How to Remove Odor from Refrigerator Using Just 1 Ingredient

Refrigerators have become an essential part of our daily life. Can you imagine life without one?

Where would you store perishable items like milk, fresh fruits and vegetables, or even your ready-to-eat meals? Where would you get ice for your soft drinks? Without a refrigerator, you can say goodbye to that tall glass of homemade cold coffee or chilled ice tea.

We use refrigerators to store all sorts of eatables and drinks. Many foods – especially fresh garlic and onions or dishes made with them – can leave behind a lingering odor.

Over time, the mix of odors can make your fridge smell really bad. The foul smell can even permeate fresh food and kill your appetite the moment you open the fridge door.

Cleaning your fridge regularly obviously helps. But if you’ve put off that task, you can still remove odor from refrigerator fairly easily using any of the seven methods described below.

Method 1: Baking Soda

Baking soda can be used to successfully remove all the foul odors lingering in refrigerator. Once you place baking soda in your fridge, it begins to absorb all the odor-producing particles from the enclosed air to form porous, crystal-like solids.

Single-Step Method: Place baking soda in your refrigerator

• Clear your refrigerator of all old items that have gone bad or are starting to go bad.
• Place a bowl full of baking soda on a shelf.
• Close the door for at least 5 to 6 hours.
• You can then throw out the baking soda and restock your fridge.
• To prevent foul odors, you can keep an uncovered bowl of baking soda in your fridge at all times.

Method 2: Coffee Grounds

Fresh coffee grounds will not only help remove odor from refrigerator but also leave everything smelling sinfully of rich, dark coffee.

If you are the type of person who can spend hours in a coffee shop just breathing in all the heavenly aroma, then this hack is a must-do for you.

Single-Step Method: Use dry, fresh coffee grounds to eliminate foul fridge odor

• Place an uncovered glass bowl of dry, fresh coffee grounds inside your fridge.
• Let it sit there for 2 to 3 days.
• The foul odor will be gone, and you will get a whiff of that fine coffee smell every time you open the door.
• If the odor is really strong, place a bowl of fresh coffee grounds on every shelf and inside every compartment.

You can also mix fresh coffee grounds and baking soda in a bowl and place it inside your fridge to enjoy the dual benefits of effective odor removal and the scintillating coffee scent.

Method 3: Lemon

Lemons are an obvious choice for ridding your fridge of nasty odors. Nothing smells as fresh and citrusy as lemons. After all, there is a reason why most household cleaning products are lemon-scented.

In fact, you can also use lemons to clean your wood chopping board, removing any old stains and odors.

Single-Step Method: Place lemon wedges all over your fridge

• Cut a few lemons into quarters.
• Place the lemon wedges on all the shelves and in all the compartments, even the ones in the refrigerator door.
• Leave them there for 3 to 4 days to eliminate the bad odors.
• To keep your fridge smelling fresh and fragrant, keep lemon wedges in it at all times. Replace the lemons as needed, say once a week.

Method 4: Activated Charcoal

Activated charcoal is known for its excellent absorbing properties. It will effectively absorb all the odor-producing particles inside your refrigerator.

In fact, you can also use activated charcoal to deep-clean your pores and even get rid of food poisoning.

Single-Step Method: Place a bowl of activated charcoal in the fridge

• Set the temperature of the fridge to the minimum.
• Place a small bowl containing activated charcoal powder inside your fridge.
• Keep the refrigerator door closed for 3 days to most effectively eliminate the bad odor.
• You can place your perishables in an ice-cooler during this time.

The best part about using this remedy is that activated charcoal can be reused. You simply have to refresh it by placing it in the oven for 20 minutes at 350°F.

Method 5: Vinegar

Vinegar can be used in multiple ways to get rid of bad odors from your fridge. Just like baking soda, white vinegar neutralizes the foul odors.

It is particularly effective at eliminating the stench coming from decaying organic matter, the most common culprit behind bad smells coming from your fridge.

White vinegar also acts as a strong disinfectant, killing off all odor-causing bacteria and microbes, and can be used to make a cleaning solution for your fridge.

Step 1. Mix vinegar and water

• Pour ¼ cup of white vinegar into a bowl.
• Add an equal amount of water.

Step 2. Place the solution in the fridge to eliminate bad odors

• Place the bowl with the solution in your fridge for 3 to 4 days.
• Alternatively, you can use this solution to wipe your refrigerator clean. It will eliminate any stains or residues that may be causing the odor.

Method 6: Vanilla Essence

Who doesn’t love the smell of vanilla? Using vanilla essence is another great way to remove odor from refrigerator. Once you clean your fridge with vanilla essence, the old musty odors will be gone and your fridge will smell fresh and inviting.

Single-Step Method: Rub vanilla essence on the shelves in your fridge

• Pour some vanilla essence into a bowl, and dip a cotton ball in it.
• Rub the vanilla essence on the refrigerator shelves to get rid of the old food smell.

Alternatively, you can soak a cotton ball in vanilla essence and place it in a small bowl inside your fridge to eliminate bad odor. Just remember to replace the soaked cotton ball with a fresh one every 7 days so it doesn’t get moldy.

Method 7: Oats

Oats are another ingredient with strong absorbent properties. This remedy is once again incredibly simple. Just place a bowl of oats in the fridge to absorb all the bad odors.

Single-Step Method: Place a bowl of oats in your fridge

• Place a bowl of oats in your fridge to absorb the bad odor.
• Leave it in the fridge for 4 to 5 days to remove odor from refrigerator.
• You can also keep a bowl of oats in your fridge on a regular basis to prevent odors from building up. Simply replace the oats at regular intervals, such as every 7 to 10 days.

Tips

• The most important thing to do to keep your fridge odor-free is to clean it at regular intervals.
• Get rid of any empty cartons or products that are past their expiration date. Also, clean out any tiny bits of old fruits or vegetables.
• If something spilled inside your fridge, wipe it up immediately with a damp dishcloth. You can also clean it up using the white vinegar solution described in Method 5 above.
• The combined power of citrus fruits and cloves can also prevent or remove bad odors from your fridge. Cut a lemon or an orange in half and insert whole cloves into the fragrant flesh of each half. Put the two halves inside the fridge to eliminate foul odors. You can also use this hack to keep flies away from your home.