I’m writing this post based on personal experience and courtesy of the world wide web. To quickly read the seven-step process, scroll down.
Last month, I went back to my hometown for about two and a half weeks. Little did I know, unlike previous times, I wouldn’t exactly be coming back to a nice cosy home. Instead, the electricity wasn’t working and I could smell something unpleasant. The smell got stronger the further I stepped into my house. My initial thought was that something had died, a gecko (aka cicak) perhaps.
Then it clicked. All I could think was, “Oh no…”
Taking a deep breath (and holding it because that rotten smell), I stood in front of the fridge trying to delay the inevitable. Then I thought, might as well get this done and over with to assess the horror.
And let me tell you, it was horrible. Everything in my fridge was rotten and get this… there were maggots in my freezer! T T (internally cries in disgust). Please scroll past this picture if you’re easily disgusted my friends.
It’s now a month and a half later, I’m using my fridge and freezer like usual and there is no rotten smell left. I would like to say I have learnt my lesson the hard way. I for one will no longer leave perishable food in the fridge if I am going away for long (four days or more).
In the mean time, I would like to share some tips I learnt on how to clean and get rid of the funky/rotting smell from the fridge/freezer:
- Clear out and throw all rotten food – Throw out also any food that has openings. Only keep food that has not been opened or is in an air-tight container. But this is also based on your preference and comfort level.
- Take apart your fridge – Remove all the shelves, ice boxes and side compartments. Use either a cloth or kitchen towel to remove any maggots or puddle of water.
- Rinse and soak compartments in very hot water – This is to kill germs and bacteria. I added some dish-washing soup as well into the mix. Leave for ten minutes then proceed to scrub and wash. Be sure to dry these compartments well, so any lingering smell fades. I dried it near the window but not under direct sunlight/heat.
- Wipe and clean inside the fridge; repeat this a few times – Firstly, use a kitchen towel to soak any puddle of water and to wipe away maggots/stains. Wipe the inside again with a cloth soaked in hot water and baking powder a few times. We’re doing this in order to kill some bacteria and germs the natural way first. I made the mistake of using some chemical sprays/zips first, before realizing that probably wasn’t wise of me (and the internet agreed lol) because you are storing food inside.
- Clean surrounding area as well as the back of fridge – Water from the fridge/freezer may have dripped to the floor and dried, leaving unpleasant smells all around. So clean your floor with hot water and baking powder first before using your normal floor cleaning solution (i.e. mop routine). It gives the area a fresh smell. Don’t forget to check behind your fridge. There will be a box where the motor/cooling fan is. Take the box out and clear the water, you will notice this water looking funky.
- Air the fridge/freezer by leaving it near a window, switch turned off – Your house is going to smell for a bit, but as they say – better out than in.
- Use baking power, coal or pandan leaves to reduce smell – I used a combination of all at different times. First I put baking powder over some trays and left it in the fridge/freezer with some coal. After the smell reduced significantly over the next few days, I left pandan leaves (a local Malaysian trick) to give my fridge/freezer a more pleasant smell.
Tip: In general, leaving a block of coal or some pandan leaves helps to reduce smell in your fridge/freezer.
I hope you find this helpful. Do let me know your experience and what you have done in this kind of situation.
Overall, I’ll be honest. This entire fiasco was not pleasant and it takes days for the smell to fade away. But it’s alright, at least I don’t have to buy a new fridge!
Till the next time!
CosyRumah 