I swear by these 2 pantry staples to completely deodorize my fridge – and it only takes me 5 minutes

Green and white kitchen with large kitchen island that has some open shelving and closed doors, white countertop, brass hardware, white cabinetry .

If there's one place in the home you will usually find me, it's in my kitchen, and, more specifically, around my fridge.

I absolutely love cooking at home, but more often than not, I find that having a fridge stocked full of ingredients can lead to a funky-smelling fridge, particularly if you're a fish or cheese lover like me.

So, while researching how to get rid of fridge odor I came across this simple cleaning tip trick that uses only coffee grounds and salt to neutralize bad smells and keep your fridge smelling fresh. As I had both on hand, I decided to give it a go – and was both surprised and impressed.

Using coffee and sale to deodorize a fridge

Originally, I saw this hack in a TikTok video, posted by @anna.viktori, or Anna Knows, who regularly shares useful cleaning hacks for the home. Given that the only time I had seen coffee and salt mixed together was to pull pranks, it certainly piqued my interest.

@anna.viktori ♬ This Will Be - audios4you

In the video, she asks, 'Did you know about this trick?' And, as I certainly hadn't, and wanted to get rid of fridge smells, I decided to put it to the test.

You will need:

• Coffee grounds: which can be dried and reused from your best coffee maker, or purchased, such as the Amazon Fresh Colombia Ground Coffee available at Amazon, which is similar to what I used.
• Salt: such as the Great Value Plain Salt available at Walmart.
• Tin foil: such as the Reynolds Wrap Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil available at Amazon. That's it!

Step 1. Combine the salt and coffee

(Image credit: Ottilie Blackhall / Future)

First things first, tip your coffee grounds onto a flattened piece of aluminum foil and sprinkle the salt on top. I used a fork to combine them both, to make sure they were mixed well.

(Image credit: Ottilie Blackhall / Future)

Step 2. Poke holes

(Image credit: Ottilie Blackhall / Future)

Then, poke holes in the foil. In the video, creator Viktori uses a cocktail stick to do so, such as the Diamond L'Elegance Extra Long Wooden Toothpicks available at Walmart, but as I didn't have any to hand, I just used a fork, which worked equally well.

Step 3. Wait

(Image credit: Future)

Then, all you have to do is wait. It's really as simple as that! I waited 24 hours, and was amazed at how well this unassuming parcel works to eliminate strong odors in my fridge, helping to keep my food fresh and banish bad kitchen smells.

Why does this trick work?

You have probably heard about using coffee grounds as a fertilizer for healthy houseplants, or maybe even about using coffee grounds to clean furniture, but why is this one of the things people with nice-smelling kitchens always do?

Well, much like when you clean with baking soda, coffee grounds work by absorbing and neutralizing kitchen odors, and masking bad smells.

That being said, it's still important to know how to clean a refrigerator and do so regularly, as this trick is not a solution to keeping your fridge hygienic.

And, if you're wondering how often you should clean your fridge, it should be given a quick clean with sanitizing spray, such as the Method All-Purpose Cleaner available at Walmart, and a microfiber cloth, at least weekly, and a deep-clean every month. If you prefer not to use chemicals, why not try cleaning with vinegar for an eco-friendly alternative, and don't forget to pay special attention to the dirtiest part of your fridge – your vegetable drawer – as rotting vegetables are one of the main causes of foul odors.

Amazon's choice

Purriko Refrigerator Deodorizer

This refrigerator deodorizer is perfect if you want a more long-lasting solution. It works for 10 years and uses advanced catalytic decomposition technology to decompose harmful gases and keep your fridge smelling fresh.

All prices correct at time of publication.

FAQs

Why does my fridge smell?

If your fridge smells bad, it is likely caused by food and drink spills, which create a breeding ground for odor-causing bacteria. Your fridge may also be harboring hidden moldy spots in the kitchen, so make sure you're clued up on how to clean a refrigerator door seal of mold.

How do you remove fishy odors from your fridge?

One of the best way to remove fishy odors from your fridge is by using a homemade vanilla vinegar cleaner, which leaves it smelling fresh without the use of harsh chemicals.

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While it can be difficult to keep your fridge smelling fresh, it's not uncommon to experience bad odors emanating from your freezer, too.

We recently tried using vanilla to freshen a freezer up, and it worked as a sweet-smelling, all-natural deodorizer.