If you’re gearing up for spring cleaning, a good place to start is the refrigerator.
A well-organized refrigerator saves space, minimizes expensive food waste, and can help you avoid a costly appliance repair by helping it run more efficiently.
Just a few simple tips will help keep your refrigerator clean and running like a dream!
Refrigeration 101
Refrigerators cool most efficiently when full, but air needs to circulate inside to keep food at proper temperatures. Never overstuff shelves or block cold air inlets.
A well-organized refrigerator is more efficient. Discard outdated items. Use stackable storage containers, and keep the foods you reach for most in the most accessible areas. This saves energy by allowing you to find what you need and then closing the door quickly.
Storage Strategies
- Avoid storing eggs and milk in the door. This is the warmest place in the refrigerator and it could shave time off freshness. The door is ideal for condiments.
- Keep fragile fruits and vegetables, such as berries and lettuce, in a drawer or toward the front of the refrigerator. The back is the coldest area and may cause delicate produce to freeze. If you have multiple drawers place vegetables in one with the humidity all the way up, and fruits in one with the humidity all the way down.
- Keep meat securely wrapped and store it on the lowest shelves. If packages leak, less food will have to be thrown out because of potential contamination.
- Date foods so you can remember when they were opened. Best-by dates are only for sealed foods, so labeling opened food will help prevent waste by reminding you to use older products first.
Small Fixes Prevent Bigger Problems
Is ice forming inside your refrigerator? Is food spoiling quicker than it should? Is condensation a problem?
If spring cleaning your refrigerator turned up more expired food than you originally thought, something could be wrong. Don’t wait for a small problem to become a big one. Call the appliance repair professionals at Tri-City Appliance for expert help to safeguard both your health and food dollars.