{"id":34536,"date":"2022-02-22T13:30:32","date_gmt":"2022-02-22T20:30:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.betternutrition.com\/?p=34536"},"modified":"2022-02-22T13:30:32","modified_gmt":"2022-02-22T20:30:32","slug":"youre-cleaning-your-fridge-wrong","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.betternutrition.com\/natural-living\/youre-cleaning-your-fridge-wrong\/","title":{"rendered":"You\u2019re Cleaning Your Fridge Wrong. Here\u2019s the Right Way to Do It"},"content":{"rendered":"

I recently got into a discussion with my mom after I noticed she picked up my sink sponge and started to wipe up the pomegranate juice that my daughter had knocked over in the refrigerator. My type-A, germophobic self had a heart-attack watching her do so.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you can relate to this, then hello to my fellow germaphobes \u2013 I\u2019m glad to be in such good company! If you\u2019re sitting there wondering why this would equate to a steep rise in cortisol in anyone, then listen up; you\u2019re going to want to take some notes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A 2017 study published in Scientific Reports<\/span><\/a> found that kitchen sponges harbored 362 different species of bacteria, with researchers sharing that the saturation of bacteria reached unfathomable levels in just a square centimeter. If your brain is spinning trying to calculate just how much this is, stop stressing. Believe me when I say it\u2019s a LOT.<\/span><\/p>\n

As much as I love to share science, I knew my mom didn\u2019t need more statistics thrown at her. She needed facts. She needed a \u201chow to\u201d when it came to cleaning the fridge (and truthfully, I needed it, too!).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Thankfully, that\u2019s when Kait Schulhof, owner of <\/span>A Clean Bee<\/span><\/a>, popped up in my feed, and I knew I had to ask her. Schulhof is a female entrepreneur in the clean-living space with her wisdom shared widely across the internet and her popular TikTok account that\u2019s attracted over 100,000 followers and counting.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Schulhof shared her best advice below \u2013\u00a0and you\u2019re going to want to hear what she has to say. In fact, save, share and tell a friend, because let\u2019s be real, we could all use a<\/span> clean bee<\/span><\/i> in our corner!<\/span><\/p>\n

How often should we clean the fridge?<\/h2>\n

It\u2019s a good idea to quickly wipe down the shelves in your fridge once a week. I like to do this right before grocery shopping when I\u2019m meal planning for the following week. The 5- to 10-minute process gives me a chance to take stock of inventory I need to use up, toss or replenish.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What\u2019s the best way to clean the refrigerator weekly?<\/h2>\n

For a quick weekly wipe down, the process is simple. You\u2019re going to start with the top shelf and work your way down. Start by removing your refrigerator items, then spray the shelf with a gentle cleaning solution of one part distilled white vinegar and one part filtered water. Give the shelf a quick wipe with a damp microfiber cloth. If you notice a lot of crumbs, sometimes it can be helpful to suck those out with the hose attachment of your vacuum first.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Related: Everything You Need to Know About Disinfecting Your Kitchen<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

How about monthly?<\/h2>\n

For a deep clean (once a month), I like to pull everything out. Shelves, storage baskets, drawers\u2026 everything. I scrub each component in my sink with soap and hot water. The soap I like to use when cleaning is a diluted mix of Dr. Bronner\u2019s Sal Suds and water (\u00bd cup Sal Suds per 1 quart water). The Sal Suds formula is extremely concentrated, which is great because a single bottle will last a long time and minimize unnecessary packaging waste!\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019ll also wipe the walls and base of my fridge while it\u2019s completely empty and the shelf components are drying. Once everything is clean and dry, I\u2019ll place all the parts back into the fridge.<\/span><\/p>\n

Other fridge-cleaning tips from Schulhof<\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re cleaning a particularly grimy fridge (think mold, mildew or any other scary and smelly material growing inside), you will want something stronger than vinegar and dish soap to tackle the job. Start with a bowl or tub of soapy hot water, a scrub brush and a sponge to scrub away all of the grime. Once wiped clean, sanitize the surface with a Centers for Disease Control (<\/span>CDC) recommended diluted bleach mixture<\/span><\/a>: 1 tablespoon bleach to 1 gallon of water. Give the fridge enough time to air dry before restocking it with any food.<\/span><\/p>\n

Note: This method also becomes extremely important if you <\/span><\/i>recognize food inside of your refrigerator is involved in a recall<\/span><\/i><\/a>. Similar to Schulhof\u2019s recommendations, the CDC also recommends you perform the deep clean with the bleach and water solution to prevent any bacteria from spreading.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

To get more clean living tips from Schulhof, follow her on <\/span>TikTok<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>Instagram<\/span><\/a>, or <\/span>her podcast<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Think taking that wet sponge you\u2019ve had sitting in your sink all week to wipe down your fridge is all you need to get it nice and tidy? Think again!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":34537,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"uuid":"46483002cc82ef66ef6c27701f7585b6"},"categories":[81],"tags":[2255],"byline":[1977],"ad_cat":[],"legacy-category":[],"acf":{"post_video":false,"iframe_hero":false,"add_square_crop":false,"longform":false,"sponsored":false,"membership_content":false,"post_incontent_cta_disable":false,"registered_content":false,"display_affiliate-link_disclaimer":false,"issue":false,"exclude_post":false,"table_of_contents":{"header":"","content_sections":false},"review_toggle":false,"pom_layout":false,"featured_image_square_crop":39992},"yoast_head":"\nAre You Cleaning Your Fridge Wrong? - Better Nutrition<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Odds are, you're cleaning your fridge wrong. 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