Cleaning a freezer that smells

Fill a pie plate or shallow bowl with baking soda, activated charcoal or cat litter if the decaying smell remains. Set the pie plate in the freezer and turn it on. Run the freezer empty except for the pie plate for two to four days to absorb the rest of the odor. After removing the spills, clean the inside of the freezer with a mixture of hot water and baking soda mixed at a ratio of tbsp. This helps remove any smells.

After washing, sanitize the freezer using a rag dampened with a solution of tbsp.

Under most freezers is a drain for defrosting purposes. Under an upright there is actually a drain pan that can slide out for cleaning. Deep freeze freezers usually have a plug at the drain hole.

I would check this drain for the smell source first and clean if necessary. How to clean the freezer and remove bad smells in the freezer. Put a large bowl and towels at the bottom of the freezer to catch the water and ice as it melts.

Empty the drip tray or bowl, and wring out towels frequently. Help ice dislodge from the walls of your fridge by gently levering it off with a plastic utensil,.

Be sure to use the kind that contains chlorophyll…the green stuff…not the clay type! If the freezer is very clean but is still giving off an unpleasant smell, OneHowTo recommend getting rid of bad freezer smells with a very natural and cheap solution: vinegar. Cleaning and Odor Absorption.

Department of Agriculture recommends regularly cleaning the unit, including all shelves and drawers, with a mixture of tablespoon of unscente liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of water. The first step is to clean the appliance with a gentle household cleaning solution and water. Use a bleach solution (one tablespoon chlorine bleach per gallon of water) to rinse inside surfaces.

While the unit is unplugge leave the door open for a day or two to air it out. If there’s a lasting funk that just won’t go away, chances are the refrigerator smells have permeated the evaporator coil, which produces cold air for the fridge and freezer. The coil, along with the fan that distributes the air, are typically located on the back wall of the freezer. Fill a bowl with activated charcoal and place it into the freezer if you still notice the smell.

Plug the refrigerator back into the wall and allow the activated charcoal to remain inside for four to five days. After cleaning out all fish juices with a soapy solution and and dish towel, you can sprinkle heavy quantities of baking soda over the floor space of the freezer. Sprinkle fresh coffee grounds or baking soda loosely in a large, shallow container in the bottom of the refrigerator and freezer.

Remove paper and clean with vinegar and water. Place a cotton swab soaked with vanilla inside the refrigerator and freezer. Will a mishap out smell your patience? We tried charcoal, and over night the rotted smell was gone.

Beyond Baking Soda: The Best Way to Deal With a Stinky Fridge. In the video above, we show you how to clean the evaporator on a top- freezer refrigerator. Yamuna Vittal, San Jose, CA. Ice cubes can absorb odors from uncovered food in the refrigerator or freezer.

Always store leftovers in containers with tight-fitting lids and double-wrap any strong-smelling items. Also, check to see if a filter needs to be cleaned or replaced. Apparently a wire had blown down and judging by the temp of the foo it could have been most of the two weeks that we were away. I am going to toss everything in the fridge too, mayo, oil, etc.

White vinegar neutralizes many of the same smells as baking soda. Put an open cup or bowl in the fridge, or mix it in with water as an effective cleaning solution. Use oats as an odor-absorber. Leave a bowl of oats out in your fridge and this will suck in the bad smells. Rinse the solution with clean water.

Place the pot on the stove and heat until a boil begins to appear. Next, move boiling pot into freezer and close the door. The boiling vinegar will produce a stream that can quickly cover the interior walls and flooring on the freezer. Freezer Smell Removal Tips.

Return to the freezer after two hours and wipe the vinegar from the freezer siding. Or, enlist a commercial fridge odor cleanser and absorber. Once you have cleaned the fridge you can develop a homemade refrigerator freshener to trap odours and to keep the fridge in the best condition possible.

To do this, you can use natural products such as coffee, soda or lemon. For a fridge that has maybe a day or two of odors, this will work, however since the plastic has been absorbing this fragrant odor for several months, you have to be more aggressive. Wipe down all surfaces with baking soda on a clean sponge or cloth.

Go over everything again to remove most of the soda. Soda will not harm or discolor plastic, and it is edible so not dangerous to have around food. Leave the remaining soda in the open box in the fridge. I have an automatic ice maker that makes ice that smells and tastes like garlic.

I have tried the following things to to get rid of the horrible odor : I frequently change out the cartons of baking soda in the freezer and the fridge. The only possible way to save the freezer is to remove the inside liner and pull out all the contaminated insulation. Reassemble the freezer AFTER it has completely dried. If it has a fan run it with the lid open for a couple of hours before using. Fill bowls with baking soda, fresh coffee grounds, or vinegar.

Replace them as necessary to keep the odor absorbency strong. Tips for keeping foods fresh, safe, and tasty.