How To Deep Clean Your Fridge

Inside: Are you tired of finding mystery foods in the fridge? Check out how to deep clean your fridge. It only takes about 30 minutes and you will save more money!

I would like to say that my fridge is always so clean and it's easy to find things. But, of course, that would make me a big fat liar.

I usually go in and deep clean my fridge about the time that I find the unidentifiable meat in the back of the fridge. You know the one where the Tupperware is shoved to the very back and the meat looks like a science experiment has gone wrong.

Today was that day. I came home from shopping and I started to organize the fridge only to realize it was a hot mess and needed a good deep cleaning. I will spare you the pretty pictures. Your welcome. 😉

Giving the fridge a good deep cleaning every couple of months helps keep your fridge running longer and helps you find that tupperware you have been missing.

So if you are ready to have a more organized refrigerator check out these tips on how to deep clean your fridge.

How To Deep Clean Your Fridge

To start, you will need some trash bags, a microfiber cloth, and dish soap. I prefer this kind of dish soap. You also might want a pair of gloves to wear while you are cleaning it too.

Start by taking everything out of the fridge. Make sure you remove everything from the door too.

Go through and toss any old food and expired food. It is amazing how much expired dressing and sauces I often find in the door. Dump out the contents of tupperware in the trash bags and just stack them in the sink.

Once you have all the food out of the fridge you can start wiping down the shelves.

I recommend using a microfiber cloth, some dawn soap and lots of hot water.

You can use sprays or cleaners, but personally, I don't like to use a bunch of chemicals where I store my food. I feel like soap and water do a great job of getting things clean.

Start on the top shelf and work your way down. The dawn soap will help break up any greasy spots or stuck-on food that is on the shelves. This really helps give your fridge a deep clean.

Once you finish cleaning the shelves, remove the crisper drawers and wash them down with some soap and water.

Make sure you wipe down under where the drawers sit. I usually find all sorts of goodies down there. Today I found a twisty tie and a packet of horsey sauce.  When the drawers are dry put them back in the fridge.

Now you can move on to the shelves in the door. These are usually the most disgusting things in my fridge. I find that bottles have leaked out and gone unnoticed until now.

I like to remove these and wash them in the sink like I did the drawers with some hot soapy water. Once the shelves are dry put them back in the refrigerator.

Finish deep cleaning the inside of the fridge by wiping down the sides of the refrigerator.

Usually, something has been spilled and hasn't been cleaned up completely. Once it's wiped down you can start to put all your food back in the fridge.

Deep Cleaning The Outside Of Your Fridge

Now that the inside of the fridge is clean you can move on to the outside. Dust and hair on your coils can cost you an extra $5 to $10 dollars a month on your power bills.  If you are like me and have a dog, you probably have some dog hair under the fridge.

To start, you will want to unplug the fridge. Carefully remove the coil cover in the front of the fridge.

Next, vacuum the cover and around the coils. You will want to use a brush to clean all of the coils. I highly recommend this brush here.  Mine was bought as part of a set for cleaning the fridge and the dryer.

I am always amazed at the amount of dog hair and dust bunnies around the coils and cover.

Finally, replace the cover over the coils when you are finished.

I like to finish my deep cleaning of the fridge by wiping down the outside with my favorite granite cleaner. It leaves a nice shine on the doors and takes off any fingerprints.

A few tips before you get started cleaning your fridge.

1. I recommend deep cleaning your fridge a day or two before you go grocery shopping. This way your fridge is fairly empty and there are far fewer things to take out.
2. If you have lots of Tupperware in your fridge plan on running a load of dishes just from cleaning your fridge. Tupperware is top rack only in the dishwasher and I had to break them out over two loads since I had so much.
3. Make sure you wipe down your counters after having all of the containers sitting out on the counter. I forgot and promptly stuck a paper in syrup goop!
4. Write down what is expiring soon and make your shopping list around those foods and sauces.

The fridge looks so much better after being deep cleaned. It only took about 30 minutes total and I have a list of foods to use up before they expire.

Plus, I am saving money on my power bill with cleaner coils. Take a few minutes of your time to save some extra money this month!

With these simple tips on how to deep clean your fridge, you can have a clean and organized refrigerator without spending a bunch of time cleaning it. Make it easier for your family to find foods too!

Want some other easy cleaning and organizing tips? Check out these 8 genius ways to organize your fridge. Leave it looking great and well organized.