Ideally, we should thoroughly clean our fridge every two weeks. Except that in reality ... it is rather close to the monthly maintenance, and again ... In all cases, wash his refrigerator at least once a month is the minimum mandatory.

1 - Use the right products

A little hot soapy water and almost any household product does the job very well. However, we can do better and especially less harmful than bleach or wipes soaked in toxic product for health. To disinfect this appliance which is in direct contact with the food we eat , we prefer, for example, essential oil of Tea Tree (from the tea tree, as the name suggests). A few drops on a wet sponge and the antibacterial effect is guaranteed. You can also mix a little white vinegar and lemon in a bowl of clear water. And to make it easier to clean, we remove the glass plates (or grids) if our fridge allows it. To avoid scratching, rub with the foam side of the sponge , especially not with the scraper. And for hard-to-reach joints, a toothbrush is used.

2 - Organize the storage of the fridge to facilitate its cleaning

The maintenance of the refrigerator is less restrictive if one optimizes its internal storage , logical. Remove all unnecessary packaging before storing yogurts and compotes . By dint of hand to hand, they are full of dirt and bacteria. Also, we put food leftovers in Tupperware: it takes up less space and it avoids the proliferation of odors. Similarly, we place some leaves of Sopalin in the bottom of the crisper to prevent small dirt (leaves, soil etc.) to settle. Much more convenient when you need to clean your fridge !

3 - Defrost regularly

While the new models of refrigerators are generally equipped with an automatic defrosting mode , this is not the case for the old ones. And beyond the fact that a few millimeters of frost are enough to significantly increase the energy bill , it also affects the sealing of the joints that serve them, to keep our food cool. The very purpose of the refrigerator actually. So to avoid damaging it, it is better to defrost it manually about once a month, especially since the temperature of the fridge plays a role on hygiene ... To do this, we put the fridge off, we remove everything It contains and frost is frosted with a wooden spatula before cleaning. It takes about 3 hours for a total defrost , the time that the power off is fully effective ...

4 - Dust the refrigerator condenser

The condenser is at the back of the fridge : it is it that is used to turn the hot vapors into cooled liquid. In other words, it is he who is responsible for the proper operation of the device. At least twice a year, make sure to vacuum up to remove encrusted dust (a dirty condenser increases energy consumption). The best: enjoy the defrost to perform this operation or let a professional if the room is really dirty.

5 - Think about cleaning the outside

Obviously it is important that the inside of the fridge is clean (it is still him who is in direct contact with food) but we must not neglect the outside so far. Since you do not always have clean hands when you open it, fingerprints tend to accumulate. Dust also gets stuck in the recesses, especially in those of the handle. And depending on the color of your refrigerator, it can quickly give a neglected side to the device. Once a month or so, we wipe a cloth soaked in white vinegar or soapy water all over the outside. And for a nickel result, we go behind a dry microfiber cloth.