How To Clean Fridge Mold

Will Vinegar Kill Mold

Part 3Replacing the Refrigerator Door Seal

Mapenda Radu

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Whats The Best Cleaning Solution For Mold

The best cleaning solution for mold depends on the surface youre cleaning. For non-porous surfaces, like the plastic in your fridge, its fine to use a non-penetrating substance, like bleach. Mold will only grow on the surface of these materials, so you only need to clean the surface.

But some surfaces are porous, like drywall or rubber. To clean these, youll need something that gets inside those pores. Vinegar can get into the pores and clean mold inside and out.

Low Humidity And Good Airflow

Molds and mildew use require particular conditions to thrive and reproduce successfully.

Unfortunately, the interior of a fridge is almost the ideal environment for most species of mold. They do the best when it is relatively cold but not frigid and that there is a decent amount of moisture in the air.

Well ventilated spaces are less than ideal for mold and can deter their growth.

Adding a desiccant to your fridge to absorb any excess moisture in the air can do wonders to prevent future mold outbreaks by making the fridge and inhospitable environment for the mold. Regularly clean the refrigerator and keep things spaced out so airflow can reach all areas of the interior.

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What Kinds Of Food Contribute To Mold Growth

First and foremost, mold growth sources typically come from the mold that grows on our food. Most produce, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, and grains, can develop mold growth. However, some foods, such as salami and cheeses, produce natural mold that you can cut away. These molds are less likely to contribute to mold growth, and the foods they grow on are still safe to eat after natural growth has been stripped.

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Clean Food Containers Regularly

Anything you store in your fridge needs to be cleaned of mold as well, including Tupperware containers.

Dispose of the contents of any moldy containers and fill them with vinegar, place the airtight lid back on, and leave them to sit for a few days. Once done, clean them thoroughly in warm soapy water and dry off before using again.

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A Why Mold Grows In Fridge

Mold inside refrigerator can grow because of several factors, and premature freezing of hot foods is one of them. If you place warm foods inside the fridge, they can create an ideal temperature for mold and bacteria. They also force the fridge to work harder than usual, spending more energy.

Somefoods such as blue cheese, cured meat, and tempeh get their unique flavor andtexture from the mold. You may expect tosee extra growth on their surfaces, which you can just scrape. However, bread,fruits, and vegetables are also prone to mold. The mold damage extends to theinside of the foods, which can be dangerous if eaten even after you scrapethem.

Black mold in refrigerator can grow if you never maintain the fridge . Spillage, dirt, residue, or mold spores that spread from moldy foods can cause other foods to get infested.

Finally,mold can also grow on the fridges rubber gasket. It is a seal that helps thedoor for closing tightly. The gasket is often exposed to airflow and moisture,making it an ideal place for mold.

Whos At The Greatest Risk From Mold Exposure

Some groups of people are more likely to get sick from mold. The most sensitive group are immunocompromised people, such as those undergoing chemotherapy. Or people with pre-existing respiratory conditions, like asthma.

Finally, the elderly, pregnant women, and young children also experience the effects of mold more than most people. Elderly people and children are more likely to have serious symptoms, while pregnant women are more likely to have complications.

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What Is Fridge Mold

The mold that grows on your fridge is no different from the mold you may see growing in your bathroom or on a piece of deck furniture. Mold is a type of fungi that inhabits moist areas. Since your fridge stays relatively humid compared to the rest of your home, its a prime place for mold growth.

If you think you see mold in your refrigerator, the first step is to properly identify that its mold. Most mold in your fridge will have a black or gray color with some fuzziness. Alternatively, if you keep finding a white, powdery substance in your fridge, thats a sign of mold as well.

Clean Thoroughly With Warm Water And Soap

Its recommendable to use warm water and detergent to clean mold from hard surfaces. Wash all removable parts in the sink with soapy water. Make sure you wear gloves when cleaning these surfaces, so you dont touch the mold.

Spray the parts with vinegar before washing them with a mixture of baking soda and soapy water. Scrub the detachable items thoroughly as mold can be persistent. If you dont remove the mold on the first try, spray the moldy area with vinegar, wait for about 10 minutes, and scrub it again in soapy water.

Rinse off the parts and wipe them thoroughly with clean paper towels. Dispose of the towels in a trash bag.

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Prevent Mold Growth In The Refrigerator

You may be wondering how to keep mold out of your refrigerator. This is a relatively simple thing to do, other than cleaning your refrigerator. Mold can be prevented just as easily as any other germs or bacteria. The refrigerator is an important storage area for us, so we need to keep these microbes away from our food.

• Keep certain foods out of the fridge.

The biggest way to prevent mold growth is to not store certain foods in it. There are some foods that normally have bacteria and mold on them. Some of them are more susceptible to mold growth as well. These items are:

• Potatoes
• Tomatoes
• Grains

Most of these foods are considered dry foods to begin with. The skins of these foods will keep bacteria on the surface and away from the tender innards. Tomatoes are tender and will rot more rapidly than the other items on the list. If you do need to store any of these items, be sure to separate them into air-tight containers.

• Inspect foods and groceries before adding them to the fridge.

Whenever you buy fruits and veggies, it is a good idea to inspect them thoroughly before purchasing them. Human error is prevalent when it comes to sorting food and pulling expired foods. If you buy a rotten egg or a package of strawberries with one moldy strawberry in it, you could find a pretty nasty surprise after a few days. Always make sure that containers of food are closed and unopened.

• Add a box of baking soda to your fridge and freezer.

How Do I Get The Smell Out Of My Closed Fridge

• Start from cleansing thoroughly especially when you noticed something has spilled over.
• Have foods with the expiry tag on them if you need to keep them for long.
• Toss the expired food immediately as it can become a nest for bacteria.
• Use freshly ground coffee to neutralize odors.
• Baking soda has the absorbing ability. place it in your fridge for 24 hours to eliminate the smell.
• Buy a fridge deodorizer with positive reviews,i.e active charcoal or mineral.

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Relocate All Produce And Compartments

Before starting, wear protective equipment since youre handling mold. In this step, were going to clear out your fridge to have better access for cleaning. Next, store all products in a clean space or container. Or you can put your fruits and vegetables in a ziplock bag. And for your meats and other frozen goods, place them in an icebox.

After relocating all goods, detach the removable panels or compartments from the fridge. These compartments include your ice cube trays, shelves, crisper, and side cases. However, dont force other storage baskets if you cant remove them.

Great Home Hack To Remove Mildew On Fridge Gasket

In another article I was tellingyou how dish racks are the perfect mold collectors, but I want to add anotherplace on this list: the refrigerator. Yes, opening the fridge door allows thetemperature to rise inside, creating a perfect environment for mold growth. Well,mold loves to grow on the fridge gasket due to the tight and moist area.

It seems that fridge is not such asafe place for storing food, but we need it and we have to maintain it cleanand well disinfected. Anyhow, if mold attacked your fridge and the food inside,the first thing is to get rid of the moldy food, and then to remove mildewinside of your fridge. How? Apply the next natural cleaning solution and moldinside of your fridge will be just a bad and cold memory.

You need:

• soft cloth or toothbrush

How to use:

Just pour in a sprayer full strengthof hydrogen peroxide or vinegar , and spray over the gasket, and then wipe that blackenedmold with a cloth. You can use a toothbrush to remove the inaccessible areas.

The same solution can be used forany mold trace inside the refrigerator. Spray over the moldy area, let it actfor a few minutes, and then remove it with a clean cloth.

At the end, rinse everything withclean water.

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Moso Natural Air Purifying Bag For Fridge And Freezer

More powerful and lasting than bicarbonate of soda, the Moso Bag consists of non-toxic, chemical, and fragrance-free Moso bamboo charcoal. The Moso Natural Air Purifying Bag is that the easiest and latest technology to keep refrigerator and icebox odor-free for up to 2 years. The Moso Bag removes odors of all kinds of leftovers, delicate distinctive smells of food, and, side effects of unplugging and frequent power cuts.

Moso bamboo charcoal has been proved to soak up ethene gas, a naturally occurring gas that causes fruit and vegetables to ripen quickly. this suggests an extended life for your manufacture. ancient odor eliminators area unit full of harmful chemicals and fragrances. The Moso Natural Air Purifying Bag may be a safe natural various. 100% fragrance-free and chemical-free.

How Do You Remove Black Mold From Refrigerator Door Seal

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. Moreover, what causes mold on refrigerator door seal?

One of the common causes of black mould and mildew in the gasket is due to cold air escaping from the fridge, and warm kitchen air taking its place. This, in turn, makes the water condense, and causes mould to grow.

One may also ask, how do you get mold off a rubber washing machine seal? Put three parts bleach to one part water in a spray bottle and thoroughly spray the rubber seal, being sure to get the bleach mixture into all the little crevices. Wipe down with a soft cloth. Do this at least once a week.

Regarding this, how do I clean the rubber stripping on my refrigerator door?

Make a solution of one part vinegar and two parts water to clean the gasket.

Can fridge door seals be replaced?

A fridge with a faulty seal uses more energy than it needs to. Your door gasket needs to be replaced if the fridge door isnt closing properly. However, on other models, you might need to cut the seal away. On older models there may be screws under the gasket that will need to be removed.

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How To Clean Mold Out Of The Fridge

If there is mold in the refrigerator do not worry. This is a problem, but it is not uncommon. Mold loves to grow in refrigerators. There are various things spilled inside the refrigerator and mold loves environments that are dark and moist. If there is mold in your refrigerator, then it does need to be removed for health reasons. In this article, we will discuss how to clean mold from a fridge in detail.

Clean Shelves Drawers And Other Detachable Parts

To make sure that the mold doesnt return quickly to the fridge, make sure that you clean all the detachable parts that you take out.

You can easily do that by using regular dish soap and warm water first. They are great at removing the sticky residue from spills and food remains off the plastic. This step removes the main source of mold formation and smelly fridges.

You should then spray them with the vinegar solution or bleach and let them sit. Make sure that you cover all the tiny guide rails and tracks with the disinfecting solution.

After 10 to 15 minutes, rinse the drawers with cold water and use wet cotton swabs to wipe off the solution from tight spots.

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Appliance Issues And Power Outages

Mold might also appear due to your refrigerator being unplugged for an extended period of time. For example, if you have had a recent power outage. If you have had a problem like this, simply check your refrigerators power outlet and plug your machine back in.

If you see no rotting food and your refrigerator is plugged in properly, then you may be dealing with a mechanical issue. If this is the case, then you may be dealing with a leak in the water line running behind your refrigerator, or the humidity level may be too high. Both of these issues encourage mold growth. If you are experiencing a problem like this, consider hiring an appliance repairman.

How To Remove The Smell From An Unplugged Fridge

Since the food items are the major cause of bad smell in your fridge, even you take out all the food items from the fridge it can develop a bad smell after it is unplugged. The food molecules, smudges, small spots, and spills that remain in the fridge can cause a bad smell. It gets worse with time if you leave it without proper cleaning or smell treatment.

To remove the smell from an unplugged fridge you should start with a thorough cleaning. A household cleaning solution or chlorine solution is best for cleaning as well as sanitizing your fridge. Leave the doors open for a while after the cleaning activity.

To absorb odors place a pot with baking soda in it, make sure not to cover the pot. To eliminate odors in the inners space of your fridge baking soda does wonder for you. It will soak up the nasty odors and leave the fridge smelling clean and fresh for at least 72 hours replace the baking soda after that period.

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Move All The Food Items Out Of The Fridge

To avoid electric shocks, make sure that you turn off the fridge by unplugging it from the wall. If the fridge is too large for you to pull forward or a built-in unit, you should cut its power through your homes breaker box.

After turning the fridge off, you should consider taking all your food and beverages out of the fridge. Emptying the fridge will make it far more accessible and easier to clean, so youre able to return the food back shortly.

You might be worried about your food getting spoiled. After taking out the food, you should try to keep them in a cool area, especially if youre doing so in summer.

Keep in mind that most food items can survive unfavorable temperature conditions for one to two hours, according to the FDA guidelines for food safety.

So, you need to make sure that the cleanup wont take longer than that. In winter, food can last a bit longer than that on the counter.

A pro tip here is to make the cleanup process around the time where your fridge is already low on food before going for your next grocery trip, so there isnt much food to worry about.

Using a cooler would also extend the time that you can devote to the cleaning.

Create A Black Mold Cleaner For Your Fridge

While cleaning mold out of a fridge is relatively easy, not all cleaning products will do the job. This is because killing mold is all about penetrating it for disinfection and deodorizing the interior of the fridge.

Ideally, I use two major components to clean fridge mold, which are white distilled vinegar and baking soda.

Vinegar is an acid that penetrates and kills mold conveniently while baking soda with warm water naturally removes the nasty smell in the fridge produced by mold.

Make sure that you dont combine the two components together because they react, producing a less powerful compound than when theyre used separately.

Fill a spray bottle with distilled vinegar and another spray bottle with 1/2 tablespoon baking soda and 250 ml of warm water.

Some people might also recommend using diluted household bleach spray for the process instead of vinegar. This solution is usually prepared by adding one cup of bleach to one cup of water in a spray bottle.

Chlorine bleach is a strong acid that can instantly kill molds. It can also kill the non-porous shells of mold spores, preventing them from growing back.

Yet, the undiluted vinegar solution does the job without being too corrosive or difficult to breathe around, so I always recommend that you try out white vinegar first.

Similarly, some large appliance companies warn against using baking soda while cleaning the fridge because its mildly abrasive, even when you dilute it with water.

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