Tag Archives: fridge tips

How to Get Rid of Fridge Smells

If you have a smelly fridge, you should work on getting rid of the smells as soon as possible. This is because the smells make storing your food in the refrigerator undesirable. Sometimes, the smells are too strong that your kitchen is unlivable.

To make your kitchen more comfortable and fun, you need to get rid of these smells. To help you out, here is how to go about it:

Wipe down the fridge

To keep the refrigerator odor-free, clean it regularly by wiping all inner surfaces with a moist cloth.

You should then dry it well with a soft cloth. Clean the outside using a washing-up liquid solution, wiping down any metal parts with a damp cloth. For the best outcome, use a general-purpose e-cloth.

You can do all the wiping yourself without hiring a refrigerator repair professional.

Get rid of the spoiled food.

Spoiled food is the primary cause of a smelly fridge, so you should eliminate it. And there is no magic to it. You simply need to reach the insides of the refrigerator and remove any spoiled or expired products.

To be safe, remove all the materials and only return what is expired.

Use baking soda

You should place an open box of baking soda or a small cup of baking soda on the refrigerator’s shelf. This will help to remove unpleasant odors by absorbing them. You should replace this box every 1-2 months for optimal results.

Use coffee grounds

Like baking soda, coffee grounds will also absorb the smells. You should place a bowl of freshly ground coffee in the refrigerator. The coffee grinds will absorb and hide odors. To keep your fridge smelling fresh, replace the grounds every several days.

Make use of vanilla.

Here, you need to soak a cotton ball or piece of cloth in vanilla extract and refrigerate. Vanilla has a perfume that will disguise other odors.

Mask the smells using citrus peels.

You need to soak a cotton ball or piece of cloth in vanilla extract and chill. Vanilla has a pleasant aroma that can mask the odors.

Tricks to keep your fridge smelling fresh

Prevention is always better than cure. Instead of working hard to restore your fridge smelling good, you should keep it fresh all the time, negating the need to use smell-killing materials.

Some of the things you need to do to achieve this include:

Make use of the humidity controls

You need to keep your food fresher for longer by storing it in the ‘crisper’ drawer, a dedicated section where you can manage the internal moisture level.

Most of the modern humidity drawers have two settings: you should place farmers’ products, such as fruits and leafy greens, in the high-humidity drawer, while poultry and fish are best stored in a low-moisture environment to avoid condensation and bacteria from forming.

Use airtight containers

The thrifty will be familiar with keeping leftovers to reduce food waste. The rookie mistake you can make is putting leftovers in a bowl with clingfilm or tin foil on top (tin foil is the worst because it makes it difficult to see what food is inside!)

Using airtight containers will keep the food fresher for longer and prevent any unpleasant odors from escaping if you mistakenly leave it in the fridge past its prime.

Be organized

So, you have your airtight containers, but do you recall when you put the leftover lasagne in the fridge? Labeling and dating your leftovers will not only keep you from getting food illness but also keep the food from spoiling.

This is because you can tell when the food will get spoiled and remove it.

When labeling the food, do it in an open area where everyone can see it. You also should write the dates in bold, big letters so that someone doesn’t have to fish for them.

Keep your shelves clean.

You need to clean any movable portions of the refrigerator, such as the shelves and drawers. Thankfully, most modern fridges simplify this by providing easy access to glass shelves and drawers you can easily remove.

All you have to do is soak them in warm, soapy water for a few minutes before using a kitchen sponge to remove stains. Allow the shelves to air-dry completely as you thoroughly clean the refrigerator.

Make it a habit to remove spills immediately.

It’s a good practice to wipe up spills and drips right away. If you don’t do this, you might have to deal with them when they’ve caked up and started to smell. And you don’t want this, do you?

Besides cleaning the spills immediately, you also should line the shelves of your fridge with fridge liners. The liners will absorb unexpected spills and are easy to dispose of. When a mess occurs, just remove and wash the affected liner rather than cleaning the entire fridge.

Watch the temperature of your appliance.

Bad odors are frequently produced by food rotting, which is why fridge temperature is critical. A high temperature causes food spoiling, but a low temperature may cause energy waste. Ideally, adjust your refrigerator to 0 to 4 degrees Celsius and freezer to -18 degrees Celsius.

If your fridge or freezer is still not cold enough after you’ve adjusted the temperature, it could be a sign of a bigger problem.

Call an appliance repair Alexandria professional to inspect your refrigerator for leaks, drip pan issues, or a malfunctioning defrost drain. If not addressed, these concerns can boost refrigerator temperatures and cause food to spoil prematurely. Which, in turn, leads to the bad smells that you don’t want.

When hiring a repair professional, don’t hire just any other. Take your time to find a reputable one that knows what they are doing. The last thing you should do is to hire a contractor who causes more harm than your unit had.

Guide to Getting rid of Unpleasant Odors from Your Fridge

Are you tired of opening your refrigerator and being met by foul odors? A bad-smelling fridge is not only unpleasant, but it also indicates the presence of bacteria and mold. But don’t worry; there are simple and efficient techniques to get rid of those unpleasant odors and restore the freshness of your refrigerator. Some of the ways you can go about it, as given by refrigerator repair professionals, include:

Empty and declutter the fridge

Begin by emptying your refrigerator of all items, including expired food, leftovers, and other potential odor causes.

You should throw away everything that has gone rotten or is no longer required. Doing this helps you to identify and concentrate on the source of the odor.

After removing all the items from the fridge, clean it. To clean the internal surfaces of your refrigerator, combine mild dish soap and warm water. Pay specific attention to spills, stains, and crevices, which can harbor bacteria and odor-causing agents. Rinse and thoroughly dry the surfaces with clean water.

Use natural deodorizers

Keep a bowl of baking soda or activated charcoal in your refrigerator to absorb odors. These natural deodorizers operate by neutralizing and trapping odors. To keep the baking soda or charcoal effective, replace it once a month or as needed.

Besides baking soda and activated charcoal, other products that you can use to absorb the odors include:

Coffee grounds: Because of their strong aroma, used coffee grounds can work as a natural deodorizer. Place used coffee grinds in an open container or coffee filter in the refrigerator. Coffee grounds assist in masking off-putting odors. For the best outcome, change the grounds every 1-2 weeks.

Lemon or citrus peels: Citrus fruits have a pleasant aroma that might help to mask odors. Put some lemon or orange peels in a bowl or on a platter in the refrigerator. Citrus oils in the peels mask and absorb undesirable odors. Every 1-2 weeks, replace the peels.

White vinegar: Vinegar is known for its deodorizing abilities. You need to wipe off the inside of the refrigerator with equal parts water and white vinegar solution. This assists in eradicating odors and disinfecting surfaces. Before replenishing the fridge, allow the vinegar to drain and air out.

Vanilla extract: Vanilla extract provides a lovely aroma that you can use to refresh your refrigerator. Dab a few drops of vanilla extract on a cotton ball or a little piece of fabric. Refrigerate it to give it a pleasant aroma. Every few weeks, replace the cotton ball.

Essential oils: To a cotton ball or a tiny piece of fabric, add a few drops of your favorite essential oil, such as lemon, lavender, or eucalyptus. Put it in your refrigerator to infuse it with a lovely scent. For the best outcome, renew the essential oil regularly.

Properly store the food.

You must ensure that all food is firmly wrapped or stored in airtight containers. This keeps strong odors from penetrating the refrigerator and helps keep it fresh. To seal leftovers and other food products, use plastic wrap, zip-top bags, or storage containers.

You should keep the perishable goods at or below 40°F (4°C): To inhibit bacterial growth and protect food quality, keep the refrigerator temperature to or below 40°F (4°C). You need to check the temperature with a refrigerator thermometer and make the necessary adjustments.

Store raw meats, poultry, and shellfish on the bottom shelf or in a separate drawer to avoid cross-contamination. Place these foods in airtight containers or plastic bags to keep juices from spilling onto other meals.

You should properly use the different refrigerator zones. To help you out, here is a guide on how to organize the different fridge sections:  

Higher shelves: Store ready-to-eat meals on the higher shelves. These shelves are best reserved for leftovers, cooked dishes, and drinks. These meals require less cooking and have better safety margins.

Lower shelves or drawers: Keep raw meats, poultry, and shellfish in these sections to prevent drips from contaminating other foods. This zone is also suitable for storing dairy goods such as milk and yogurt.

Door shelves: Due to frequent opening and closing, anything stored in the refrigerator door may be exposed to slightly higher temperatures. Keep condiments, sauces, and other foods with high acidity in the door since they have a longer shelf life and are less likely to spoil.

Have a fridge cleaning schedule.

You should have a cleaning schedule for your refrigerator. Aim to clean your unit at least once a month or more frequently if necessary. Regular maintenance prevents the accumulation of odor-causing substances and aids in the upkeep of a clean and fresh-smelling unit.

The beauty of cleaning the appliance is that you don’t need to hire a professional to help you with it—you can easily do it on your own.

As a rule, avoid using harsh chemicals that can ruin the appliance.

Check the drip pan and drain.

Odors can occasionally be caused by a clogged or dirty drip pan or drain. Consult your refrigerator’s owner’s manual for instructions on how to reach and clean these components. Taking care of them can help prevent the development of unpleasant odors.

The drip pan is at the bottom of the refrigerator, behind the front grille or kick plate. If you can’t find it, consult the owner’s manual for your refrigerator.

Before proceeding, disconnect the refrigerator or switch off the electricity to avoid any electrical dangers.

When you find the drip pan, carefully slide it out of its place. Be cautious, as it may contain contaminated water or residue.

You should empty the drip pan contents into the sink or a suitable container. You can rinse it with warm, soapy water or clean it with a mild cleaning solution, depending on the level of dirt and grime.

Scrub away any residue with a sponge or cloth, then thoroughly rinse. Before putting it back in the fridge, ensure it is fully dry.

There you have it.

Following these basic suggestions will efficiently remove odors from your refrigerator and enjoy a fresh and pleasant-smelling atmosphere for your food storage. Remember to practice good cleanliness and careful food handling to avoid recurrent odors.

For peace of mind that your unit is in top working condition, have it inspected by an experienced commercial appliance repair Alexandria professional at least once a year.

Mistakes You Are Making Storing Food In The Refrigerator

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The refrigerator has made life easier for decades, and it’s up to you to take care of it and correctly put food away. This is because not doing so will increase your chances of getting sick and shorten the refrigerator’s life. You don’t want this, do you?

There is also the risk of the fridge breaking down regularly. You have to keep hiring appliance repair professionals to fix it. 

 There are many things you need to be cautious of, like putting food in the right container and ensuring the fridge stays at the right temperature.

To help you out, here are five mistakes you shouldn’t make when putting food in the fridge:

Failing to cover the food

The most common reason people will fail to cover the food as they put it in the fridge is that they are in a hurry. They will also fail to do it because they don’t want or they have the impression that covering it will get it spoilt. 

To stay safe, you should always cover your food as you put it in the fridge because open food is more likely to get bacteria and can also get contaminated by raw meat or other uncooked foods in the refrigerator. As you can guess, when you eat contaminated food, you will most likely suffer from food poisoning. And you don’t want this, do you?

The good thing is that you don’t have to do much to cover the food. Simply put the food in a container that won’t let air in or wrap it in plastic.

Putting more food than the fridge can carry

The other mistake many people make is storing more food than the fridge is designed to carry. Yes, there is the temptation to stock all the supplies you get from the grocery store in the refrigerator, but it’s not a good idea to pack the shelves too full. 

When you overstock your fridge, you shorten the time your food will last and reduce the refrigerator’s efficiency. Remember that to keep your food cool, your fridge needs to distribute the cool air throughout the appliance. 

When you fill all the shelves, you even block the air vents, which prevent the cool air from circulation, and as a consequence, the food gets spoilt. 

Just store the right amount of food inside to protect your appliance and avoid overstocking. Regularly cleaning your appliance is a great way to ensure that you don’t overstock it. At least once a week or before you head to the grocery store, remove all the items from the fridge and only put back what hasn’t expired. 

Washing fruits and vegetables before storing them

You might think you are being tidy and hygienic when you wash your fruits and vegetables before putting them in the fridge, but this isn’t the right thing to do. This is because when you wash these items, you introduce water to the food. 

This can lead to the growth of bacteria, which is bad for your health.

Instead of washing the fruits and vegetables before you store them in the fridge, you should wash them right before you cook or eat them. 

If you want to rinse them before putting them away, ensure they are completely dry.

Using the wrong storage containers

As mentioned above, you should always store leftover food in a container that keeps air out. If you don’t, the food will go bad, and your fridge will smell funny. Don’t keep your leftovers for too long, either. 

One of the biggest mistakes people make is to store the food in their original packaging. This is wrong. The right way to go about it is to use the above-mentioned containers. If you are using the original packaging, ensure it’s airtight so that moisture doesn’t get in.

Parting shot

These are some of the mistakes you should avoid making to protect your appliance from breaking down too often, and you are forced to hire a refrigerator repair Northern VA expert. Avoid these mistakes, and you will have a long-lasting appliance and a highly efficient unit. 

How Do You Take Care Of A Refrigerator?

When you buy a refrigerator, you want it to last for as long as possible. Unfortunately, the appliance can’t just last for a long time—you have to take good care of it.

How do you take care of a refrigerator? According to refrigerator repair professionals, there are plenty of ways to do it. Some of these ways include:

Keep the door closed.

Keeping the fridge door closed prevents the cool air from leaving the fridge. This prevents the refrigerator from overworking, which keeps the energy bill low and ensures that the fridge has a long life.

To ensure that you open the fridge door only when it’s necessary, think about what you need before you open the door. This way, you go straight to what you need without holding the door open, thinking about what you want.

Other people will get what they want then fail to close the door completely. This is wrong, as it’s the same as when you don’t pick what you want fast.

After you have picked what you want, confirm that you have fully closed the door.

Keep the fridge level.

There are plenty of downsides that come with a fridge that isn’t level. For one, the doors don’t close as well as you would want them to. As you can guess, this results in the fridge overworking, and it has a short life. The motor also stains, and this also contributes to the fridge going to an early grave.

When you place the fridge in your house, take time to confirm that its level. One of the best ways to go about it is to place a level tool on the shelves. If not balanced, adjust the feet or place a piece of stone or wood to keep it balanced.

Clean the coils

Although not visible, coils caked in dust, debris, and pet hair make the fridge overwork which works against the appliance.

For your appliance to last for a long time, you need to clean the coils. The coils are located at the bottom of the fridge or in the back. To access them, you have to remove a grill. In some cases, depending on the type of fridge, you have to snap off a plate or remove a few screws to access them.

If the coils in your appliance are located at the back, you have to roll or move the fridge away from the wall to access them. While at it, clean the floor under the fridge using a vacuum, stiff brush, or any specialized tool.

When it comes to cleaning the coils, you don’t need to be fancy about it. Simply running a vacuum or brush over and under them will get the work done. Besides the coils, also clean the condenser fan.

To keep your fridge in top shape, clean the coils once or twice a year. You can clean them even more regularly if you have a pet that sheds.

Maintain the right temperature

To prevent your fridge from overworking, you should regularly check the temperature in the fridge and freezer sections of your appliance. For an ideal functioning fridge, the fridge compartment should be around 37 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit, while the freezer section should be at zero degrees Fahrenheit.

If you have an older model without an inbuilt temperature gauge, buy an inexpensive thermometer from your local home improvement store.

Run it full

A fridge with fewer items is more efficient than a full one, right? Wrong. When you fill your fridge, the cool air easily moves from one item to the other, which comes in handy at helping the unit cool better and operate more efficiently.

While you should keep the fridge full, you should be cautious that you don’t overstock it such that there is no room for the cool air to flow, which leads to the food spoiling.

Overstuffing the fridge also blocks the vents and controls, causing the fridge to overwork and head to an early grave.

Place it away from heat sources.

Most people place their fridges in the kitchen, where most of the heating appliances are located. While this is the case, it’s still possible to place the fridge away from the oven, cooktop, and other heat sources.

According to appliance repair Alexandria professionals, placing the fridge close to the heat-generating items makes the fridge work harder than it shoul. This not only results in it consuming a lot of energy but also drives it to an early grave.

When Should I Replace My Refrigerator?

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Every homeowner knows they have to replace their fridge at a certain point, unfortunately, most don’t know when they should do it. Are you wondering, when should I replace my refrigerator? According to appliance repair professionals, fridges give several signals that it’s time to replace them. Some of these signals include:

The back of the fridge feels hot.

The back of the fridge will feel hot due to a malfunctioning motor. If your appliance is less than 8 years and hopefully under warranty, get in touch with a repair professional to fix it. If the appliance is older than this, there is no point in fixing the motor as doing so will set you back hundreds of dollars, and it will be a matter of a few months before you need a new fridge.

The fridge is sweating.

A properly functioning fridge should be dry, so if yours is sweating, there is definitely something wrong with it.

When your refrigerator is sweating, it’s a sign that the unit has insufficient cooling capabilities, and it will sweat in different areas. If the moisture is on the appliance’s exterior, check the door seal and if worn out or damaged, replace it.

If the seal is in good condition and the fridge is sweating on the inside, that is a giveaway that the internal temperature isn’t cold enough to prevent the food from spoiling, and it’s time to replace it.

You can hear the motor running.

It’s normal for the motor to run, but it shouldn’t be running at maximum speed, and if this is the case, there is something wrong with your unit as there is no need for the fridge to regulate and re-regulate the temperature constantly.

If the motor keeps running, you have a problem in your hands, and you should have it taken care of by a professional. Again, if the fridge is less than 8 years, you can fix the motor, but you are better off saving some money and getting a new unit if older than this.

The fridge is not making any sound.

A quiet refrigerator is as bad as a loud one, so if your unit is completely silent, you have a problem that you should address as soon as possible. If the fridge is quiet and the food isn’t cooling, that is a sign of a damaged refrigerator.

You should unplug the fridge, then plug it back in and confirm whether it’s back to proper working condition. If the problem persists despite there being power, get in touch with a repair professional to fix the unit. If the fridge is more than 8 years, you will most likely be better off getting a new unit than repairing the old one.

The refrigerator keeps breaking down.

Any appliance close to the end of its life keeps breaking down, which quickly adds up the repair cost. Is your refrigerator breaking down every few weeks or months? That’s an obvious sign that it’s time to get a new unit. By so doing, you will save money and have peace of mind as you will be working with a reliable appliance.

Frost keeps building up in the freezer.

It’s common for some frost to develop in the freezer, but these are often easily remedied by turning off the freezer and giving the frost time to melt. As you can guess, the frost in the appliance often isn’t a lot.

When your fridge is malfunctioning or too old, it will produce a lot of frost that is difficult to get rid of. Do you find yourself chiseling through piles of frost whenever you are looking for a frozen entrée? Your appliance might be outdated, and you should get a new unit that is energy efficient and won’t need the annoying and time-consuming manual defrosting.

Your energy bills are through the roof.

Have you noticed that your energy bills are ever-increasing, but you haven’t added another appliance? Chances are your fridge is running inefficiently.

To confirm whether this is the case, refrigerator repair Springfield recommend you plug in an energy usage monitor between the fridge and the outlet to determine the amount of wattage the fridge is drawing and the estimated energy bill. If the fridge’s energy usage increases month to month, it’s time to think about getting a new unit.

6 Reasons Why the Fridge Is Not Cold but The Freezer Is

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In a perfect scenario, the freezer and fridge should always be cold and in perfect working conditions, but this isn’t always the case. If your freezer is working, but your fridge isn’t, it means you have a problem in your hands, and you should have an appliance repair professional look at it.

Are you wondering why the fridge is not cold, but the freezer is? There are plenty of reasons this might be the case. Some of these reasons include:

The evaporator coils are covered in frost.

When the evaporator coils are covered in frost, air doesn’t get space to pass through them to get cold, hence a warm refrigerator. To restore the fridge, remove the frost by blowing hot hair over it.

If you do this, then after a few days, the problem recurs, you might be having a problem with the defrost heater. Check the heater and confirm that it’s working perfectly.

The defrost timer is malfunctioning.

The defrost system relies on the control board to control it, and the timer makes the heater turn. This means that if the timer is malfunctioning, the heater won’t start working, and frost will form on the coils preventing the fridge from cooling.

To fix this issue, try advancing the timer dial to the defrost cycle. If the heater doesn’t come on within 30 minutes, consider replacing the timer.

The thermistor is broken.

Thermistors monitor the refrigerator’s temperature and relay the information to the main control board. When the temperature gets too high or low, the control board turns the compressor on and off as needed.

A broken thermistor causes the compressor to run too often, or it doesn’t run enough, leading to improper temperatures. Use a multimeter to test your thermistor for continuity and install a new one if the current one is broken.

The evaporator fan is defective.

For the fridge to cool, the evaporator fan has to draw cold air over the evaporator coil. This means that when the fan is defective, it doesn’t draw cold air; hence the fridge doesn’t cool.

To find out if this is the cause of the problem, turn the fan blade using your hand. A properly functioning fan should run smoothly, so if there is resistance, the fan is defective, and you should get a new one. You also should get a new fan if the current one is noisy.

The damper control assembly is faulty.

The damper allows cold air into the fridge from the freezer section. This means that if the damper blocks or stops working, little or no air gets into the refrigerator section.

To determine if the damper is the reason for the warm fridge, you need to physically inspect the damper and see whether it’s opening and closing correctly. If it’s not functioning properly, replace it.

You have overstuffed the fridge.

When you overstock the fridge, you save money you would have spent cooling small chunks of foods, right? Wrong. When you stock your fridge with more food items than it can take, you prevent air from circulating, as well as it should, and without proper air circulation, the fridge cannot maintain a cool interior.

To restore the unit to proper working condition, you need to remove the excess food. The proper way to go about this is to remove all the foods in the fridge and clean the insides with a clean cloth and warm soapy water. You should then rearrange the shelves to allow for better airflow. Once the shelves are in place, sort the foods and dispose of the old ones. You should restock the fridge only with fresh foods.

Understand your fridge first

From the problems and solutions presented above, you can see that the fridge problem you have can be fixed even with basic skills. It’s always wise to hire a refrigerator to repair Alexandria to look into the issue and fix it, but if you don’t have the money for it, try to fix it yourself.

If this is the first time opening up the fridge, don’t go at it blindly—first, take time to understand the various parts and how they work. Thankfully, you can get most of the information from your refrigerator user’s manual.