When was the last time you cleaned out the fridge?
If you’re peering into the kitchen trying to rustle up a date, the answer is probably: too long.
While dishes get washed every night, worktops after every meal cooked and the floor mopped frequently, the fridge interior often gets missed off the daily cleaning to-do list. Which is wild given that it’s where most of the fresh produce and dairy products are kept.
Experts agree that a deep clean every two to three months is necessary with many people opting to pull on the Marigolds at the start of each season as an easy way to remember.
A dirty fridge is dangerous and can become a breeding ground for harmful things like mould, bacteria and E.coli. Unintentional ingredients that no one wants to find in their food.
Paying attention to the fridge can reap other rewards too, says Samsung's home electronics spokesman, Gino Grossi. He outlines four things that can help increase the longevity of your machine:
- Don't overdo it: As tempting as it is to squeeze your entire weekly shop onto fridge shelves and into drawers, doing so could cause airflow issues. He says: "Over-packing is one of the most common causes of fridge performance issues, according to our customer support teams. We recommend filling your fridge to no more than two-thirds of its capacity to help with air circulation, as over-packing your shelves can block air vents that keep your fridge cool, which over time can lead to expensive repairs."
- Check your filters. Lucky enough to have a water dispenser on your fridge? Aside from cool, clean water on tap, it means they'll also have a filter. Grossi says: "If your fridge has a water or ice dispenser, you may not know that its filter needs changing regularly. Do this every six months to avoid mould and bacteria heading straight from the dispenser into your ice-cold drink." Changes in taste, smell or look should signal when the filter needs cleaning or changing but some fridges like the Samsung Hub Fridge Freezer will tell you through red lights or an alarm.
- Ice, ice baby. Next up, one of the home's least-loved chores: defrosting the ice drawer. Despite the frosty temperatures, bacteria can collect here too, especially if your freezer area is prone to leaking (ice is a dead giveaway). Take everything out and let the space defrost fully before cleaning it with washing up soap and water.
- Don’t forget the doors. Finally, a fridge only works if it shuts properly. Grossi recommends giving door seals a once over, wiping off grime and dirt to keep the seal tight and the fridge cooling as it should.
Considering fridges are one of the home’s most vital appliances and cost a pretty penny to replace, the simple act of cleaning yours could save you from having to replace it - although if it’s time you can always find decent offers in our Best deals on fridge freezers roundup.
In the meantime, we’ve rounded up the best cleaner to leave your fridge sparkling and spotless.
Shop now
Dr. Beckmann Fridge Hygiene Cleaner
Domestic cleaning expert Dr. Beckmann has solutions for everything from bathroom cleaning to kitchen tidy-ups. For the fridge, its specialised hygiene cleaner spray should be the first port of call.
The scentless solution shifts stubborn spills, dirt and grease with a streak-free finish. Made from bio-ethanol and soda, the formula is safe to use on food contact surfaces, so you can use it in the freezer and in the microwave too.
Buy now £2.70, Amazon
HG Hygienic Fridge Cleaner Spray
No one wants to touch that strange sludge at the bottom of the vegetable crisper, but think how nice it will be once it's gone. HG offers a fast route to gleaming cleanliness with this fridge cleaner, which removes tough stains and spillages and stains. Spritz liberally across shelves, doors and walls and wipe clean.
Buy now £6.16, Amazon
Green Shield Microwave & Fridge/Freezer Wipes
Prevention is better than cure. While you should keep fridge deep cleans in your cleaning rota, wiping down shelves in the weeks in between can help lessen the chore when it does come around.
These wipes are perfect for using across kitchen surfaces including fridge interiors, removing bad smells, degreasing and stopping bacteria in their tracks. Each pack contains 70 wipes.
Buy now £4.46, Amazon
INEOS Next-Gen Cleaner Antibac Spray
INEOS's cleaning products can be used across the home, so bulk-buying a great deal like this pack of six works out cheaper in the long run. This all-purpose plant-based spray can be used across the kitchen and is perfect for the space with an inviting pomelo and yuzu scent.
Nice smells are great, but it's function that matters most. INEOS performs well here too, slicing through 99.9 per cent of germs to leave surfaces completely sanitised.
Buy now £15.00, Amazon
Ozmo Fridge & Microwave Cleaner
Vanquish 99.9 per cent of bacteria inside the fridge and out with Ozmo's fast-action cleaner. The fine mist spray solution is ideal for sanitising fridge shelves, drawers and doors and can be used on other appliances like the microwave and oven too.
Buy now £2.50, Ocado
Method Washing Up Liquid Peach & Pink Pepper
Keep things simple by cleaning glass drawers and shelves with washing-up soap. Method makes gentle yet hardworking formulas with lovely light scents such as peach and pink pepper to leave fridges looking and smelling great.
Buy now £3.50, Ocado
Scrub Daddy Cleaning Sponge
No, not Pedro Pascal with a feather duster (the mind boggles), but one of the best scrubbing products around. This playful sponge will not only put a smile on your face - a big ask when knees deep in a spring clean - but when it’s soaked in cold water, it remains firm for tough jobs without scratching the surfaces. Stick it in hot water to soften it for light sponging jobs.
Buy now £6.65, Amazon
SPONTEX - Microfibre Collection
You don’t need to be a cleanfluencer to understand the simple charms of a microfibre cloth. The multipurpose cloths are a household essential, getting rid of caked-on grime and grease with nothing more than water. Adding a cleaner will only give it more firepower (and less elbow grease for you).
Buy now £5.25, Amazon
Croc'Odor Fridge Deodoriser
From cloves of garlic to delightfully pungent cheeses, we may love eating strong flavours but that doesn’t mean we want to be floored by smells every time we crack open the fridge drawer.
This gel deodoriser absorbs suspect whiffs using a food-safe formula made of seaweed extracts. It lasts up to six weeks and you get two per purchase making it ideal for using right after a deep clean.
Buy now £5.25, Amazon
Ozmo 2 in 1 Fridge Odour Absorber 200g
Once you’ve done your deep clean, keep your fridge smelling daisy-fresh with Ozmo’s clever odour absorbers. The 200g product lasts for several months and can eliminate most smells, even onions.
Buy now £5.21, Amazon
