Refrigerators are a haven for smelly foods and clutter. Nearly everyone has experienced the annoyance of having a liquid product leak and spread all over the refrigerator that required special cleaning attention. Regularly cleaning and organizing your refrigerator can help you eliminate the necessity of having leaky foods and unusually heinous smells.
Depending on the type of refrigerator that you have, it may be easier or more difficult for you to keep it cleaned. Large, stacked fridges make it easier to see everything at once. Because the shelves are open and large, you can easily fit serving platters and larger items into your fridges. Side-by-side fridges are hard to fit larger items into, but they generally have more drawer space and have shelves that can be pulled out so that you have easy access to items located in the back of your fridge.
If you have not yet purchased a fridge, or are considering purchasing a new one, then spend some time reading customer reviews and investigating the options available for you. Many people are, however, limited by the size of their kitchens or counter space and may have to choose a refrigerator that it not exactly designed to their absolute specifications.
Make sure that you have a system of organization to your fridge, Understanding where things go can help you eliminate any clutter and stenches caused by old foods. Keep a shelf for drinks, a drawer for produce and a drawer for snacks. Have a shelf for a particular family member, or a shelf dedicated only to a certain type of food, such as bread or casserole dishes. By understanding what goes where, you will know when something has spent too much time in your fridge and needs to be thrown away or eaten.
Make it a monthly chore to go through the shelves and drawers of your fridge to throw away food that has spent too much time in your home. Mayonnaise, your example, should not be kept for more than a year. Many products have shelf lives that greatly decrease after they have been opened. Spend some time on the internet figuring out just how long that jam you got two years ago for Christmas should really stay around.
Do not be afraid to throw food away. If you have not used it in the past three months, chances are, you will not use it in the coming three. Learning to say good bye to old food can be tough, especially if you come from a household where you were required to finish your plate, but it may be the healthiest option for you and your family.
Place prepared items, such as casserole dishes and salads, into airproof containers. Using containers helps to avoid odor retention and will ensure that they also have a longer shelf life. Because so many foods live together in your fridges, it is essential that you enclose the foods that you would like to retail their flavors.
Also, to help eliminate odor, invest in a box of baking soda. The soda absorbs nearly every scent that could be lurking in your fridge.