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Cleaning a Moldy Refrigerator

August 16, 2010

RefrigeratorI need help removing mold from my refrigerator.

By jackie traylor from Detroit, MI

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Answers

August 16, 20101 found this helpful

To remove mold from a refrigerator I found this home-made remedy that could be helpful for you.

Mold and Mildew: Use white vinegar or lemon juice full strength. Apply with a sponge or scrubby.

Here is an eco-friendly website for cleaning.

eartheasy.com/live_nontoxic_solutions.htm

Happy cleaning! CaressaK

 
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14 More Questions

Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.

January 22, 2008

How do you get mildew and mold out of a freezer that had food left in it with no electricity? The doors were left open so it is dried on there. The smell is not that great either. Can you pressure wash it out? It is a new fridge with a bottom freezer that is being left in the house we are buying.



I would hate to have to get rid of it, but the mold/mildew mixture looks pretty bad. It also oozed a sticky looking liquid on the floor. I can't wait to see what is under the fridge. Any help/suggestions would be appreciated.
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NiqueLSU from Baton Rouge, LA

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January 22, 20080 found this helpful

Don't pressure wash it because you could ruin the motor, etc. in the unit. Clean it out with some diluted bleach and warm water.

 

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January 22, 20080 found this helpful

Definitely scrub it well with nonabrasive cleaner and use bleach to remove the mildew and mold. Rinse with baking soda and water and leave a box of soda in the frig. Clean thoroughly the sealant around the door getting under it if possible.

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A spray bottle of degreaser or bleach may help to loosen it free from the seal if it's caked on.

 
January 22, 20081 found this helpful

All you have to do is put a metal bowl inside with boiling water {be careful not to spill it. If you could put some lemon juice that will help. Let it sit {unplugged} for 1/2 an hour w/ door closed.

It will "steam" the inside of the freezer. Now what you do is buy {cheap} paste toothpaste w/whitner. This has bleach in it, use a nail brush or old toothbrush, and work the moldy area's. You can also use this on the rubber seal around the doors {only if white}. After you have washed with the above, make sure you rinse it with some nice warm cloths.

Now if you have a smell which is possible, cut two lemons in quarters, and place in a bowl for atleast a day before turning the freezer on. This can be used either on or off for the fridge. Also if you use freshly ground coffee, place in a cloth napkin and tie a ribbon around it. This also helps take care of odors.

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Best of Luck.

Kim

 
By Niquelsu (Guest Post)
January 22, 20080 found this helpful

Thanks so much! I hope this works.

 
By Dean (Guest Post)
January 23, 20080 found this helpful

Make a mixture of bleach and water and spray it on the mold or pat the mixture on with a rag. The mold will dissolve in a short time then rinse with water and dry. Wear some eye protection and gloves.

 
By Larry (Guest Post)
June 22, 20080 found this helpful

Every thing you read says do not use chlorine bleach on the seals of refrigerators. Because it will ruin the rubber seal. So why is everyone saying to use it here? Larry

 
By mona lisa (Guest Post)
January 8, 20090 found this helpful

I left my fridge in my college dorm and they turned the electricity off. I went to my dorm today and there is mold inside my fridge HELP! What do I do?

 
February 13, 20102 found this helpful

Cinnamon oil. Especially if the smell persists after you've cleaned the interior thoroughly.

I accidentally unplugged our fridge/freezer for two weeks while we were gone for Christmas, and when we came back, the entire interior was coated in mold. We cleaned the fridge in and out with bleach and warm water, then left it open (keeping our food outside) for a week. There was no visible mold, but it still smelled so strong that you could smell it from outside the apartment. We tried putting the food back in, but everything smelled and tasted of mold, even when we kept it in ziplock bags. We cleaned it again with bleach and water. The next day we cleaned it with lemon juice, salt, and water. Slightly better. But still terrible. The problem was that the mold had grown into the air duct systems, and there was no way we could access those areas to clean them. When we would plug the fridge in after cleaning the air that would blast out would be noxious and overwhelming.

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Finally, I told my girlfriend that we would get a new fridge if the smell wasn't completely gone in 5 days. This seemed impossible. I found some studies saying that cinnamon oil is a superb antiseptic, and has been shown to slow mold growth in moldy bread by more than 10 days when the oil coats the paper around the bread. Why not give it a try, I thought, since nothing else was working.

I bought 2 oz of cinnamon oil in Manhattan for $30 (you can get it somewhat cheaper on the internet). I covered the bottoms of two mall porcelain bowls with cinnamon oil and placed the bowls in the fridge. A couple of times a day I would blow a hair dryer, on high hot, into the bowls so that the oil was heated and diffused (use a face mask--this stuff is strong!) throughout the fridge and freezer. I kept it up until the bowls were very hot. Then I would close the doors. The smell was very nice compared to the mold smell that we'd lived with for the previous 3 weeks. I tried to blow the oil especially into the hidden areas that were accessible to air/mold.

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Within 2 days, the mold smell was almost completely gone. Within 4 days all you could smell was cinnamon. I continued the treatment for about 5 days. It's been about 3 weeks now, and the fridge and freezer both smell impeccable, if cinnamony. My girlfriend is amazed and very pleased.

The research supports this stuff. It's a little work, and the cinnamon oil is expensive, but it's a miracle. I promise it works.

 
February 13, 20101 found this helpful

Cinnamon oil. Especially if the smell persists after you've cleaned the interior thoroughly.

I accidentally unplugged our fridge/freezer for two weeks while we were gone for Christmas, and when we came back, the entire interior was coated in mold. We cleaned the fridge in and out with bleach and warm water, then left it open (keeping our food outside) for a week. There was no visible mold, but it still smelled so strong that you could smell it from outside the apartment. We tried putting the food back in, but everything smelled and tasted of mold, even when we kept it in ziplock bags. We cleaned it again with bleach and water. The next day we cleaned it with lemon juice, salt, and water. Slightly better. But still terrible. The problem was that the mold had grown into the air duct systems, and there was no way we could access those areas to clean them. When we would plug the fridge in after cleaning the air that would blast out would be noxious and overwhelming.

Finally, I told my girlfriend that we would get a new fridge if the smell wasn't completely gone in 5 days. This seemed impossible. I found some studies saying that cinnamon oil is a superb antiseptic, and has been shown to slow mold growth in moldy bread by more than 10 days when the oil coats the paper around the bread. Why not give it a try, I thought, since nothing else was working.

I bought 2 oz of cinnamon oil in Manhattan for $30 (you can get it somewhat cheaper on the internet). I covered the bottoms of two mall porcelain bowls with cinnamon oil and placed the bowls in the fridge. A couple of times a day I would blow a hair dryer, on high hot, into the bowls so that the oil was heated and diffused (use a face mask--this stuff is strong!) throughout the fridge and freezer. I kept it up until the bowls were very hot. Then I would close the doors. The smell was very nice compared to the mold smell that we'd lived with for the previous 3 weeks. I tried to blow the oil especially into the hidden areas that were accessible to air/mold.

Within 2 days, the mold smell was almost completely gone. Within 4 days all you could smell was cinnamon. I continued the treatment for about 5 days. It's been about 3 weeks now, and the fridge and freezer both smell impeccable, if cinnamony. My girlfriend is amazed and very pleased.

The research supports this stuff. It's a little work, and the cinnamon oil is expensive, but it's a miracle. I promise it works.

 
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January 22, 2015

I had my fridge off last Wednesday before bed time planning to turn it on the next morning before leaving for work. Unfortunately, I missed out and got back home only in time for bed, and had totally forgotten.

Before leaving home again on Friday morning, my son opened the fridge and that's when we found there was spoiled food. Could not do much. Was busy again the whole weekend, and have been busy beginning this week due to opening of new school year.

Today I opened it to remove trays from the bottom and when checking the top, found small worms crawling around. What do I do with this stinky fridge? It is still good? Can I clean it and reuse it? How?

By Jay R from Suva, Fiji

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February 26, 2011

My power was off and the refrigerator was full of food. How can I clean and remove mold from it? It has been sitting for 6 months.

By tami from Valpo, IN

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October 15, 2010

How does copper help in killing mold?

By lilian selma odoyo from Kenya

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November 19, 2008

How do I clean moldy fridge seals and keep it from rusting?

Answers

November 20, 20080 found this helpful

I am not sure about the seals, but bleach kills mould on most anything. But it may be harmful to your seals. I suggest to try bleach on a little area and clean it off. Then look at it after a day or two and see if there is any damage. If it looks OK, use it on the rest of the area.

 
By soyzick (Guest Post)
November 22, 20080 found this helpful

Change your seals to silicone seals and they can get clean with soap and water.

 

Silver Feedback Medal for All Time! 337 Feedbacks
November 27, 20080 found this helpful

Hydrogen peroxide is also a mold destroyer. I would try regular household chlorine bleach. What is it that is rusting? Painting over exposed metal will keep it from rusting. I don't really understand where you are getting rust.

 
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December 8, 2014

The power was off at one of my rental properties for three months. The tenants left a small amount of food and one container in the fridge. There were fruit flies all over the house. I haven't dared open the fridge since I put the power back on. Should I clean it out at this point, or get another fridge?

By Yve W.

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Archives

ThriftyFun is one of the longest running frugal living communities on the Internet. These are archives of older discussions.

February 26, 2011

Is it possible to clean a refrigerator that has been sitting with food in it for a year with no electricity and has mold and mildew in it? It has an ice and water dispenser.

 
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August 16, 2010

Due to loss of electricity my refrigerator is severely molded. How do I clean and sanitize it? Please help.

 
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March 22, 2010

I have black mold in my Sub Zero refrigerator. Any suggestions?

 
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November 19, 2009

Does anyone have black mold in their GE Monogram refrigerator?

 
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September 4, 2009

We have black mold growing in the fridge and toilets. One morning last week we woke up with black filled nostrils and we were spitting black.

 
Read More...
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