Did you know today is National Clean Out Your Fridge Day? How to Get Rid of Funky Smells in the Fridge

If you have a bad smell in your refrigerator that you can't seem to get rid of, follow these steps to make it history. Even rotten meat stands no chance! These methods will ensure that you won't lose your appetite when you open the door.

Edit Steps

Part One: Cleaning

Turn off the refrigerator and unplug it.

Remove all the items from your fridge. As you go, discard any expired food that is developing into a science project.

Place any food you choose to keep in a cooler while you work. Add ice if it will be out for some time for better preservation.

Make a mixture of baking soda and warm water. Dissolve 1/2 cup of baking soda into a sink filled with warm water.

Take out all shelves, bins and any other removable parts. Wash and rinse all of the parts before thoroughly drying them. Don't forget to wipe as much of the walls and floor of the fridge as you can, even under the crisper drawers.

Clean the drip tray. This is located beneath the refrigerator. Be careful because it likely contains dirty water. Remove the grill from beneath the doors, carefully pull it out and dump the contents.

Part Two: Using Odor-Removers

Use baking soda. To get rid of odors, spread a box of baking soda across a baking sheet and place in the refrigerator. Keep the door closed until the smell disappears, then discard the baking soda. To try and counteract everyday odors, keep an open box of baking soda in your fridge at all times.
- If you want to use it as a cleaning method, dissolve 1/2 cup of baking soda into water.

Add vinegar. White vinegar neutralizes many of the same smells as baking soda. Put an open cup or bowl in the fridge, or mix it in with water as an effective cleaning solution.

Use oats as an odor-absorber. Leave a bowl of oats out in your fridge and this will suck in the bad smells.

Use coffee grounds. Place dry, fresh coffee grounds in a few shallow bowls or spread across baking sheets. Keep the bowls or sheets on different levels of your refrigerator. The smells should leave within a few days.

Let activated charcoal absorb bad odors. Similar to the coffee grounds method, place charcoal briquets -- do not use briquettes with flammable additives as these are poisonous -- in a couple of shallow bowls or on baking sheets and put them on different shelves in the fridge. Set the refrigerator temperature to low and leave in with the door closed for several days. The smells in question should go away within a few days.
- Activated charcoal can be purchased from pet stores or drugstores.
- Charcoal can be refreshed by placing in the oven at 350ºF/180C for 20 minutes.

Use unscented chlorophyll cat litter. Spread in a shallow pan and leave in the refrigerator until the smell disappears.

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Edit Tips

As much as possible, contain foods in airtight containers. They will stay fresher longer and the odors will not spread as much if they do spoil.

To prevent odors in the future, make a point to look in once a week or so and remove expired food. Try looking right before you take out the trash. It's a good reminder and items don't sit around in your kitchen trash smelling bad.

Cleaning the fridge with vanilla extract also ensures that the odor is eliminated. To make your fridge smell clean, you can add soak up vanilla extract into a cotton ball and then place the ball inside the fridge.

If you must leave a refrigerator turned off or unplugged for a period of time, clean it thoroughly first and remove all food. Then, leave it propped open a bit. Even when cleaned, a warm and closed fridge is certain to smell bad in time.

Regardless of which method(s) you choose, don't put the food back into your refrigerator until the stench has cleared.

Edit Warnings

Never clean a cold glass shelf with hot water. Either allow it to come to room temperature or use lukewarm water. A sudden temperature change can shatter the glass.