In the UK we throw away about 18 million tonnes of food every year. A third of this wastage comes from our homes, with approximately 108Kg of food waste per person each year. Obviously, a good way to prevent this is to only buy what you need, when you need it but it’s also a good idea to make sure your fridge is in good working order to prevent food from going off and to keep it fresher, longer.

Some simple things you can do to keep your fridge working properly.

Clean the Condenser Coils

These will be located at either the back or on the bottom of your fridge If these coils are laden with dust the fridge will have to work harder to keep cool (which also increases your energy bills) and in some cases won’t be able to keep as cool as it should. You can dust these with a broom or better yet, grab the vacuum to clean the dust from them.

Empty the Drain Hole & Clean the Drip Pan

Locate the drain hole and drip pan of your fridge according to the manual then clean thoroughly by removing any food particles and mineral deposits.

Clean the Seals

It is really important to keep your fridge door seals clean and mould free. You can clean them using warm water and soap. Test your fridge seals by putting a note in between the seal and door. Close the door and if the note comes away easily you might want to change the seal completely.

Check the Level

Might seem odd/ obvious but check that your fridge is standing level. If it’s not the doors won’t shut tightly and you’ll lose precious cool air!

Also, have a look at my Waste not want not blog about what food to store with what in your fridge to help prolong its life.

Tags: Fridge Cleaning, Fridge Maintenance