How do I clean a disgusting mini fridge?

Question

My roommate and I were moving to a different apartment. We defrosted our mini fridge, but when we moved it, I forgot to take out the tray underneath the freezer part. It had all the melted ice and gross suff, and it spilled all over. We were in a rush, so we didn't clean the inside of the fridge at the time. A few days later when we opened the fridge, it smells like something died in there.

I've been trying to clean it for weeks, and the smell keeps coming back. I've tried to clean it with baking soda and water, scrubbed the inside with soap, and sprayed Lysol Antibacterial Food Contact Surface Cleaner (what a mouthful) to disinfect it. I've even unscrewed the door and cleaned off the gross stuff growing in the rubber lining, and it still smells awful. I am reluctant to throw away the fridge, and I want to know if there's anything else I could do to save it.

Answer 1

Get a huge 100gallon drum of Bleach and hang the fridge by its electric cord and dangle it in the bleach over night. that should do it.

Answer 2

Hope this helps Good Luck !

How can I remove an odor from my refrigerator?

Here are four suggestions for removing the odor:

Unplug the refrigerator and thoroughly wash the inside of the unit with a mixture of two tablespoons of baking soda dissolved in one quart of warm water. Wash the shelves, drawers, accessories and gaskets. Be sure to wash corners, crevices or grooves where odor-causing liquid may have settled. Dry thoroughly.
Place activated charcoal or activated carbon in a shallow bowl and leave it in the refrigerator while it is running for several days. The charcoal or carbon is available where aquarium and/or plant and garden supplies are sold. It will become saturated but can be reactivated by heating in a 300 degree oven for one hour and then put back into the refrigerator. Try this for about 10 days.
Place toothpaste (not the gel type) on small pieces of foil and set in several spots in the refrigerator.
Lightly crumple sheets of newspaper and loosely pack a refrigerator shelf which has been emptied of food. Sprinkle the newspaper with water and close the door. Replace the newspaper every 1-2 days. In 5-6 days the odor should be gone.
If odor gets into the plastic lining or the insulation of the refrigerator, it can take a long time to dissipate.





Reference: Iowa State University Extension and The Answer Book by Maytag/Jenn-Air

Answer 3

Now that you've cleaned it, use it to store coffee grounds and fresh flowers and other non food garden cuttings for awhile and see if it overpowers the smell of death.

Plastic is porous. It's difficult to get residue out of plastic. I once tried soaking a plastic bucket which was stinky because a lot of dead snails had died in it. (I don't remember why dead snails died in a bucket but at the time I wanted to rescue the bucket.) I used a strong bleach and water solution and left it for many days but the smell was still there when I poured the water out. Even after I put it through another long soak, the smell lingered.

Answer 4

Clean it with Clorox Multipurpose Bathroom spray cleaner. If that's noesn't do it use Simple Green Spray Cleaner. Then, put a bowl of fresh coffee grounds in the fridge. That will take out the smells. Don't use bleach on the rubber seals, it will make them crack and get brittle.

Answer 5

ok you ready? take the fridge to the local car wash, use the spray soap that comes out and then rinse and do again, then allow to air dry at home and put some baking soda in it.. Works wonders I promise. The soap at the car wash is better then anything you can buy. plus it's hot

Answer 6

Take it outside and use a hose and literally blast it and maybe if you dont wanna unscrew the door then use scrubber that can reach in there. Try Bleach and let it sit for an hour or so before rinsing.

Answer 7

Vinegar, straight out of the jug, don't delute.
First heat up the vinegar, pour it into a glass container,set it in the fridge,shut the door and wait untill it cools.
Then wash out the inside with the vinegar, rinse and your done.

Answer 8

Sounds like you tried everything. I would take it outside spray it out with the garden hose and let it sit outside opened overnight. Could also try bleach along with above.

Answer 9

take it out side spray it down scrub with SOS pad dry good and put charcoal berquets inside for a few days the smell will disappear.

Answer 10

Baking Soda...