It’s the middle of winter, and you may be going a little stir-crazy. So let me ask you a question: How long has it been since you gave your fridge a good deep-clean?
I’m not talking about just the inside but the outside too—including the dusty nether-regions behind and underneath your fridge. If you’re like me, you rarely even think about cleaning your refrigerator coils, let alone actually attempt it.
But after a bit of research, I’ve learned it’s not hard. And the big win is that your refrigerator will run more efficiently once the coils are clean. Plus, you could save yourself the expense of a new compressor, should the old one become so gunked-up with food grease, pet hair and dust that it just gives up.
The good news is you only need to clean your refrigerator’s coils once or twice a year at the most. And the whole process takes a mere 20 minutes with the proper tools. Here’s how:
1. Unplug your refrigerator so you don’t accidentally get zapped. You may need to pull it away from the wall. Be careful not to scrape your floor. (You can slide a big piece of cardboard underneath to prevent this.)
2. If you have an icemaker, shut off the water supply in case the hose comes loose.
3. Use a flexible microfiber dusting tool to get all the loose gunk off the coils. You might also want to have your microfiber mop pads handy; things could get messy.
4. Remove any remaining goo from your coils using a wet microfiber cloth.
Voila! Clean coils!
11 Foods You Should Never Refrigerate
Thanks to Treehugger.com for this interesting info about what not to store in the fridge.
1. Bananas—they’ll turn brown.
2. Tomatoes—they’ll be less flavorful.
3. Potatoes—store them in a bag with your apples.
4. Onions—they’ll turn moldy and soft (unless they’re peeled).
5. Garlic—keep it on the counter, unpeeled, with plenty of ventilation.
6. Avocados—refrigerate only when they’re in danger of spoiling.
7. Bread—refrigeration will dry bread out.
8. Honey—its natural preservatives keep it good indefinitely.
9. Coffee—absorbs odors in your refrigerator so don’t store it there.
10. Basil—the leaves will turn black.
11. Vinaigrette—it will partially solidify; better to keep it in a sealed glass jar.
Do you know some handy cleaning hacks you’d like to share? We’d love to hear them! Just drop us a line below.Resources:
This is incredibly helpful!
Something so quick and easy can sure save you a lot in the end!