Fridge Cleaning Tips for National Clean Out Your Fridge Day

Are you ready for the upcoming holiday? No, I’m not talking about Christmas, or even Thanksgiving — this week (Nov. 15) is National Clean Out Your Fridge Day!
What, you’re not jumping up and down in glee? Well, okay. It’s not exactly the same thing as sharing a meal with all of those you hold nearest and dearest, or waking up to gifts under the tree, but you have to admit — getting your fridge sparkling clean feels really good, and we have a few tips from Arm & Hammer that’ll make fridge cleaning (not to mention cleaning other parts of your kitchen) considerably easier.
Ready to get to it? Here’s how to get your kitchen clean and odor-free.

Fridge Cleaning Tips

How to use baking soda to clean things up (courtesy of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda):

1. Sprinkle Arm & Hammer Baking Soda onto a clean damp sponge or cloth and use it to wipe down the front of the refrigerator and inside drawers and shelves. Then rinse and get rid of the residue with a clean, damp towel, and let dry.
2. Store an open box of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda in your refrigerator ongoing to ensure the freshest tasting ingredients. This is especially important when storing garlic, onions or fresh herbs and spices, which will transfer flavors to more delicate vegetables, meats and cheeses in the fridge.  Be sure to change the box once a month for optimal freshness.
3. Soak stale-smelling sponges in a strong Arm & Hammer Baking Soda solution (four tablespoons dissolved in one quart of warm water) to get rid of the mess and bring in the fresh.
4. Do you use plastic storage containers, either in your fridge or pantry, or for your children’s lunches? Scrub them with Arm & Hammer Baking Soda sprinkled on a clean damp sponge. For even tougher odors, soak items in a solution of four tablespoons baking soda solution in one quart warm water.
5. Don’t ignore your drains and garbage disposals. To deodorize your drains and disposal and keep lingering odors from resurfacing, pour Arm & Hammer Baking Soda down the drain while running warm tap water. Baking soda will neutralize both acid and basic odors for a fresh drain.

Other squeaky clean tips:

1. Get rid of all those expired foods. Pull everything out of the fridge, and if it’s about to go bad, either use it up right now or toss it. Be ruthless!
2. Before you put something — especially condiments — back, make sure the container is clean. Jam and syrup can get sticky in a jiffy, and salad dressings often get oily. When in doubt, wipe it down and seal it up.
3. If you haven’t already done so, create a system of organization. Using plastic bins can help you keep all 16 of your favorite salsas and hot sauces within easy reach, and dedicating a space near the front for your more perishable items can even help you avoid wasting money by throwing away food that goes bad.
4. Got a drawer that always seems to get nasty, and fast? Try lining it with plastic wrap, then yank it up when something inevitably spills on it. (Thanks for that one, MentalFloss!)
5. Baking soda isn’t the only all-star cleaning product in your pantry. White vinegar is a workhorse, too. You can use it for a slew of things, but my favorite tip is to line a dirty, stainless steel sink with vinegar-soaked paper towels, leave it for 20 minutes, then wipe it down. (Hat tip to Reader’s Digest there!)

How often do you clean out your fridge? I try to get rid of expired foods or old leftovers every time I grocery shop, but I’ll admit that the deep fridge cleaning happens … considerably less often. —Kristen