Are you ever greeted by a funky smell every time you open the refrigerator? Whether it be the lingering odor from old food, those leftovers you forgot to throw away or that expensive cheese that's past its expiration date, smelly refrigerator odors are enough to make you feel sick.
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Your first plan of action might be to check the refrigerator temperature, empty it out, remove shelves, wipe down with a white vinegar and warm water solution, and then pop in a brand new box of baking soda -even if it's an eyesore.
While those are some great solutions, banish those odors for good by trying out one of these simple, all-natural odor eliminators that you can keep inside of your fridge. Say goodbye to those harsh cleaning sprays and that brightly colored box of baking soda that you can use for your baking instead.
Check out some refrigerator cleaning tips to give your fridge the sparkle it deserves.
1. Use Fresh Coffee Grounds
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If the smell of coffee brewing is one way to get you out of bed in the morning, then this refrigerator odor eliminator is for you. Place fresh coffee grounds in a small bowl or mason jar in the refrigerator to help absorb any stubborn odors.
Regular coffee grounds are perfectly fine, but if you want to kick things up a notch, try using flavored coffee grounds like French vanilla or pumpkin spice. Make sure to do this in addition to your regular fridge cleaning. Just another reason to love coffee!
2. Soak Cotton Balls in Vanilla Extract
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After you clean your fridge and throw away any old food, keep it smelling fresh and sweet with vanilla extract. Who can resist that smell? All you need to do is take a small bowl and fill it with cotton balls that have been soaked in vanilla extract.
Now you'll never regret opening the refrigerator door.
3. Use Lemon Slices
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Fresh and acidic, lemons add a bright flavor to salad dressing and marinades, but can also be used as an all-natural cleaner. After you clean up spills and wipe down the refrigerator, place lemon slices all around the inside. They will soak up any bad odors and leave your fridge smelling lemony fresh.
If you don't want to use lemons, orange slices work as well. Keep in mind that they only last about a week.
4. Use White Vinegar
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White vinegar is a powerful, inexpensive household staple and can help eliminate odors coming from the inside of your fridge. Just place a bowl or cup filled with white vinegar in the refrigerator.
If that's not enough, mix up a cleaning spray with equal parts warm water and white vinegar and use that to wipe down refrigerator shelves and drawers with a clean cloth or paper towel.
5. Use Dry Oats
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Dry oats do a great job with soaking in the odors creeping around the inside of your fridge. Just place a bowl in the refrigerator for a few hours and throw away when you are done.
6. Make This DIY Refrigerator Deodorizer
All you need for this simple refrigerator deodorizer is baking soda, lemon or orange essential oil, and a glass spice jar. Baking soda is known to absorb odors and the essential oil gives a fresh scent. It also looks way prettier than that big ol' box of baking soda!
7. Make These Homemade Odor Eliminator Tabs
Instead of wasting an entire box of baking soda, try out these effective odor eliminator tabs. With a mixture of baking soda, water, and essential oil, these tabs are perfect to place inside after fridge cleaning.
You can also place the tabs in other places around the house to get rid of smells. Try placing in the garbage can and in different cabinets around the house.
