Your home gives the refrigerator a lot of attention, but not always in a positive way. Yes, you open and lock the door to store groceries, take a drink, store leftovers, and more throughout the day. However, you’re in and out so fast that it’s simple to overlook—or worse, to lose your sense of smell—any bad smells coming from the refrigerator. It might be anything from a stale smell that simply smells bad to a rotting stink.
There are numerous reasons why refrigerators can occasionally smell bad, but sometimes we aren’t even aware that certain of our behaviors are to blame.
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Habits That Make Your Fridge Stink So Bad
Allowing Food to Go Bad and Sitting Around
It should be no surprise that old food is possibly the main source of unpleasant odors. Food that has gone bad or expired, as well as crumbs, can frequently break down and release lingering smells.
Therefore, always get rid of the source of the stink! Although it might seem apparent, some people will just attempt to cover up the odor or throw away the offending item without thoroughly cleaning the refrigerator afterwards. (You don’t want any leftover crumbs to keep breaking down!) A deep, comprehensive cleaning is necessary.
Not Enough Frequent Cleaning of Your Fridge
Although it should go without saying, when was the last time you cleaned your refrigerator? If you don’t do this frequently, you’re effectively letting tiny food particles rot and fester in your refrigerator, which might be troublesome. About once a week is the ideal time to give it a quick wipe down and clean.
Not Cleaning Up Spills Immediately
Failure to wipe up spills as soon as possible may also cause funky smells. Wipe them off right away with a cloth, and then use your preferred cleaning product or multi-surface spray to get rid of any remaining residue.
Not Replacing Your Deodorizing Baking Soda Often
Although baking soda is a great deodorizer, it loses its ability to absorb odors over time, and it’s likely that you’re not replacing it frequently enough. Make sure the baking soda is in a vented container and refill it at least once a month because it collects odor molecules from the air.
Making Use of Plastic Containers
We understand how convenient plastic food containers are, and we’re not advocating for you to throw them all away! However, be mindful that they may be exacerbating your odorous itch.
Since TikTok gained popularity, people have taken a liking to clean, well-organized refrigerators made of plastic acrylic containers. Feelings of beauty! Nonetheless, glass containers are better for food storage because they keep food fresh and don’t smell.
Relegate those plastic containers to areas of your house that aren’t used for food, such as craft items, or properly recycle them if they’re in poor shape.
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