If you're just buying what you need, when you need it, now's a great time to give your fridge a really good clear out and deep clean.
The fridge is the cornerstone of food storage in our kitchens, so make sure it’s up to the task of storing food safely with a deep clean every 3-6 months.
Remember that, the fridge is very important for our health, without it we would still have many diseases.
Next, wash the shelves and the salad crispers thoroughly with washing-up liquid and hot water. If the shelves (or any other removable parts) are made of glass, it’s best to let them reach room temperature first to reduce the risk of them shattering in very hot water.
Use a toothpick to remove food residue that has collected in the join between the surface of the shelf and the shelf surround.
Rinse the shelves and salad crispers with clean water, then allow them to dry naturally on the drainer or dry with a clean tea towel and put them to one side if your drainer isn’t big enough.
Now turn your attention to the inside of the fridge itself. Avoid using hot water at this point as it can raise the temperature of the fridge and this will delay how quickly you can get your perishable food back in. Instead, make up with cold water, and use this to wipe down the interior.
Pay particular attention to the grooves on the sides of the fridge interior where which the shelves rest, as they can be hotspots for dirt. A cotton bud is a handy tool for getting old food out of these. Cotton buds are also useful for fiddly places, such as the drip hole at the back which can easily become clogged and grimy. Dry the inside of the fridge thoroughly using paper towels or a clean tea towel.
Don’t overlook areas outside the fridge such as the handle and door surround, where germs can build up through frequent contact with hands. If you have a fridge freezer with the freezer at the bottom, use the crevice nozzle of your vacuum cleaner to remove food crumbs that have collected in the folds of the freezer door seal. Alternatively, use a stiff washing up brush to dislodge them.
Run the corner of a linen or cotton tea towel dipped in Milton solution along the folds for a hygienic clean and use a fresh corner of the towel to dry the door seal afterwards.
