15 Minutes to a Sparkling Fridge

Next to the shower and oven, cleaning the fridge is the most detested household job. It is put off and put off, until it just can't be put off any longer.

So you've decided to clean the refrigerator; you’ve put it off long enough!  Here are some simple steps to cleaning the refrigerator shelf  by shelf to hurry along the process.

Step 1.  Take everything out of one area, shelf or door at a time.

Step 2.  Look at everything you've taken out. Put any out of date or obviously spoiled food in either the compost or the garbage bin.

Step 3.  Wash and dry any containers you've emptied and put them away.

Step 4.  Take out the shelf, rack or drawer and wash it in hot, soapy water.  A word of warning: if your fridge has glass shelves, don't put them straight into very hot water. They will be extremely cold and the sudden change in temperature could cause them to crack or even worse, break.

Step 5.  Use a damp cloth to wipe over the inside of the fridge.  Dry with a clean tea-towel.

Step 6.  Replace the shelf or drawer and re-stock if necessary.  Line the bottom of the veggie bins with a folded tea towel to absorb any moisture. Some people use paper towel but as I don't have paper towel in the house I use a tea towel. It's easy to change each week and put in the wash.

Step 7.  Put an opened, small box or container of bicarb soda at the back of the fridge. The bicarb will absorb odours. Replace it every three months, but don't toss it. Use the bicarb to clean your drains.

Step 8.  Wipe over the outside of the fridge.

And you are done!  Just 15 minutes and working one shelf or area at a time makes cleaning the fridge easy. If something happens and you get called away, you don't need to just stuff everything back, you only have one shelf out. Unless it's a dire emergency you can either quickly finish off or close the fridge and come back to it later.