How To Get Rid Of Stinky Fridge Odors Using Simple Science

We've all been there: you open the refrigerator to find a funky smell, and you have two options. You can either close the fridge door and go about the rest of your day in denial, or tackle the problem head-on and return your fridge to its rightful, fresh-smelling state. Fortunately if you choose option B, there is a reliable method to get rid of that stink painlessly: elbow grease and baking soda.

There are plenty of products on the market that can be used to "mask" the odor in your fridge, but those will not get to the root of the problem. The first essential step is to find the source of the smell, and remove it immediately. This includes checking to see if any of the offending substance has spilled on to the shelves, or if mold has grown on the food, examining nearby items in case the spores have spread to other produce. The USDA recommends removing the shelves, as well as crispers and ice trays, and washing them with hot soapy water to ensure the fridge is hygienically clean before tackling the lingering smell.

Once you have apprehended the suspect, disposed of it, and sanitized the shelves, the next step is to neutralize, rather than simply mask, the odor. Fortunately there is a non-toxic, affordable product that does a great job at this, and you probably already have it in your pantry. Baking soda is often touted as a miracle cleaner around the house, and while its super powers may be slightly exaggerated, one thing it does brilliantly is absorb odors.

Baking soda has been a trendy way to clean your home naturally for a while now, but understanding the science behind how it works will allow you to use it most effectively. Baking soda is the chemical compound sodium bicarbonate, which is a base. Bases are chemicals that neutralize acids, and this is where baking soda's ability to banish nasty smells comes in. Many of the odors in your kitchen will be acidic molecules, and the baking soda will react with them in a neutralization reaction. In doing so, the reaction will create a new product, which is likely to have a less offensive smell than the original.

An easy way to use baking soda as a preventative solution in your fridge is to always have an open bowl or ramekin at the back of your fridge with some baking soda inside. It can absorb smells as they develop and prevent overwhelming scents from stinking out the fridge, assuming you check regularly for moldy food or fermenting fruit.

If the scent has already been festering for a few days, you may need to be strategic in the placement of the baking soda. Use a shallow bowl rather than a deep one to increase the surface area of the powder, which will allow more odor particles to come into contact with it. And consider having a container on each shelf and one in the door, and leaving them all in place until the odor has disappeared completely.

Sometimes, despite your best efforts, strange smells in the fridge refuse to budge, even after a few days of baking soda treatment. In this case, it may be time to give your refrigerator a deep clean to remove all traces of rotten food and related odors. The best strategy is to set aside enough time to tackle the task in one go, and empty the fridge entirely.

According to the USDA, the best sanitizing solution for cleaning the fridge consists of one tablespoon of bleach per gallon of water. Work through the fridge, one section at a time, cleaning first with hot soapy water, then sanitizing with the bleach solution. The bleach will kill any microbes that are hiding out in your fridge, so be sure to clean the gasket and behind the door shelves, as these places are commonly missed.

If using bleach to sanitize the fridge, it is imperative that you do not use any other cleaning chemicals at the same time. Doing so can cause very dangerous chemicals known as chloramines to be produced. They can cause serious respiratory issues, and in extreme cases, can even be fatal. If you are still struggling to remove nasty smells once you have sanitized the fridge, the USDA has some further suggestions, including rolled up newspapers, coffee grounds, and vanilla, though it also says that a new appliance may need to be purchased if you simply cannot remove the smell. Once you have a clean appliance, whatever combinations of methods you use, be sure to store a bowl of baking soda inside to prevent future stenches from getting out of hand.