How to Keep the Refrigerator Clean

Great tips and ideas on how to keep the refrigerator clean on the inside and out.

We recently bought a new refrigerator. I’m always looking for products to help me keep things looking nice and lasting as long as possible. Shelf liners were obvious to keep the shelves clean and scratch free. I also use baskets to keep food products organized and contained. But I’ll share more about that later in this post.

How to Keep the Refrigerator Clean

Let’s start with ways to clean the outside of the refrigerator. I often get asked how to clean fingerprints and debris off the outside, especially the doors. It’s pretty easy and you usually don’t even need to use cleaning products. All it takes is water and a little elbow grease. Use a damp micro fiber cloth to clean the outside and a polishing cloth to dry it. You might need to scrub a bit with the micro fiber cloth for greasy or sticky fingerprints. Dry with the polishing cloth using a circular motion. That’s usually all it takes to get it clean. If there are still some spots, repeat the process. About once a week I’ll use a stainless steel cleaner if needed. The stainless steel cleaner repels dirt and debris.

Now easy ways to keep the inside of the refrigerator clean. I like to clean the refrigerator the day before I go grocery shopping so it’s not as full. Remove everything from the fridge and toss expired food and old leftovers. If it’s not too bad you can clean a shelf at a time. Wash the shelves with a micro fiber cloth and a little vinegar if needed. Dry it with a clean micro fiber cloth.

Once the shelf is clean and dry line it with the shelf liner. The liner is easy to cut with scissors. Just measure your space and cut to size. I was able to line 4 shelves with one roll with about 6” left over. Since all the shelves are the same size I cut one and used it as a pattern for the other 3.

The liners are non-adhesive but offer a non-slip cushion grip to help keep containers in place. Using them over the glass shelves help prevent scratches and possibly breaking food containers from being put down too hard. Sometimes kids don’t know their own strength.

Liners help protect against the growth of odor-causing mold and mildew. It’s also easy to wash up quickly if something gets spilled. Liners are great for a rental home if you’re a little nervous about what might still be on the shelves even after you’ve cleaned them.

Use baskets in the refrigerator to keep food contained and like things together. Baskets are easy to wash out if something gets spilled. Keep certain foods separate by using different shelves and baskets. I have one shelf and several baskets that are strictly gluten free. Keeping most things in baskets makes it easy to find what I’m running low on.

You can also use liners in other parts of the kitchen and home. Use them on wire shelves in the kitchen, garage, bathroom, or closet to keep small objects from falling through. It’s thick enough to keep it’s shape and provide a flat surface. Use it in kitchen cabinets for added protection and cushion for your glasses and dishware. You can also use it in your small appliance cabinet to keep the shelves free from scuffs and marks.

Do you have any tips to keep the refrigerator clean? Share them in the comments.

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