Refrigerators are probably the most unnoticed appliances in our house when it comes to maintenance and cleaning. We tend to assume that just because the food is kept rotated or cold, it stays clean all the time. The fact is that spills, cross-contamination, splashes and different sorts of horrible things can spread all over the refrigerator in this seamless storm of food, frequent use, moisture, and dirty hands. To make it short, a refrigerator full of mess is a serious health hazard.
Here is the solution! With some preparation and this simple DIY plan, you can clean your fridge within one hour. Let’s see what you got to do.

1. Collect your supplies
Here is a list of things you would require:

• Vacuum
• Cooler
• Butter knife of putty knife
• Multipurpose surface spray
• Rags or paper towels
• Bucket with water and baking soda (1 QT water and 2 TBSP baking soda)
• Old towel to keep on the floor

2. Preparation
Make sure that the circuit breaker or fuse to the outlet is off and then unplug the refrigerator. This will ensure your safety while you are using water around any electric appliance.

3. Remove Food
Remove the food from your fridge and place it in the cooler. Check dates on all the products and throw anything that has expired.

4. Remove drawers and Shelves

Wipe each shelf very carefully with the water and baking soda solution. Keep a towel below. Doing this will help absorb odors. For stubborn debris, use putty knife or butter knife to loosen the gunk.

5. Soak
Soak the drawers and shelves in an empty bin filled with the solution or in a sink.

6. Wash the interior
Use a cloth dipped properly in the cleaning solution or a spray to clean the interior of your refrigerator.
Systematically wash all the built-in fixtures, nooks and corners of the door, and the bottom. You can use your butter knife to access the cracks where food particles or crumbs get collected.

7. Dry the interior
Before you replace the bins and shelves, ensure that the interior of your refrigerator is completely dry. Wipe the bins and shelves dry with a soft paper towel or a cloth.

8. Clean the gasket/door seals
Door seals happen to be the grimiest areas of a refrigerator. There are little folds collecting a lot of      debris. Cleaning the door seals will prevent molds and help in keeping the seal tight and efficient.

9. Vacuum the kickplate/grate and coils
Pull the refrigerator out from the wall carefully and vacuum the coils so as to remove the dust. Also remove the grate or kickplate from the bottom and vacuum it.

10. Replace all the items
Carefully secure each and every lid then wipe if there is anything sticky. Also wipe the tops before you replace it in the fridge.

11. Remove frozen stuff
Look for things that seem frozen, such as fruits and vegetables. This shows that the food product is refrozen and thawed. Hence these products need to be discarded to avoid food borne illness.

12. Wipe freezer interior
Wipe the freezer just as you did for the fridge. This is generally a much faster task.

13. Discard ice
Wash and clean ice cube trays and then replace it with fresh and clean water.

14. Replace all items in freezer
Organize all the items together like it was earlier. Store less perishable products such as frozen veggies in the door. Keep fish and meat on the bottom and at the back.

Taking proper care to clean and organize your refrigerator every season ensures you have enough extra storage space. This will also help your fridge to work efficiently and cost-effectively. Most importantly, having a clean and fresh refrigerator will keep your family safe and healthy.