A clean refrigerator is necessary to keep the kitchen hygienic and fresh. Spills and smells can accumulate over time, so it’s critical to periodically give your refrigerator a thorough cleaning. However, to finish the job, you don’t need expensive cleaners or strong chemicals.
A straightforward, all-natural remedy that works wonders for removing odors and dirt from your refrigerator is vinegar. In this post, we’ll walk you through two simple ways to use vinegar to clean your refrigerator with just a few common household items.
These vinegar-based methods can give your refrigerator a deep clean or a quick refresh, and they’ll leave it looking and smelling great. Let’s get started on how easy it is for you to accomplish on your own.
| Method | Description |
| Vinegar and Water Solution | Mix equal parts vinegar and water. Wipe down all surfaces inside the refrigerator with a soft cloth soaked in the solution. This method effectively removes stains and odors. |
| Vinegar Spray | Fill a spray bottle with undiluted vinegar. Spray directly onto the surfaces, then wipe clean with a damp cloth. Ideal for tougher spots and a deeper clean. |
- Preparation
- Preparing a solution
- Using vinegar
- Add soda
- Procedure
- Prevention of odors
- Tips
- Video on the topic
- Safe way! How to wash the refrigerator?
- HOW TO WASH THE REFRIGERATOR PERFECTLY?! General cleaning of the refrigerator. Removing mold, dirt.
- How to wash the refrigerator with vinegar
- How to WASH THE REFRIGERATOR INSIDE from odor, mold and stains. How to get rid of the smell in the refrigerator
Preparation
Everything that is related to refrigeration, even no-frost systems, needs to be cleaned. It is imperative to keep the refrigerator clean and give it regular washings even if it does not need to be defrosted. Although it is up to each housewife to determine how frequently to clean the device, it is advised to perform a general cleaning of the chamber at least once per month.
Wipe clean surfaces once a week.
Prior to performing a comprehensive general cleaning, the device needs to be ready:
- Disconnect the device from the power supply.
- Move the refrigerator away from the wall to gain access to the back wall of the unit.
- Remove all food, frozen products and prepared meals from the refrigerator and freezer.

- Inspect all provisions, getting rid of expired and spoiled semi-finished products, vegetables and fruits.
- Free the device from all removable shelves and trays.
- Move all jars, containers and other items that need to be washed closer to the water tap.
- If there is ice in the refrigerator, leave it to defrost for several hours. The no-frost system device is available for cleaning immediately after disconnecting from the power supply.
Crucial! The refrigerator’s instructions should include all the information needed to clean and defrost the appliance. Therefore, read the documentation before beginning any work.
Preparing a solution

All refrigerators have one major issue: an unpleasant smell. Not only can spoiled food be the source of "aromas," but also improper upkeep of the unit’s chamber. Unpleasant smells won’t keep you waiting if you don’t remove drips, stains, and crumbs from the shelves and walls in a timely manner, so it’s critical to understand how to get rid of a rotten smell in the refrigerator using genuinely efficient techniques.
Either by itself or in conjunction with soda, table vinegar effectively addresses the issue.
This article contains comprehensive instructions on how to clean a refrigerator so that it doesn’t smell.
Using vinegar
Garlic’s primary beneficial quality is its ability to disinfect. Up to 90% of bacteria, viruses, and mold—the primary causes of an unpleasant odor—are destroyed by the acetic acid content of the product.
The ability of vinegar to combat dust mites is another advantageous quality. Consequently, the detergent can be used by anyone who has dust allergies.

Instead of using pure vinegar to clean the refrigerator, its aqueous solution is used:
- Mix water at room temperature with vinegar in a 1 to 1 ratio.
- Soak a sponge or cloth in the resulting solution.
- Wipe all accessible surfaces of the device with a sponge – inside and out.
- Without rinsing off the solution, leave it for a couple of hours so that it “eats away” all the dirt.
- After the specified time, treat the surfaces with a damp sponge, remove all dirt and wipe dry with a dry rag.

Add soda
Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate, is a powerful cleaning agent on its own. It eliminates dirt and stains by acting as a gentle abrasive. However, it also avoids leaving scratches, leaving the refrigerator’s metallized or enameled finish smooth and spotless.
When soda is mixed with vinegar, it becomes even more beneficial, gaining the ability to disinfect, deodorize, clean, and refresh. A significant amount of carbon dioxide is released during a chemical reaction between baking soda and vinegar that successfully removes stains and gets rid of smells.
For cleaning, only white table vinegar will do. This is not the use for wine or apple cider vinegar, as they leave colored residue behind.

It is advised to make a soda-vinegar solution right over the sink because of the increased foam:
- Pour a third of a glass of vinegar, half a liter of water and add 1 tablespoon of baking soda into a large spray bottle.
- Tighten the spray bottle – the product is ready.
- Spray the solution onto a rag or sponge, and then wipe the dirty surfaces.
- If the stains are old, the solution can be left on the surface for 10-15 minutes, then rinse with a wet cloth and wipe dry.
Alternatively, you could apply a vinegar solution to the surfaces and then use a soda gruel to scrub off the stains.
First, you should confirm that using bicarbonate to wash your refrigerator model is not prohibited.
Mold in the refrigerator can be prevented with a vinegar and soda solution.
Procedure
When cleaning the refrigerator, every detail matters, even the process. Detailed instructions:
- Soak shelves, stands, trays and drawers in a large container with a soapy solution.
- Clean the back wall of the refrigerator from dust outside with a brush or vacuum cleaner. If necessary, remove condensation from the containers.

- Using a sponge or damp cloth, wash all the internal surfaces of the main and freezer chambers. You should linger in the corners and hard-to-reach places where bacteria and mold like to live.
- Clean the drain hole, which is often the main source of an unpleasant odor. Flush the channel with a cleaning or disinfectant solution using a medical bulb or a large syringe.
- Clean the outer surface with soda, vinegar or any other household chemical. You can finish the process with glass cleaner.
- Wipe the rubber seal with an old toothbrush and toothpaste or soda. Do not pull the seal too much, otherwise it will deform and will no longer keep the chamber airtight.
- Wipe all cleaned surfaces dry with a clean rag.
- Wash the soaked containers and shelves, wipe dry and put them back in place.
Crucial! When cleaning, go from the farthest walls to the closest ones and from the upper to the lower compartments. Ultimately, by determining how to clean the refrigerator inside using unconventional methods, you will be able to save money.
Using vinegar to clean your refrigerator is a simple and efficient method. In this post, we’ll look at two easy ways to freshen up your refrigerator that you can do with just vinegar and a few supplies you probably already own. By using these all-natural remedies, you can get rid of bacteria and smells and give your food a clean, safe environment.
Prevention of odors

If you regularly clean the refrigerator, odors won’t develop:
- immediately wipe off stains, spilled liquids, spilled provisions;
- clean the back wall from condensation;
- keep open soft bags of milk and other liquids in special vertical containers;
- defrost food in a separate wide bowl so that melt water does not drip onto the shelves;
- store only dry jars and containers;
- regularly sort through the contents and throw away any spoiled products;
- store dishes in closed containers or wrap them in cling film;
- once a week wipe the walls and shelves with a cloth napkin soaked in a soap solution;
- cover the vegetable containers with polyethylene, which can be easily replaced in case of contamination;
- after a general wash, leave the door open if possible so that the odors can finally evaporate (do not turn on the device).
Tips
The area inside the refrigerator chamber can be made more odor-free with the use of various homemade methods that effectively absorb smells. They are stored in bowls or arranged on the shelves.

What isuseful is
- sliced black bread;
- crushed tablets of activated charcoal;
- a large portion of baking soda;
- wedges of fresh lemon (or any other citrus);
- gauze bags with rice or sugar;
- tea bags or homemade sachets with herbal tea;
- vanilla extract in powder form.
It is not advisable to put off cleaning the refrigerator until offensive smells start to emerge.
You won’t require a general cleaning for a longer period of time if you keep a closer eye on the device’s cleanliness and perform maintenance cleaning more frequently.
Keeping your refrigerator clean and fresh can be done quickly and easily by cleaning it with vinegar. You don’t need to use harsh chemicals to get rid of odors and bacteria by following a few easy steps.
Because of its inherent acidity, vinegar is an effective cleaner that can remove residue and grime. You’ll discover that it leaves your refrigerator spotless, regardless of whether you decide to use it for a deeper clean or just a quick wipe down.
Adding vinegar to your regular cleaning regimen is a wise and environmentally responsible move. It’s easy and quick to keep your refrigerator spotless with these two basic techniques.









