Do I need to unplug the fridge to clean it?

For a full clean, unplugging is the safer option, especially if you're wiping near the light or controls. For a quick weekly wipe, there's no need.

Can I use bleach or disinfectant inside the fridge?

You don't need to. Warm water and washing-up liquid clean well, and strong-smelling products can taint food. If you want to use anything else, check what the fridge manufacturer allows.

How long can food sit out while I clean?

Keep it short. The FDA advises not leaving perishables out of the fridge for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour when it's above 90°F (32°C). A cool bag with ice packs takes the pressure off.

Should I do the freezer at the same time?

If it's nearly ice-free, sure. If there's a thick layer of frost, it needs defrosting first, as the manual describes. That takes longer, so it's worth doing on a separate day.

How to clean your fridge (and get rid of the smell)

To clean your fridge: empty it, bin anything that’s gone off, wash the shelves and drawers in the sink with warm soapy water, wipe the inside and the door seal with the same mix, go over it with clean water, dry, and put everything back. A bad fridge smell nearly always has one culprit, like a forgotten tub or a puddle dried under the salad drawer. Find it and the smell goes with it.

Before you start

Pick a day when the fridge is at its emptiest. The day before your weekly shop is ideal: less to take out and less time with food sitting on the counter.

Get ready:

a cool bag or cooler with ice packs for meat, fish, dairy and leftovers;
a bin bag;
two clean cloths, one to wash and one to dry;
a bowl of warm water with a squirt of dish soap.

The FDA advises keeping perishables out of the fridge for no more than 2 hours, or 1 hour when it’s above 90°F (32°C). A proper clean takes less than that, but the cool bag means you don’t have to rush.

A step-by-step deep clean

Unplug it for a full clean.
Empty it shelf by shelf, top to bottom, sorting as you go: cool bag, bin, or sink (empty tubs to wash).
Be ruthless. Anything mouldy, smelly or doubtful goes. The FDA’s own rule of thumb: when in doubt, throw it out.
Take out the shelves and drawers. Wash them in the sink with warm water, washing-up liquid and a soft sponge. If glass shelves are still cold, let them warm up to room temperature before hot water touches them, so they don’t crack.
Wipe the inside, top to bottom, with the soapy cloth. Pay attention to corners, drawer runners and the back wall, where drips collect.
Do the door seal. Run the cloth into the folds, or use a soft brush or a cloth over a cotton bud. Crumbs and mould love it there.
Rinse with a cloth dipped in clean water, so no soap film is left behind.
Dry everything, including shelves and drawers before they go back in.
Plug it back in and give it a few minutes before reloading.
Wipe as you reload. A sticky jar puts the mess straight back on a clean shelf.

How to get rid of fridge smells

If it smells…	Likely cause	What to do
Sour or rotten	Something forgotten at the back or in a drawer	Check tub by tub; clean where it was sitting
Of fish, onion or garlic	Strong food stored uncovered	Use lidded containers; wipe the shelf
Musty	Dirty door seal or a blocked drain hole at the back	Clean the seal folds and the drain, as the manual explains
Bad again after cleaning	Dried spills under drawers or in the drain	Take the drawers out again and clean the floor and runners
Burnt or electrical	Possibly a fault	Switch it off and call a repair service

Once it’s clean, an open box or small bowl of baking soda on a back shelf helps absorb odours. Swap it every so often, and use the old stuff to scrub the sink.

The right temperature

Cleanliness and temperature go together. The FDA recommends keeping your fridge at 40°F (4°C) or below and your freezer at 0°F (-18°C). Plenty of fridges don’t show the real temperature, so the FDA suggests an appliance thermometer, checked once a week.

An overstuffed fridge doesn’t help either, because cold air needs room to circulate. If yours is always rammed, it’s worth rethinking where things go. How to organize your fridge shows what belongs on each shelf.

How often to clean your fridge

The FDA recommends cleaning your fridge regularly and wiping up spills straight away, without fixing a schedule. A routine that works:

Right away: spill it, wipe it. Dried spills turn into glue and smells.
Weekly, before you shop: look shelf by shelf, bin what’s past it, wipe where needed. Ten minutes.
Every one to three months: the full clean in this guide.
Whenever it smells: hunt down the source the same day.

The weekly check pairs nicely with your shopping list: you see what’s finished and what’s left before you buy more. If you don’t have a list yet, the weekly grocery list guide will get you started.

A clean fridge is only part of a tidy kitchen. For the rest, see how to keep your kitchen clean every day.