How to get rid of mold in the refrigerator

Excessive warm outside air and moisture in the interior of the refrigerator can cause unpleasant odors and mold on the rubber gasket, shelves and door of the refrigerator. They may also appear after a long downtime of the vehicle, for example, during the holidays.

As soon as you notice the black spots, even the smallest size, immediately proceed to their removal. After all, mold spores grow very quickly and can cause not only an allergic reaction in some people, but also provoke more serious illnesses. Fortunately, it is not that hard to get rid of the mold in the fridge. All you need is a couple of ingredients from your cabinets and a few simple steps.

How to get rid of mold in 8 steps

Step 1. Before you start removing mold from the refrigerator, remove all food from the shelves and freezer. This is a good opportunity to check and eliminate any leaks from the packages, the remains of stale food and expired products.

Step 2. Remove all crates, containers, trays and shelves.

Step 3. Defrost the fridge: First, adjust the temperature to 0 degrees, then disconnect the instrument from the power supply.

Step 4. Put all the removable parts of the refrigerator in a bath filled with a solution of warm water and 2 cups of 9% vinegar. Leave them soaked for a while while you wash the camera.

Step 5. To clean the inside of the refrigerator, you need to use something that can kill mold and fungus. The following tools are suitable for this purpose:

• 5–9% table vinegar (safe and affordable, but removes dark stains somewhat more difficult);
• Any chlorine bleach (easily removes stains, but dries the sealing gum and leaves a pungent odor);
• Hydrogen peroxide (leaves smell).

Protect your hands with rubber gloves and start to wipe the refrigerator with a cloth dampened in the composition of your choice (undiluted). You can also pour the product in a spray bottle and irrigate every corner of it.

• To remove especially resistant stains and clean hard-to-reach places, for example, grooves in a rubber pad, use a toothbrush. It is also very convenient to use cotton swabs to clean the grooves of the seal.

• Pay special attention to cleaning the drain hole, as the mold can also settle there. Moreover, a blockage in the drain of the refrigerator can cause excessive moisture in the chamber. First you need to clean the hole with a wooden skewer, and then pour your solution into it with an enema or funnel.
• Since chlorine-containing agents can dry the sealing gum of the refrigerator, after sanitation it is desirable to lubricate it with petroleum jelly or oil.

Remember that this cleaning should be subjected to absolutely all surfaces - from doors to guides, to prevent re-occurrence of mold in the refrigerator.

Step 6. Once you have finished the procedure, re-wipe the refrigerator with a damp, clean cloth to remove any odor and residues, and then dry the surfaces with a dry towel.

Step 7. Now do the washing of the shelves and trays, and then rinse them clean.

Step 8. Finally, put all removable parts back in place, plug in the fridge and set the desired temperature. After half an hour you can fill it with food again.

How to get rid of unpleasant smell (in the absence of mold)

If, after a long standstill of the refrigerator, you find that there is an unpleasant smell from the chambers, but there are no mold stains, then you can use the same instruction, but replace vinegar, peroxide and bleach with soda solution.

• For soaking shelves and containers in the bath will need 1 cup of soda.
• To clean the chambers will need a little warm water and 2 tbsp. spoon of soda.

However, keep in mind that soda is a light abrasive, even when diluted in water, so the soda solution should be pre-tested on a subtle section of the refrigerator.

See more details: How to remove the smell from the refrigerator in 6 steps

And a bit about prevention

To prevent mold from appearing in your refrigerator again, try to follow these guidelines:

• Before each departure, turn off the refrigerator, after emptying it and opening the doors to open it.
• Do not store supplies longer than their shelf life.
• Noticing leaks from product packaging, fix them immediately.

And one more tip: sachets of silica gel, which are usually put in shoe boxes, will help to solve the problem of high humidity in the refrigerator. Put a bag on each shelf and try to change them periodically.

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We offer to watch a video about what is so dangerous mold for human health and how to get rid of it.

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