Spills, sticky jars and forgotten leftovers build up quickly in a fridge. A thorough clean every few months keeps food fresher, removes smells and lets you see what you have. Allow about an hour, and do it just before a grocery run, when the fridge is emptiest.
What you need
- Cooler bag or box with ice packs
- Mild dish soap and warm water
- Baking soda
- Microfibre cloths and a soft sponge
- Old toothbrush
- Towels
- Bin bag
Get ready
- Pick your timing. Clean when the fridge is low on food. Singapore’s heat means perishables should not sit out for long, so pack meat, seafood, dairy and leftovers into a cooler with ice packs and work steadily.
- Switch off. Turn the fridge off at the power point or unplug it. With a fridge-freezer, check the manual to see whether the freezer can keep running while you clean the fridge section.
- Empty it. Take everything out and throw away expired, spoiled or forgotten food straight away.
Wash shelves and drawers
Remove all the removable shelves, drawers and door bins. Let glass shelves come to room temperature before washing them, because hot water on cold glass can crack it.
Wash everything in warm soapy water. For sticky residue, apply a paste of baking soda and water, leave it for a few minutes and scrub gently with a soft sponge. Rinse well and dry completely before refitting.
Clean the interior
- Lift loose mess. Wipe up crumbs and loose spills first.
- Wash from top to bottom. Wipe the ceiling, walls and floor of the fridge with warm soapy water, or about two tablespoons of baking soda dissolved in a litre of warm water. Working downwards means drips land on areas you have not cleaned yet.
- Soften stubborn spots. Lay a warm damp cloth over dried-on marks for a few minutes, then wipe. Equal parts water and vinegar also help with sticky patches.
- Clear the drain hole. Many fridges have a small drain on the back wall. If water pools at the bottom of the fridge, clear the drain gently with a pipe cleaner or cotton bud.
- Rinse and dry. Wipe with a clean damp cloth, then dry every surface with a towel.
Avoid abrasive scourers, which scratch plastic liners, and strong chemicals inside a compartment that holds food.
Clean the door seals
Food and moisture collect in the folds of the rubber door seal, and black spots can form in our humid climate. Clean the folds with a toothbrush dipped in warm soapy water, then dry them.
While you are there, test the seal. Close the door on a sheet of paper: if it slides out easily, the seal may not be closing properly and the fridge has to work harder to stay cold.
Clean the outside
- Handles: wipe with soapy water, since they are touched many times a day.
- Doors and sides: wipe with a soft cloth. On stainless steel, wipe along the grain and dry to prevent streaks.
- Top: clear and dust it. Grease and dust settle here, especially in open kitchens.
- Coils and vents: if your model has exposed coils at the back or a grille at the bottom, unplug the fridge and vacuum the dust gently. Check the manual first.
Restock
- Switch the fridge back on and let it cool before returning food. A fridge should run at about 4°C or below.
- Wipe the bottoms of jars and bottles before they go back in.
- Store raw meat and seafood in sealed containers on the bottom shelf, so juices cannot drip onto other food.
- Keep ready-to-eat food and leftovers on the upper shelves.
- Label leftovers with the date.
- Leave space between items so cold air can circulate.
Clear containers make it easier to see what you have, so less gets forgotten at the back.
Keep it fresh
- Deodorise. An open box of baking soda or a small dish of activated charcoal absorbs odours. Replace the baking soda every few months.
- Wipe spills straight away. Fresh spills take seconds to clean; dried ones need scrubbing.
- Check weekly. Before each grocery run, throw out old leftovers and move older items to the front.
- Deep clean every three to four months, or sooner after a power cut or a bad spill.
The kitchen cleaning checklist covers the rest of the kitchen in a daily, weekly and monthly routine.
If the whole kitchen needs attention, our deep cleaning service covers kitchens, cabinets and appliance exteriors within an agreed scope. List the fridge interior and any other priority areas when you share photos, so the team can confirm what is included. Before a festival or guests, appliance interiors can be added as an optional task to spring cleaning.
