jeff1
July 5th, 2003, 11:30 AM
Clean out your fridge:
Has the food in your refrigerator taken on a life of its own? The thought of cleaning out your fridge may make you cringe but by following these easy tips, you won’t find yourself up to your elbows in bowls of furry substances or jars of food that have been around since you moved in.
Turn off your refrigerator and unplug it if you can reach. Check the owner’s manual for the correct way to do so as it differs from model to model.
Now, roll up your sleeves and remove everything from the refrigerator.
Depending on the length of time you need to clean, consider storing food that’s in more immediate danger of spoiling (such as milk) in a cooler.
Using warm sudsy water and a soft cloth, wash the entire fridge. Don’t forget to remove the drawers and racks to get at every nook and cranny. A great way to remove odours is by dissolving about 2-4 tablespoons of baking soda into about 4 cups of warm water. Never use household cleansers or strong chemicals like bleach to clean the inside of your fridge. These noxious odours can be absorbed into your food.
Allow racks and drawers to dry on a garbage bag or newspaper.
Toss out/recycle/compost any items you don’t remember buying or that are past their expiry date. Remember most harmful bacteria is not visible and can’t be smelled or tasted. Do not taste something to determine whether it is still fit to be eaten. Also, make sure all food is stored in sealed containers. Mould and bacteria can affect other foods in the fridge if they’re not properly covered.
Place meat, cheese, butter and eggs in their designated compartments. These areas are designed to keep these foods at optimum temperatures. The same goes for fruits and vegetables. They are kept crisp in their special drawers at the bottom of the fridge.
Clean off the outside of any jars or containers going back into the fridge.
Use the shelves along the inside of the door to store condiments. Consider grouping them so they’re easy to find. For example relishes, ketchups, mustards, special sauces, salad dressing, mayo, pop, jams, etc. For food items that do not fit on the door, store at the back of the fridge with the tallest containers at the back, so they’re easy to see.
Stackable containers are great for organizing leftovers or food that must be transferred to another container once it has been opened. Plastic storage bags can be easily labeled with the contents and date of purchase before the item goes into the fridge.
Consider investing in a few organizer-friendly plastic containers such as a lettuce keeper, bacon keeper, juice jug, etc.
Keep an open box of baking soda at the back of your fridge to reduce odours. Replace every 3 months.
Finally, choose a day of the week to do a once over of your fridge. Pull up a garbage can, check expiry dates, and toss out any leftovers that you know won’t be eaten. By cleaning spills as they occur and doing weekly leftover checks, cleaning the fridge won’t be such an odious task the next time around.
Courtesy of www.mochasofa.ca
http://www.applianceaid.com/clean_condenser.html
http://www.applianceaid.com/fridge_odor.html
http://www.applianceaid.com/refrigerator.html#frozen
Related links.
jeff.
Has the food in your refrigerator taken on a life of its own? The thought of cleaning out your fridge may make you cringe but by following these easy tips, you won’t find yourself up to your elbows in bowls of furry substances or jars of food that have been around since you moved in.
Turn off your refrigerator and unplug it if you can reach. Check the owner’s manual for the correct way to do so as it differs from model to model.
Now, roll up your sleeves and remove everything from the refrigerator.
Depending on the length of time you need to clean, consider storing food that’s in more immediate danger of spoiling (such as milk) in a cooler.
Using warm sudsy water and a soft cloth, wash the entire fridge. Don’t forget to remove the drawers and racks to get at every nook and cranny. A great way to remove odours is by dissolving about 2-4 tablespoons of baking soda into about 4 cups of warm water. Never use household cleansers or strong chemicals like bleach to clean the inside of your fridge. These noxious odours can be absorbed into your food.
Allow racks and drawers to dry on a garbage bag or newspaper.
Toss out/recycle/compost any items you don’t remember buying or that are past their expiry date. Remember most harmful bacteria is not visible and can’t be smelled or tasted. Do not taste something to determine whether it is still fit to be eaten. Also, make sure all food is stored in sealed containers. Mould and bacteria can affect other foods in the fridge if they’re not properly covered.
Place meat, cheese, butter and eggs in their designated compartments. These areas are designed to keep these foods at optimum temperatures. The same goes for fruits and vegetables. They are kept crisp in their special drawers at the bottom of the fridge.
Clean off the outside of any jars or containers going back into the fridge.
Use the shelves along the inside of the door to store condiments. Consider grouping them so they’re easy to find. For example relishes, ketchups, mustards, special sauces, salad dressing, mayo, pop, jams, etc. For food items that do not fit on the door, store at the back of the fridge with the tallest containers at the back, so they’re easy to see.
Stackable containers are great for organizing leftovers or food that must be transferred to another container once it has been opened. Plastic storage bags can be easily labeled with the contents and date of purchase before the item goes into the fridge.
Consider investing in a few organizer-friendly plastic containers such as a lettuce keeper, bacon keeper, juice jug, etc.
Keep an open box of baking soda at the back of your fridge to reduce odours. Replace every 3 months.
Finally, choose a day of the week to do a once over of your fridge. Pull up a garbage can, check expiry dates, and toss out any leftovers that you know won’t be eaten. By cleaning spills as they occur and doing weekly leftover checks, cleaning the fridge won’t be such an odious task the next time around.
Courtesy of www.mochasofa.ca
http://www.applianceaid.com/clean_condenser.html
http://www.applianceaid.com/fridge_odor.html
http://www.applianceaid.com/refrigerator.html#frozen
Related links.
jeff.
