’ve got all the materials you will need. This will prevent you from wasting any time cleaning.
Why Should You Use A Natural Cleaner?
- Chemical cleaners like bleach have ingredients that make them toxic
- These chemicals can sometimes irritate the eyes, skin, and throat
- It can trigger allergic reactions and headaches
- Most of the chemicals smell very bad, and the scent can last for days
- Chemical-free cleaning for fridge is safe because it involves the use of ingredients that are readily accessible and beneficial to our health
Conclusion
Using a natural cleaner is the best way to keep your fridge clean and fresh. It doesn’t pose any danger to your health, and it takes a little amount of time to prepare.
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