Be a Friend To Your Fridge

by Marjorie Dorfman | More from this Blogger

27 Nov 2006 09:28 AM

Your refrigerator works for you 24/7 without complaining, asking for a raise or even getting a wink of sleep. The least you can do is take care for it and appeal to its sense of vanity or self-respect. How can you do this, you ask, reaching for a slice of leftover whatever. Well, here are a few chilling thoughts to consider.

How can you keep your fridge fresh? By wiping periodically with a vinegar-moistened cloth, the inside of your fridge will shine. This is also a good way to prevent the build-up of mildew and her brother, mold. If you are out of vinegar, use a weak solution of baking soda and a little salt. Simply apply with a soft cloth. If you are really in the mood to clean, or climb the dusty mountain, as I call it, wipe down the interior of the fridge with a solution of 3 tablespoons of baking soda in 4 cups of warm water. For hard to remove deposits, apply a thick paste of water and baking soda, let it sit for an hour or two, and rinse with a white vinegar and water solution.

Baking soda is a wonderful friend to your fridge. Keep an open box of it inside at all times. Replace the box every three months or so regardless of how attached the fridge has become to it. Put a new box in there and use the old one for other cleaning purposes. Use plastic place mats to line part of the shelves in your fridge. This way, if there are any spills, they are contained to the mat, which is a lot easier to clean than all the shelves beneath it.

Be nice to your fridge and it will be even nicer to you. Say hello and don't ignore it or else you might get a very...cold shoulder.

Related Reading:

"Some Unexpected Household Hints"

http://forums.families.com/kitchen-baths-amp-bedrooms,f392

The Measuring Cup: A Formidable Past

Learn more about Marjorie Dorfman

Marjorie Dorfman is a freelance writer and former teacher originally from Brooklyn, New York.

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Aerie (309) 27 Nov 2006 08:51 AM

How did you know about those hard to remove deposits? :-) Fun and informative post, thanks!

Nola Redd (7081) 27 Nov 2006 09:39 AM

Thanks for a humerous look at taking care of my fridge. I need to keep the laptop out of the kitchen so the fridge won't see just how badly I am neglecting it....

Andrea Hermitt (5512) 27 Nov 2006 11:19 AM

Don't forget to vacuum the coils in the back twice a year and make sure it has some room to breath back there... I managed to kill a very nice refrigerator from neglect recently!