Eco-Friendly Fridge Cleaning Tips

The machine that works the hardest in our home right alongside our washer and dryer is the fridge. The fridge is kind of like a messy closet at times. The out of sight out of mind mentality comes into play. It goes through a beating during the week, whether there are sticky fingerprints on the outside, spoiled food, or that occasional spill; we all know what it feels like to have a messy fridge. One of the best reasons of having a clean fridge is that knowing what you have can help save money and help you prepare for meals.

Have you ever gone grocery shopping only to come home and realize you already had two bags of lettuce? I know I have! A clean fridge will not only keep your food safe from spoiling, but it will make your life seem so much more organized.

Now on to the eco-friendly segment of this post. I will admit before I became conscious of eco-friendly/do it yourself cleaning supplies I was a Lysol cleaning junky. Every time I cleaned though I felt sick to my stomach and the lingering smell of these cleaning supplies stayed in the air for days. When it came to my fridge I cleaned with multi-surface cleaners.

It occurred to me through research, my sister, and an Ah-Ha! moment that the products I was using to clean inside my fridge lingered not only on the surface, but also seeped inside my food! I had to make a change. Since then, I have been practicing eco-friendly ways to clean not only my fridge, but everything else in my apartment as well. By doing this I have saved a ton of money on cleaning supplies!

SUPPLIES:

• Cloth/Sponge
• Baking soda (Stops flavor transfers and keeps foods tasting fresher, longer)
• Warm water
• Bucket
• Baking sheet

Here are the steps you can take towards an eco-friendly clean fridge:

Step 1: Unplug your fridge and allow to unthaw.

Step 2: Empty all contents of your fridge throwing away any past due items.

Step 3: Take out all the bins and shelves.

Step 4: Dilute 1/4 cup Arm & Hammer Baking Soda and 1 quart of warm water in a bucket. Use this solution to scrub your bins and the interior of your fridge and freezer with a wet cloth or sponge. There is no need to rinse off this solution unless you have used too much to leave a residue.

Don't forget to clean the ice cube tray and ice cube holder. Allow these items to dry before placing them inside again.

This picture might not look like I need to clean my fridge but to my naked eye this machine has germs and gunk all over it!

Pay special attention to nooks and crannies inside the fridge and freezer as well as the rubber lining the inside doors.

Scrub, scrub, scrub! Don't give up now!

Step 6: Take sponge with solution and scrub the outside of the fridge. Use a wet cloth to take off the excess solution if there is any left behind.

Cool Tip: If you still find that your fridge has an odor sprinkle some Arm and Hammer Baking Soda on a baking sheet, set inside the fridge and shut the door for an hour.

Step 7: Wipe down all jars and containers with clean cloth before putting them back.

I started this project thinking it wasn't going to take me too long. I thought wrong! I ended up doing a major overhaul of my entire kitchen once I was done with my fridge. Below is a picture of my finished product, all squeaky clean!

As sad as it is, whenever I clean a room in my apartment I try to not dirty it soon thereafter. It looks like I will be ordering takeout or popping a pizza in the oven tonight : )

Check out Arm & Hammer Fridge-N-Freezer. Just open the sides, place in your fridge or freezer and enjoy 30 days of freshness in every box.

This is the most amazing invention ever! I'm in love! Pop one of these babies in your fridge and freezer and it will thank you!

Lessons Learned: The first time I cleaned my fridge I sprinkled baking soda all over everything and scrubbed with a wet sponge. This created a thick residue that was hard to come off once I was done cleaning. Unfortunately I had to empty out and wipe down my fridge two more times because of the baking soda film left behind : (

Sources:

Martha Stewart

Mrs. Clean

Parties I am linking to:

Serenity Now

At The Picket Fence

Classy Clutter

The Frugal Girls

The Girl Creative

It's So Very Cheri

The Delectable Home

Skip to my Lou

Digital Scrapbooking Made Easy
Tip Junkie

Not JUST a Housewife

New Nostalgia

A Bowl Full of Lemons
Savvy Southern Style
Organize and Decorate Everything
Southern Lovely