5 Guaranteed Ways To Remove Fridge Odors For Good

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The sight of a well-stocked, fresh-smelling refrigerator with crisp drawers provides a unique sense of satisfaction, somewhat like a freshly made bed. But the other extreme can be unnerving. A disorganized fridge full of leftovers, stained with mysterious splashes, forgotten spills, and a green mush that was definitely once a cucumber, is a sight (and smell) to dread. More importantly, it's a fridge that just doesn't stop reeking.

Getting rid of a lingering stench in your fridge can be tricky; some smells cling like ghosts and refuse to leave. But there are a few ways to remove that funk that can guarantee a fresh-smelling refrigerator. Ideally, you should organize your fridge in a way that helps stop the smell from developing in the first place. One of them is by going the FIFO way. FIFO stands for "first in, first out," which ensures you never have food sitting around too long — it also helps minimize waste. If you're stuck with the smell, you can use these five simple but guaranteed hacks to remove fridge odors.

Nothing hits the nail on the head quite like a vinegar and water solution for removing stubborn odors and icky marks from the fridge. That sticky stain from the broken egg that just wouldn't go? This magic mix is your bulldozer to smooth it out. In addition to being a deodorizer, vinegar's acidic nature helps break down any residue. It destroys mildew, a thin coating of fungal hyphae that often grows in damp places. Once you've emptied your refrigerator for a thorough clean-up, mix equal parts water and vinegar and spray it all around, making sure you don't miss any corners. Spray extra on sticky stains and scrub those areas a bit if needed. Use a clean, damp microfiber cloth to wipe the entire fridge and remove any leftover vinegar solution. Let it dry before organizing all those condiments and goodies back inside.

You've probably already heard of this potent solution for tackling fridge odors and cleaning all around the house. Baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, has long been used to deep clean tiles and scrub down sinks, and is the key to thoroughly cleaning fruit. While it's always been an effective cleaning agent, the way it keeps your fridge smelling fresh is a little different. Many assume that the box of baking soda simply soaks up odors, but there's a fascinating chemical process at work. The microscopic particles react with odor-causing compounds, neutralizing them at the molecular level, so what once smelled funky now smells like nothing at all.

Typically, placing a box of baking soda in the fridge is enough to eliminate unpleasant smells. But if the odor seems especially strong, you can boost its impact. Instead of using just one box, try placing a small bowl of baking soda on every shelf.

Have you noticed the growing trend of cleaning products with activated charcoal, everything from shampoos to face washes? While baking soda is a tried-and-true method for removing fridge odors, some consider activated charcoal an even better hack for ending up with a better-smelling fridge. Made of pure carbon and naturally porous, activated charcoal is also used to filter water. Drop a pellet in; it can soak up plenty of the pesticides in your bottle. Beyond water purification, it's a pro at trapping odor-causing molecules and binding them to its surface. Think of it as a natural air purifier for your fridge, quietly drawing in smells and locking them down. 

You don't need to go on a wild goose chase for this one. Activated charcoal briquettes are readily available at local hardware stores, though they might be slightly overpriced. Try a pet store instead to pick it up for less; activated charcoal is also used to filter aquariums and can be cheaper at these stores. While a single bowl of activated charcoal should do the trick, you can place one on each shelf and even in the freezer if the odor's especially stubborn, just like you would with baking soda. You can also try combining the two; activated charcoal clubbed with baking soda has been found to be more effective and can help absorb a wider range of odors.

Aside from activated charcoal, silica gel is another non-deodorizing ingredient to combat fridge odor. That tiny white packet lying inside the jazzy pair of shoes you just bought, or even inside that packet of assorted dried fruits, that's silica gel. Silica gel works a little differently than the others because it doesn't soak up the odor or change the chemical composition of molecules. Instead, it will absorb any form of moisture in your refrigerator to reduce the humidity levels. Silica gel is a desiccant whose primary purpose is to induce a state of dryness. You can even use it as a storage hack to keep your bag of potato chips fresh and crunchy. 

Though silica gel will be very effective in treating odors that develop due to bacterial growth, it might not be able to tackle all kinds of smells. Instead of tackling odor head-on, silica gel prevents the odor from developing in the first place. This is why combining it with a deodorizing ingredient like vanilla might be a good idea for a guaranteed way to get rid of fridge odor. It's a combo that will tackle both the cause and the effect. Silica gel is available at most online stores, including Amazon, so you don't have to worry about the logistics.

Vanilla is one of those ingredients that makes everything smell sublime, so it's no surprise that a few drops of vanilla extract can also rescue a smelly refrigerator. This comparatively expensive ingredient that is most likely already in your pantry can instantly change the mood inside your fridge. Vanilla not only helps remove that nagging stench by absorbing odors but also masks them with its warm scent. All you need to do is moisten a few cotton balls with vanilla extract and, just like you'd place activated charcoal or baking soda in a bowl, tuck them inside your refrigerator. Or dab a little cooking vanilla on a damp cloth and wipe down the interior.

The only downside to using vanilla for this purpose is that while it smells fantastic, it's not quite as potent as something like baking soda when it comes to odor absorption. For a guaranteed farewell to fridge odor, mix about ½ cup of vinegar with two to three teaspoons of vanilla extract and a cup of water. Pour this into a spray bottle and use it like the vinegar-and-water mix to freshen up your fridge. This blend will make sure that the annoying odor in your fridge doesn't come back for a long time.