Reaching for the leftover chicken, my hand extended to the far depths of the refrigerator. 

What is in this container? Can I eat it with my chicken? 

Ah, it's chili from ...last month. Oh, the smell.  

Spring is a great time to clean your refrigerator.

The refrigerator is the hardest working appliance in our kitchen, and the one we use the most. It is an appliance that has a variety of odors, spills and overcrowding of food products. 

Now is a perfect time to deodorize and disinfect your refrigerator. This will help keep it clean and help it to use less energy, thus saving you money. 

McCombs Supply has five tips for cleaning your refrigerator. 

Empty the fridge

Turn off the power at the fuse box and empty the contents of the fridge into a cooler. 

Note: Make sure to bring crisper drawers and glass to room temperature before washing them. 

Clean Doors

Use a damp cloth, mild dish washing liquid and water to clean the top, edges and the door of the refrigerator. Pay attention to the handles as they get marks from hand prints. 

Need door parts? McCombs has a variety of refrigerator parts, including door gasket/seals and door handles like (part no. WR12x22183), which comes with the freezer and refrigerator handles and sells for $45.40. 

Regularly cleaning your gasket with warm water and towel dry will help the gasket last longer. Adding Vasoline may help the gasket's longevity. 

When installing a new gasket, like the 10359708Q, remember that certain brands will fit better when you heat with a hair dryer or warm water to fit on the door. 

The gaskets are designed for tight install.

Clean Interior And Exterior 

For the exterior, use all-purpose spray. Start at the top of the refrigerator and wipe the rest from the top to the bottom.

Take 2 tablespoons of baking soda and hot water to clean the interior of the fridge. Rinse with a damp cloth and dry with a towel. This tactic does more than cleans. It also dispenses any odors.

If an odor continues to linger, try adding CA1500M, a ClenAir mini tub, which reacts with the airborne odor-causing compounds and eliminates odors caused by mold, mildew, bacteria, pets, smoke, musty odors, water damage, fire damage, paints, chemicals, animal decay, stale air, garbage areas, sewer gases, skunks, and more.

Also is great for closets, lockers, gym bags, cars and boats. ClenAir remove odors and improve the indoor air quality in the entire home.

Freshen Up

Forget about cleaning and eliminating an odor. Some times it is a bigger issue. You need to find out what caused the foul smell. 

Often times the food goes bad because of an electrical problem, which causes a cooling problem and results in a smell. 

You can eliminate odors by spreading fresh coffee grounds on a tray inside (the coffee scent will also go away).

Now about the cooling issue, you may need defrost timer, and McCombs has a large variety of timers, like WP482493 for Whirlpool and the DBZA-1210-2D3 that fits Asian brand models by Magic Chef, Electrolux and Daewoo MCBR1020W.

When your defrost is not working, use a heat gun (HG1000). McCombs is currently out of stock on this gun, but will be getting more soon. 

Tighten Up 

Leftovers often go on the middle shelf, because it is easy to reach. Store leftovers in airtight containers to prevent odors. McCombs has crisper drawers and shelves, as well as door bins for your fridge. 

But even with airtight containers, smells do occur. 

If you get an odor, spread baking soda on a baking sheet and leave it in your refrigerator with the door closed until the smell disappears. 

Last Longer

The refrigerator will last longer if you clean the coils. McCombs has the Dundas-Jaffine refrigerator and dryer ProClean Coil and Lint brush (part no. PCABXZW).

The ProClean Appliance Brush is ideal for cleaning around your household appliances and inside the dryer's lint trap. 

Be sure to see our related story on cleaning/removing stains from your range/stove and sealing refrigerator leaks with Vapco Xpress Seal, which is the fastest and most trusted refrigeration sealant on the market, with more than 17 years and millions of leaks permanently fixed.

About Us

McCombs Supply Company, Inc.

In business since 1953, McCombs Supply Co., Inc. is a third-generation family-owned business that specializes in low prices and fast, reliable shipping.
Located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, McCombs Supply Co., Inc. offers replacement repair parts for dishwashers, dryers, microwaves, range-ovens, refrigerators, washing machines, HVAC, commercial refrigeration, commercial cooking, pellet stove parts and more. Some of our manufacturers we distribute for include – Backer-Chromolox, Broan-Nutone, Exact Replacement Parts (ERP), EZ Flo, Fasco, Mastercool, ICM, JW Harris, Packard, Robertshaw, Sealed Unit Parts Company (SUPCO), White Rodgers, Englander, Breckwell, Harman, Lennox, Napoleon, St. Croix and Quadra-Fire.

We supply contractors, service technicians, housing developments, hospitals, retirement communities, institutions, and do-it-yourselfers.

Today, we have nearly one million SKUs in our system. We are constantly upgrading our cutting-edge technology to serve our customers better.

Copyright 2018