cleaning the fridge after long power outage

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nanette1985

Diamond Member
Oct 12, 2005
4,209
2
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How to get the smell of rotting food out of the fridge and freezer?

Rotten food has been disposed of but the smell remains.

Thanks.
 
TwiceOver

TwiceOver

Lifer
Dec 20, 2002
13,544
44
91
Helped a plumber friend clean out his storage facility once when the sewer had backed up during a huge storm. Nasty. We used a couple shop vacs and when done I asked "So how do you clean these things?" He said "Clean? They are disposable".

You're probably in the same boat.
 
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Charles Kozierok

Elite Member
May 14, 2012
6,762
1
0
Never done it myself, but if it were me... I'd clean as well as I could with a bleach-based cleaner, then put lots of baking soda in there and then just wait it out. It could take a long time.

Sorry that happened to you.
 
PottedMeat

PottedMeat

Lifer
Apr 17, 2002
12,363
475
126
sounds like you didn't get everything. i've had rotten stuff before but the smell never stays. make sure you look for drips and little bits.
 
clamum

clamum

Lifer
Feb 13, 2003
26,252
403
126
I've always heard baking soda works well at removing bad smells.
 
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piasabird

Lifer
Feb 6, 2002
17,168
60
91
Can of Coffee.

Might need to seriously clean it which includes using an Anti-Fungal. Maybe try a couple things. Vinnegar is suppose to kill foot fungus. Baking soda can absorb smell. Coffee has a serious way of spreading the good coffee smell.

Put a big jar of Korean Kim-Chee in there.
 
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sjwaste

Diamond Member
Aug 2, 2000
8,757
12
81
Bleach-based cleaning solution. Make sure you got all of it. Then maybe follow it with a baking soda paste, but really, the bleach should do it unless the plastic is retaining the smell.
 
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piasabird

Lifer
Feb 6, 2002
17,168
60
91
Some refrigerators use air flow to move cool air around so maybe something in like Hot steaming water in a big stock pot and then enclose it in the refrigerator and as the steam rises and fills the refrigerator it should permeate all the plastic and parts. It has to be something that will like to defeat the other odors. I wonder what something like vicks vapor rug or one of those vaporizers that use steam would do.

Maybe something like steamer for clothes. I am thinking Hot Steam. I have seen some hot steam cleaners advertised for cleaning bathrooms.
 
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piasabird

Lifer
Feb 6, 2002
17,168
60
91
The best way is to empty the refridgerator when the power goes out. That is how I handled it. After a couple of big power outages lasting like 2 weeks I leaned not to store things like large quantities of meat, because if you have to leave your house everything is just a total waste. Buy a big Cooler and keep in in the closet.
 
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Brovane

Brovane

Diamond Member
Dec 18, 2001
6,092
2,365
136
I would try vinegar and baking soda.

I have heard the best thing to do in the event that a Hurricane is coming in is take everything in your frig and place it in a contractor trash bad. Then put the bag with everything back in the frig. If you loose power you can then easily toss everything in your frig by throwing the bag. Seriously I did hear sometimes it is just easier to toss the entire frig when this happens.
 
lupi

lupi

Lifer
Apr 8, 2001
32,539
260
126
Hard plastic surface like a fridge should be easy with vinegar/bleach based cleaners. Part you may have to concentrate on is the door gaskets depending on how bad it got in there.
 
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