One of the worst the smells of the house is a putrid smelling refrigerator. Although most of the time it comes from spoiled food left behind, there are other reasons why your smell may be strange. Bacteria, clogged air filters, drain pans, just to name a few. If you’ve opened your refrigerator doors to something that smells, chances are your first priority is getting rid of it. Here are seven different ways to get rid of refrigerator odors and get your appliance smelling good again.

Why does your refrigerator smell so bad?

There are several reasons why your refrigerator may give off an unpleasant odor. Besides the obvious (i.e. rotten food), issues like mold, spilled food particles, a dirty broiler pan, and more all contribute to this appliance’s foul odors.

Cleaning up spilled food and throwing it away before it rots is essential to avoiding an unpleasant smell inside the refrigerator, as is routine cleaning of your refrigerator. This is also true for the grill pan.

The drip pan is a component that collects water when your refrigerator defrosts. The location of your drip pan varies depending on your specific model, but the same is true for all refrigerators: not cleaning this hidden component causes mold buildup which can also lead to such unpleasant odors.

How to get rid of refrigerator odors

Whether you prefer commercial products or want a more natural deodorizer, here are seven different ways to get rid of refrigerator odors.

Remove rotten foods

It goes without saying that rotten food will show up when you open your refrigerator doors. While removing food before it spoils is a good practice, sometimes you might miss food. Whenever you start to smell something rotten inside your refrigerator, clean it and throw away anything that’s rotten. The smell should disappear fairly quickly.

Vinegar and water

Vinegar is a powerful natural cleaner that you can use in several rooms in your houseand the refrigerator is one of the best. Wiping down the inside of your refrigerator with a concoction of vinegar and water naturally deodorizes the appliance and helps eliminate the smell of whatever funky thing is wafting around the room.

Fresh coffee grounds or baking soda

Your coffee grounds can be used for much more than brewing your favorite morning cup of joe; they can also be used as a natural deodorizer for your refrigerator. Coffee grounds are a natural absorbent since they contain nitrogen, responsible for neutralizing unwanted odors. So the next time the inside of your refrigerator has a foul odor, pour some coffee grounds into a bowl and place them in the refrigerator for a few hours. Not only will it eliminate unwanted odors, but it will also leave you smelling like coffee!

If you don’t have coffee grounds but want a natural solution that has the same effect, you can use baking soda instead. Opening a box of baking soda and letting it sit on one of your shelves helps keep unpleasant odors away.

Clean your refrigerator

If you’ve thrown away spoiled food but a smell persists, it may be time to thoroughly clean the device. Sometimes foods leave behind particles or spills that create odors, but on top of that, harvested bacteria can lead to a buildup of odors over time.

When cleaning your refrigerator, it is important to clean all areas: the shelves, drawers and door shelves. You can use natural cleaners like vinegar and water, or commercial products for this method.

Replace the air filter

Like your air conditioning unit, your refrigerator is equipped with an air filter that must be replaced regularly. This air filter works similarly to that of an AC unit and is responsible for filtering the air and particles from the refrigerator. Without replacing these filters, air can begin to get trapped, leading to a buildup of odors.

Air it out

Sometimes, getting rid of foul odors from your home is all about letting it breathe. Ventilating your refrigerator can be a great way to neutralize unwanted odors, but remember to unplug it first. And to make your refrigerator smell fresh and clean, wipe it down with vinegar and water.

Lemon Juice

Like vinegar, lemon juice is another natural cleaner that can be used to freshen up the inside of your refrigerator. Take a towel and dip it in fresh lemon juice before wiping down your shelves and drawers to leave a citrus scent that neutralizes funky odors.