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How to Maintain a Sparkling
Refrigerator
by Martha Matthews
Keeping the refrigerator clean is a difficult proposition; the more
people in your family, the harder it becomes. So, how does one stay on
top of it? Well, as the old saying goes, "An ounce of prevention is
worth a pound of cure." Follow these tips to help you keep your
refrigerator sparkling clean.
1. Clean out leftovers from your refrigerator on a regular basis. It is
preferable to do it every four days. Most foods that are cooked will
last three to four days, if properly wrapped and stored at the correct
temperature. Raw foods, like chicken and hot dogs, are only good for one
to two days. The proper temperature range for a refrigerator is between
35 and 40° F or 2 and 6° C!
2. Clean up spills immediately. This may seem obvious, but if you don't
get into the habit of doing it, you will make a lot more work for
yourself down the road. It also helps to prevent odors and stains.
3. Wrap up food tightly so that odors are contained.
4. Thoroughly clean your refrigerator once a year. See instructions
below on how to properly clean your refrigerator.
Refrigerator Cleaning Instructions.
To properly clean your refrigerator, turn the unit off and unplug it.
Next, remove all the food. Take a moment to discard any outdated foods.
Cover the food with ice. Next, take out all removable interior parts.
Wash the interior with a mixture of two tablespoons of baking soda in 1
quart warm water. Rinse and wipe dry. Do not use abrasive cleansers
which will scratch the interior. Wash the removable glass shelves and
plastic parts in warm soapy water; rinse and wipe dry. To prevent glass
or plastic from cracking, do not use hot water. Clean door gasket with
soapy water; rinse and dry. Clean the exterior with warm soapy water;
rise and dry. Applying an appliance wax to the exterior occasionally to
protect the paint and make exterior clean up easier.
To clean the dust from condenser coils and condenser fan. The condenser
coils, which are usually located at the front of the refrigerator, are
under the kick-panel. Use a condenser brush or your vacuum. It's hard to
clean the entire condenser from the front, so you might want to clean it
from the back of the refrigerator too. The condenser fan is located on
the back of the appliance near the bottom, behind a fiberboard panel.
The blades of the fan can be wiped clean with a damp rag
When you have finished cleaning the refrigerator, replace the
compartments and shelves. As you are doing this, change the levels of
the shelves if they have not been adequate for your family's use. Plug
in the refrigerator. When the refrigerator reaches the proper
temperature, replace the food.
About the author
Martha Matthews is the Executive Director of Christian-Homemaking.com, a
web site with resources devoted to helping Christian homemakers manage
their home. She also has a popular free monthly newsletter . To
subscribe visit
www.christian-homemaking.com/newsletter.html
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