Does your refrigerator or freezer give off a strange odor? If so, it might be time to peek inside, and find the source of the problem. Often, it is caused by food that has spilled, or a surplus of bacteria.
Additionally, the filters inside your fridge can also collect dust particles and other contaminants from the air. Over time, they become clogged and stop working properly.
If your fridge is really smelling bad, it’s time to do something. If you leave the smell to fester, the odors will stay trapped inside. As a result, you may also experience mold growth and mildew.
You should clean out your refrigerator regularly. In addition to cleaning the interior, you should also check the exterior of the door.
This way, you can remove any food spills before they start growing mold. If these tips below fail to work, it is best to call up your fridge manufacturer.
Reasons For A Smelly Fridge
Bacteria and mold are responsible for bad smells in fridges. Moisture comes from spilled food, and condensates from inside the fridge, and humidity outside the fridge.
When these conditions exist, bacteria and molds can grow rapidly. When they reach a certain number, they produce an odor that we can detect with our sense of smell.
Knowing this helps us to avoid getting sick.
Additionally, the purpose of a fridge is to hold food. This food is kept in the fridge, and it may spill over, or it may be left in there long enough to cause a strange smell.
I mean, how many of us can say we’ve never left a jar in the fridge for some time to cause a questionable smell? Bacterium grows on things that may have been in the fridge for weeks, and they will multiply, causing the smell.
How Do I Get Rid Of The Smell?
There are several ways to get rid of a bad smell in the fridge. They all require a decent amount of effort, and it is best to do it as quickly as you can, before the food that you have taken out spoils.
Try to throw away or use as much as you can before you clean out your fridge.
Turn The Temperature Down
One of the simplest ways to get rid of an odor that you just can’t place is by lowering the temperature of your fridge.
The fridge should be around 35F, and no warmer than 37F. If you live in a warmer climate, your fridge may need to be even colder, and this could be a reason why your fridge might smell.
Check The Contents Of Your Fridge
Common sense tells us that food left anywhere for too long spoils faster. Additionally, if you have been leaving things out on the counter that live on the counter as well as the fridge, they will spoil faster.
So even though the expiration date might be weeks away, milk, eggs, and other foodstuffs may already be a feast for germs.
After the door, start working your way toward the back of the refrigerator, sniffing and peering at all your past purchases. You may just find the culprit is a jar of pickles from three years ago!
Whilst you are doing this, clean out your fridge properly, so you can eliminate any other causes.
Absorbent Mats
You can buy silica mats to absorb any water from fruit and vegetables. If you have found that you have thrown away any likely culprits in your fridge, and it still smells, you may need a silica mat.
These mats can prevent odors from spoiling your fruits and vegetables by preventing them from rotting before they’re ripe. They’re cheap and easy to store.
You can also try putting a bowl of something odor-absorbing on a shelf. Baking soda is the most common ingredient for homemade deodorant, but you can use any kind of powder, including coffee grounds and charcoal.
If even this doesn’t work, it’s probably time to attack the root cause of the problem.
Deep Clean
Most of the time, the answer may be found by simply having a good clean. If your fridge still has an unpleasant smell after cleaning, it’s time to clean it out again. Get a cooler, fill it with ice, and get cleaning!
Lots of fridges today have spill-proof shelves, which makes them easier to clean up after spills.
However great they are, they may actually cause this smell.
This is because where the glass meets the plastic, there is a tiny gap. Spilled foods and bacteria can get into this gap, causing a horrid smell.
Disinfect and soak your fridge shelves, as well as spraying the doors and bottom.
If The Smell Continues
If you have tried all of these things and the smell is still there, you may need to call in the big guns. By the big guns, we mean fridge manufacturers and engineers.
When they take a look, they will be able to determine the cause of the issue, and offer you a solution that you have not yet tried.
You will be able to find out if it is something major, and find out how much it may cost you, too.
You never know, they may arrive to look at it, and they may find out that the smell is not being caused by your cleaning skills, but a leaky pipe in the cooling process, or a buildup in the drainage system.
There are so many things that may cause a bad smell, from a heavily used filter, to a crack in the door.
The Final Solution
After all the searching, you may not be able to find the cause. In this case, it is likely that the smell may not be coming from your fridge, but what’s under your fridge.
Your food might have rotted under there, causing some funky smells.
Try to remove your fridge carefully. This is obviously a last resort method, as if you do not have a removable fridge, you will have to spend some money to take it out.
Clean under your fridge thoroughly to eliminate any final causes of the smell.
Final Thoughts
A foul smelling fridge is never nice, and there are many reasons why this may occur.
To prevent a smelly fridge, make sure your food is always within date, and that your shelves are clean and damage free.
This will prevent any further bacteria from growing. In the article above, we informed you about the causes and solutions of a smelly fridge.
