A basic guide to cleaning your fridge

Refrigerators are one of those parts of our house that makes us feel safe in the knowledge of its cleanliness when the outside is spotless and shiny. However, the insides of fridges often are a completely different story and it is important to clean them regularly in order to keep food-borne diseases away as well as prevent diseases like food poisoning, etc.

The first step in cleaning your fridge is to take all the food and produce out. Take inventory of what you can keep, what you want to throw and what's past the expiry date. This is when you might find some icky smelling tomatoes that you bulk bought or leftover Thai from last week to throw out so you can start with a clean slate to start properly cleaning.

Now, take the panels out and drawers and shelves out as carefully as you can — replacing them is more often than not awfully expensive and an unnecessary inconvenience. Wipe the panels down with a clean cloth and get rid of any straw crumbs, spills, etc.

Sprinkle baking soda on all the panels and drawers and shelves. Seal them with a generous spraying of all-purpose cleaner (you can just as easily substitute all-purpose cleaner with a 1:1 mixture of water and dish cleaner). Let the baking soda and cleaner sit on the panels for a while to help soften up the stains, disinfect as well as ease the cleaning process.

While the panels are resting, it's time to tackle the rest of the fridge. Wipe down the insides with a clean rag and follow up with a cleaner or soap. It's time to really work those arm muscles and scrub away; get into the tiny corners, the edges, the rubber, egg drawer, air vent, water vent. No inch should be left unclean! Often times, it helps to have a list of all the nooks and crannies listed so there is no opportunity to forget anything.

This is now time when we go back to the panels. As they rested, the baking soda and cleaner combo loosed the gunk, sticky juice, and other miscellaneous ick and you're only job now is to scrub away at it like your life depends on it. The baking soda also helps in disinfecting the panels, however, for extra protection, you may also want to wipe it down again with an actual disinfectant.

After the panels have dried completely, carefully put them back inside the fridge in their designated areas. Now, organise the food and produce in a matter that befits you, wipe the outside of the fridge lastly and voila! Your fridge is perfectly clean!

Photo: LS Archive/Orchid Chakma