How Often Should You Be Cleaning Your Fridge?
Lifestyle - News
By SARA CASKEY
It's not uncommon to put leftover food in the fridge and tell yourself you'll eat it in the next few days, only to discover your food in the back of your fridge much later on, having turned stinky, inedible, and possibly dangerous. This is how often you should clean your fridge to prevent terrible smells and bacterial growth.
According to GQ, you should deep-clean your fridge every three to four months, which means discarding items you no longer need. When cleaning, unplug your fridge, remove all items and detachable shelving, and reorganize food so it’s easily accessible; if there’s a lingering bad smell, put an open container of baking soda in the fridge.
Instead of letting cleaning work pile up, it's best to do regular upkeep with your fridge, like wiping down the handles, checking the temperature, and cleaning up spills or expired food immediately to prevent bacterial infection. Do weekly check-ups on food, especially dairy products, to see if they’re still edible, and when in doubt, throw it out.