Why does an unpleasant smell appear in the refrigerator and how to get rid of it? In many cases, improper food storage is a major contributor to the stench. However, the smell that comes from plastic parts cannot be overshadowed. After all, plastic has a specific "aroma" that must be neutralized before using the device. So how to remove odors from the refrigerator, how to wash it inside to eliminate unpleasant odors?
Why are there odors in the refrigerator?
The factors due to which stench is formed in the refrigerator are conditionally divided into two groups: careless storage of products and technical features.
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The first category is especially common, since consumers often do not follow the elementary rules for storing food, as a result of which the cameras of the device are filled with an unpleasant smell. In particular, various smoked meats, as well as sausage and fish, have a strong aroma. And storing such food without packaging entails the spread of a persistent smell through the refrigerating chamber, absorbing it into all compartments of the device.
Also, staleness of food is largely affected. The reason for this is mold that appears on spoiled food.
Another wasteful way of storing semi-finished meat and fish products is to transfer them for a long time from the freezer compartment to the refrigerator compartment. Thus, semi-finished products and meat products are thawed and rotten, thereby becoming a source of harmful bacteria.
Before storing food in a new refrigerator, it must be prepared for use. A new device may contain technical grease and have a persistent plastic odor.
Also, the refrigerator may not correspond to the capacity declared by the manufacturer. In this case, the unit will not maintain a temperature sufficient for storing and freezing food, which will damage the food. As a result, a stench will appear in the cameras of the device.
The drain, which is responsible for draining the waste liquid from the device, is also a source of odor. Having clogged, the outlet channel will not provide the outflow of liquid necessary for proper operation and will become a breeding ground for harmful bacteria.
Another reason for the appearance of "odors" in the refrigerator is power outages. Frequent power outages lead to the fact that the device does not work in full, which entails damage to the products contained in it. Accordingly, the appearance of an unpleasant odor cannot be avoided.
Ways to remove unpleasant odor from the refrigerator at home
Before starting the procedures to eliminate the stench in the refrigerator, the device is turned off, and all its space is completely freed.
There are two methods of neutralization to choose from:
- Folk remedies;
- Using household chemicals.
In the first case, improvised means are used, which, if used correctly, will not harm either the health of the consumer or the products in the refrigerator. But household chemicals are not able to boast of safety properties, since they contain, albeit in small quantities, substances that are still dangerous to human health.
However, serial cleaning products are divided into several groups. Some include liquids and powders containing potentially hazardous components, and other groups - products that do not have hazardous impurities. Odor absorbers belong to the safe class of absorbent neutralizers. They are not used to wash the device, but their property is to absorb all persistent odors.
Folk remedies for quick removal of odors
Common methods using available tools include cleaning the refrigerator using:
- vinegar;
- ammonia;
- lemon;
- soda;
- activated carbon;
- black bread;
- coffee.
How to clean the refrigerator so that there is no bad "aroma" with vinegar and ammonia?
Vinegar perfectly interrupts and absorbs all unpleasant odors. And to obtain a solution, vinegar is mixed with water in proportions one to one. The resulting liquid thoroughly rinses the refrigerator chambers, door seals, as well as the drain hole of the device.
After wiping with the solution, one glass of vinegar is placed in the chambers of the device for two hours. After the time has elapsed, the containers with the solution are removed, and the door is in the open position until the vinegar has completely evaporated.
The use of ammonia implies the same technology for cleaning the refrigerator. Only this time the proportions of the solution are: one tablespoon of alcohol to one liter of water.
How to remove smell with lemon?
Lemon is also an excellent absorbent for third-party sculptures. And if citrus juice is mixed with an alcohol-containing liquid, for example, vodka, then the resulting mixture will completely eradicate all pathogens of unpleasant odors. The percentage of lemon juice to vodka looks like 1:10. If vodka cannot be used, then it can be replaced with plain water. But then the concentration of citrus juice should double.
And to enhance the effect of fruit fragrance, pieces of any citrus laid out in the refrigerator will help. In this case, it is necessary to monitor the timely replacement of the fruit, since it is also prone to rotting.
Can baking soda remove and remove “odors”?
Neutralizing the stench with soda is possible only after prolonged use of this remedy. Moreover, soda is not capable of eliminating harmful bacteria on its own, so the powder is used when wet cleaning of the refrigerator chambers is done. A container with soda is placed in the chambers for several weeks, and for a greater effect and speeding up the process of absorbing odors, the agent must be placed on each shelf of the electrical appliance.
How to eliminate stench with activated carbon?
Twenty crushed activated charcoal tablets are also capable of absorbing odors. To do this, the powder is poured into a container, which is placed in the refrigerator. The number of tablets used depends on the size of the chamber. Accordingly, the larger the compartment space, the more drug will be required. The period of application of crushed coal without replacement should not exceed more than two weeks. Using the powder over this period will not bring any results, since the necessary components of the drug are simply deactivated in two weeks.
In order for the ability of activated carbon to absorb odors to reappear, the used powder is placed in an oven heated to 180 degrees for 10 minutes. After this procedure, the coal will regain its original properties, it can be reused.
How to get rid of foreign smell in the refrigerator using black bread?
For prophylaxis to eliminate odors with improvised means, slices of black bread are also used. Its use is possible if the odor appeared in the device's chamber relatively recently. In this case, the bread is cut into pieces, which are laid out on all the shelves of the refrigerator compartment.
Will coffee help?
Bean or ground coffee is another way to control odors. In small doses, it is displayed in all shelves. However, the use of coffee does not eliminate odors. They just dim for a while.
Odor absorbers help in eliminating unpleasant odors
Hardware stores have a wide range of factory-made neutralizers. But despite all the diversity, the principle of their work is the same. An absorbent component is placed in a container with holes to neutralize the stench.
A feature of some store-bought types of absorbers is that they can not only eliminate extraneous odors, but also have an antibacterial effect. This class includes:
- Some species gel neutralizers, which, due to silver ions, are able to stop the spread of harmful bacteria. And due to the use of lemon and algae, gel cleaners very quickly neutralize all kinds of odors;
- Ionizers. The most expensive model range of the entire class of converters. But at the same time, it is the most reliable species, which has an additional property - the absorption of harmful microorganisms.
In addition, there are neutralizers in which two filters are installed at once. These devices are called dispensers, and the activated carbon filters they contain work effectively for 1-3 months.
Budget options include egg-shaped absorbers. Working without interruption for 2–4 months, these models are cheaper than dispenser counterparts.
Preventive actions
So that after thorough cleaning of the refrigerating chamber the unpleasant smell does not reappear, you should periodically revise the products in it. That is, it is imperative to get rid of food that can potentially become a source of stench. In addition, the entire refrigerator should be thoroughly washed and cleaned twice a year. And so that the food in it does not spread bad odors, the food must be packed.
Packaging can be:
- polyethylene;
- plastic and metal containers;
- cling film.
Some products can even be wrapped in paper.
Spilled liquids should also be cleaned up immediately. For example, fruit juices have a distinct aroma.
Video: helpful tips
Since a completely new refrigerator may contain remnants of factory lubricants, the smell in the device will also be specific. And in combination with the "flavors" emanating from the plastic parts of the device, the general background in the refrigerator and freezer chambers will not be acceptable for storing food.
Therefore, before starting operation, all compartments are thoroughly washed with a solution of soda, in which there are four tablespoons of the product for one liter of water. After application, all surfaces of the refrigerator are wiped dry, and the device itself is in the open state for six hours.
To get rid of a persistent odor, you can use either improvised means or resort to store-bought absorbers. Still, periodic revision of food is the main procedure for neutralizing odors. Indeed, in the refrigerator, which does not contain the missing provisions and is in a clean state, no unpleasant “aromas” of any other kind can appear.
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