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A Christmas Ready Fridge
While many of us are focused on baking and cooking and presents and shopping and decorating for Christmas right now, we may overlook something just as important. That something is the fridge, that big white box that sits in the kitchen and helps to keep the goodies we are lovingly cooking and baking safe for us to eat.
But while we are so busy, we sometimes forget the fact that mould and bacteria can accumulate if we are not careful to periodically clean out our fridges.
Something as simple as spilled food or a piece of food that has fallen behind a drawer can wreak havoc on the health of a fridge and can cause the food around it to go bad, which can be costly to replace, and can also wreak havoc on our health.
And that Cheapskaters is why it is so important to degunk the fridge.
Get Ready to Purge
A good rule of thumb is that if a food that was cooked and left over and has not been consumed within three to four days it should be composted.
Start out by cleaning out the food in your fridge and decide whether or not it is safe to keep. If it is past the expiration date, take no chances and toss it. If a fruit or vegetable is more than a week old, and isn’t mouldy or soft or black then it can be grated and frozen for winter soups and stews or added to the stock pot. If it is soft, mouldy or has black spots don’t take any chances and compost it. It can be costly to pay doctor bills and time out from work by eating something that is past its freshness.
Remove all drawers and trays from the fridge. A little tip, try to strategically place them on a table top exactly the way you took them out. This way, when it is time to put them back together, you will not be scratching your head.
Good Old Soap and Water
Once you have determined what to keep and what to toss, get a cooler filled with ice to temporarily house what you will be keeping. In the alternative, if you have an another fridge, put the food in there until you are ready to restock.
With an empty canvas, you can now begin to wash down your fridge. The oldest and safest, as well as most effective method is using the hottest water that is safe for you. Mixing some dish detergent and hot water in a bucket will do wonders.
Using a cloth soaked in the soapy mixture, begin to wipe down the inside of the fridge. My hand knitted dishcloths are great for this. Or you can use paper towel if you prefer. By using paper towels, you are not spreading bacteria, but eliminating it. Soak drawers in a solution of hot soapy water as you are washing down the inside of the fridge.
For tougher stuck on gunk, use a toothbrush or soft scrubbing brush such as those used for laundry. Get in between the cracks with the edge of a toothbrush that is flexible and wipe down with paper towels, soap and water.
Once the inside is clean, take some paper towels to dry it up as well. This will avoid mildew from forming. Placing an open box of bicarb soda at the back of the top shelf will also help to keep the fridge odour free going forward.
Bring out the vacuum
Once the inside is all cleaned out, do not forget to take off the removable plate on the bottom of your fridge. You can soak it in the tub in hot, hot water and dishwashing detergent, while you run the long hose nozzle of your vacuum cleaner underneath that area to shift any dust or crumbs or pens or buttons or toothpicks or straws that may have strayed under there (I found all those things under my fridge this week).
Wipe over the top and sides with a damp cloth.
Use a soft toothbrush to clean the seals, then wipe them over with a damp cloth.
If you can move the fridge easily vacuum the back, especially the coils if they’re not covered. Dust will cause the fridge to heat up and therefore work harder, using more power and upping that electricity bill you’re trying to get down..
With these tips, you can de-gunk your fridge and keep it running smoothly inside and out and have it in tip-top shape for your Christmas goodies.
But while we are so busy, we sometimes forget the fact that mould and bacteria can accumulate if we are not careful to periodically clean out our fridges.
Something as simple as spilled food or a piece of food that has fallen behind a drawer can wreak havoc on the health of a fridge and can cause the food around it to go bad, which can be costly to replace, and can also wreak havoc on our health.
And that Cheapskaters is why it is so important to degunk the fridge.
Get Ready to Purge
A good rule of thumb is that if a food that was cooked and left over and has not been consumed within three to four days it should be composted.
Start out by cleaning out the food in your fridge and decide whether or not it is safe to keep. If it is past the expiration date, take no chances and toss it. If a fruit or vegetable is more than a week old, and isn’t mouldy or soft or black then it can be grated and frozen for winter soups and stews or added to the stock pot. If it is soft, mouldy or has black spots don’t take any chances and compost it. It can be costly to pay doctor bills and time out from work by eating something that is past its freshness.
Remove all drawers and trays from the fridge. A little tip, try to strategically place them on a table top exactly the way you took them out. This way, when it is time to put them back together, you will not be scratching your head.
Good Old Soap and Water
Once you have determined what to keep and what to toss, get a cooler filled with ice to temporarily house what you will be keeping. In the alternative, if you have an another fridge, put the food in there until you are ready to restock.
With an empty canvas, you can now begin to wash down your fridge. The oldest and safest, as well as most effective method is using the hottest water that is safe for you. Mixing some dish detergent and hot water in a bucket will do wonders.
Using a cloth soaked in the soapy mixture, begin to wipe down the inside of the fridge. My hand knitted dishcloths are great for this. Or you can use paper towel if you prefer. By using paper towels, you are not spreading bacteria, but eliminating it. Soak drawers in a solution of hot soapy water as you are washing down the inside of the fridge.
For tougher stuck on gunk, use a toothbrush or soft scrubbing brush such as those used for laundry. Get in between the cracks with the edge of a toothbrush that is flexible and wipe down with paper towels, soap and water.
Once the inside is clean, take some paper towels to dry it up as well. This will avoid mildew from forming. Placing an open box of bicarb soda at the back of the top shelf will also help to keep the fridge odour free going forward.
Bring out the vacuum
Once the inside is all cleaned out, do not forget to take off the removable plate on the bottom of your fridge. You can soak it in the tub in hot, hot water and dishwashing detergent, while you run the long hose nozzle of your vacuum cleaner underneath that area to shift any dust or crumbs or pens or buttons or toothpicks or straws that may have strayed under there (I found all those things under my fridge this week).
Wipe over the top and sides with a damp cloth.
Use a soft toothbrush to clean the seals, then wipe them over with a damp cloth.
If you can move the fridge easily vacuum the back, especially the coils if they’re not covered. Dust will cause the fridge to heat up and therefore work harder, using more power and upping that electricity bill you’re trying to get down..
With these tips, you can de-gunk your fridge and keep it running smoothly inside and out and have it in tip-top shape for your Christmas goodies.