Refrigerator Project

Refrigerator Project

15 October 2020

Cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting the refrigerator is a huge task, but once completed it is an amazing transformation.  Your appliance will function better and you will be more likely to eat the food stored in it.  We all eat with our eyes first, if you open your refrigerator and it is dirty, moldy, and unorganized you are more likely to feel like there is nothing in there to eat.

Assess the environment:

Open up the door of your refrigerator, and take a good look. Taking before pictures will really give you a sense of satisfaction when you are finished. Is your appliance neglected, moldy, and covered in dried food drips? Take an honest look at the rubber seal around the door, is it black with mold?

When is the last time you gave your refrigerator a deep cleaning? The answers to this question will assist you in having the right tools for this project.

What you need:

Having the right tools and products ready before you begin will speed up the time required on this large endeavor. When using any product, always follow the written directions and wear any safety equipment recommended. You will need:

  • Microfiber cloth
  • Fresh hot water
  • A large cooler
  • Gloves or other safety equipment
  • Ice, frozen ice packs, or the frozen roast you are planning on thawing out
  • Sanitize a ready to use sanitizer that comes in easy to use quart size spray bottles, and is safe for food prep areas
  • TNT an antibacterial aerosol spray that can address the rubber seal on the door
  • SD-20 for a deep cleaning of mold and mildew often found in neglected appliances

Purge the leftovers:

To begin, throw out anything in the refrigerator that has expired. If the left overs have been around for more than a week, they are suspect to make you sick.

Go through each one of your condiments and check the dates. Think, when is the last time I used this or when, if ever, will I use it again?

Next remove everything off the top, and outside door of the refrigerator.

Pack the cooler:

Now that all of the expired items are tossed out, keeping the items you want cold, while outside of the refrigerator, will ensure they are kept in a healthy state.

Utilizing a large cooler will give you the time needed to fully address the appliance. Place all items in the cooler (you may need two).

Start by laying bottles flat on the bottom (make sure the lids are on tight), creating a flat surface. Next lay plastic containers on top of the bottles. On the very top fill with ice or place that frozen roast you want to thaw out for dinner in the next day or two.

Cold settles downward, so by placing the frozen aspect on the top, the cold air will sink down and keep all of your items safer. Close up the cooler to maximize the length of time it stays cool.

Remove the shelves and drawers:

Once the appliance is completely empty, remove all of the shelves, drawers, and door shelf guards. You may need to move the refrigerator to get these items out, but the ease of cleaning is well worth the extra time and effort.

Work on one shelf or drawer at a time (you may want to do this outside so you have more room) and thoroughly clean, sanitize, and disinfect each one. Using Sanitize will help in the general maintenance of the shelves and drawers. Any stuck on food should be scrubbed off, leaving shelves and drawers that look like new.

Dry these items completely (remember mold breeds in moisture).

The main compartment:

The main compartment consists of the inside ceiling and sides of the appliance. Starting from the top and working down address all areas of the inside of the refrigerator.

Take the time to pay extra close attention to corners and hard to get to areas to remove all spills, splatters, and sticky areas.

Utilize Sanitize to completely disinfect the inside compartment of the appliance.

The door and seals:

When addressing the door and rubber seal, utilize TNT as an antibacterial option, however if the seal on your refrigerator is black with mold, use SD-20 to address this area.

Spend as much time as needed to completely remove any mold from the door seal.

When addressing the door shelves completely remove any spills, sticky rings left by bottles, and crumbs of food.

The outside of the refrigerator:

Once you have the inside sparkling, take the time to address the outside. Using Sanitize on the top and outside of the appliance will give you a healthy appliance, but also a sparkling brand new look.

Organized repacking:

As you are replacing the items from your cooler into the appliance, take the time to wipe down the bottles (especially the bottoms). A microfiber cloth with hot water will do wonders to refresh your condiments and remove drips on the bottles.

Make a plan for how you want your refrigerator to function. In most appliances the shelves can be placed at different heights. The drawers can be moved from right to left.

Design your appliance the way that works best for you and your family. Make sure to leave height between shelves for gallon jugs of milk or water.

Organize the inside door of the appliance with like items next to each other. Place bottles with labels facing you so that you will have easy recognition of items.

The finished appliance:

Once you finish the complete cleaning, sanitizing, disinfecting, and repacking of the appliance, take pictures. Comparing your before and after pictures will not only remind you of the need to address this environment, but the satisfaction in completing the task.

Enjoying your Healthy Environment:

Have you ever opened the door to the refrigerator and just stared, only to close it again? We bet you will not do that after you have taken the time to bring this appliance into a Healthy Environment.  Cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting our refrigerator is a large task. It requires a concentrated effort that deserves our time and attention.

ABC Sales & Services cares about your Healthy Refrigerator Environment.

Give us a call at 340-774-1073 or visit our Catalog page for all the supplies you need.

Is your refrigerator in such a bad state that you cannot handle the work needed?

Visit our Service page and tell us what you need.

We are here for your every step of the way.

Make 2020 The Best Year Of Clean!

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