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There is perhaps nothing worse than opening a refrigerator and being overwhelmed by the odor of rotting food. Not only will you lose your appetite as your nostrils are filled with the stench of decay, but your entire family's health can be put at risk. Obviously, the best way to avoid such an unpleasant scenario is to clean your refrigerator on a regular basis.

How often this task should be performed will depend on how much food is stored inside the refrigerator to begin with. The more food you have increases the opportunity for a particular item or items to go bad. Before you even begin the cleaning process, pay close attention to perishable items that have expiration dates stamped somewhere on the label. As an example, if that bottle of milk or cup of yogurt is coming close to reaching the end of its useful shelf life, drink it or eat it up before that happens! If you store vegetables and/or fruits in a lower crisper, take a look at the condition of these foods. If you're reaching for an apple or orange and notice that the head of lettuce you bought last week has turned brown, throw it out! If a slimy, sickening stream of juice is leaking out of those cucumbers sitting next to your fruit, do likewise. Staying on top of your food's condition will make cleaning the refrigerator that much easier.

So now the time has arrived to do a full-fledged cleaning. What is the best way to accomplish this? Remove every single item from the refrigerator. Since you're cleaning the entire area where food is stored, it makes sense to defrost the upper freezer at the same time. Why? The bottom has been emptied of all its contents, and now is the perfect time to place a bucket or dish underneath to capture the ice that will melt. If the weather is cold outside, simply place the food on the back patio or even in the garage. In the summertime or in climates where winter doesn't occur, you'll have to store it in a cooler on ice.

Once your refrigerator has been completly emptied, you may be surprised at what you'll find. Spilled soda, dirt from human hands, and crumbs or pieces of loose food may have worked its way into the sides of the refrigerator itself or onto the shelves. Remove each piece of the shelving; as well as the crispers at the bottom, and clean each of these with an all-purpose cleaner such as Formula 409. Once this is done, take a washcloth dampened with water and wipe any residue off . Towel-dry each area before reassembing the shelves. Finally, place an open box of baking soda in a location where it will be least likely to tip over; such as toward the rear of the refrigerator. This will help to absorb future odors.

Now you're ready to put the food and beverages back into the refigerator and freezer above. As you do this, throw out the items that appear to have seen better days. Before you know it, you'll be done. This shouldn't take more than a couple of hours. An averge family-sized refrigerator should be cleaned in this manner every 2-3 months, but again; this will depend on how much food is stored in the first place.

Keeping a refrigerator clean is not only satisfying, but essential for the health of those in your household.

Learn more about this author, Patrick Sills.
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