14 Cures for a Stinky Fridge

So far we’ve covered lots of tips that will change the way you use your fridge, but we forgot one thing… what to do about a stinky fridge! That’s right… We’ve all been there and I know we can all relate to having that urge for a midnight snack only to search out and find where that foul smell is coming from! The search is on to find out where, or scarier yet what that smell is! It’s not the trash again, is it?!

Here are some tips on how to get bad smells out of a stinky fridge right now!

Do you remember the saying, nobody cries over spilled milk?! Unless it’s mom, then yes she cries over the spilled milk! The smell of spoiled milk is one of the worst smells ever! Let’s say you open up the fridge looking for a snack when WHAM… that smell hits you right in the face all of the sudden you lose your appetite, or if you’re like me you close it and see what’s in the kitchen pantry! Here are a few tips to get rid of the stinky fridge smell quickly and affordably!

Check out these 5 different hacks to get rid of the stinky, smelly, fridge below!!

1. Baking soda in a shaker jar to get rid of bad smells

I know that we’ve all heard that you should keep a box of baking soda in the fridge to keep odors at bay, right? A good thing to do also is to try this idea for even more odor-fighting effectiveness: put the baking soda in a shaker jar. I also like to put it in a cup and place it on the shelf in the fridge that way there is more airflow as well! The more baking soda is exposed to the air both ways, allowing it to absorb more odors. If you want to go the extra mile put a couple of drops of essential oils in the baking soda too! I like the citrusy smells the best. Essential oils are a great way to boost the fresh smell to get the stink out!

2. Baking soda in a coffee filter

If your anything like me you needs your coffee wake me up in the morning! Coffee in the morning, coffee in the afternoon, coffee in your refrigerator?? Sure why not! There is another idea that involves coffee you simply put some baking soda in a coffee filter, tie it up, and put it in your fridge. This was such a genius idea and so simple and convenient too! It allows for plenty of circulation and absorption of odors, too. (Take a look at our coffee filter ideas for more ways to use them!)

3. Charcoal to help eliminate odors

Who would think of charcoal to help get rid of stinky fridge smells? I think this idea is genius! I personally love charcoal to get rid of toxins in your body, so why not use it for getting rid of stinky smelly refrigerator smells too?! Sure why not?! This idea was a new one for me but it might just do the trick for you! All you have to do is put a few briquettes in a bowl in the fridge or use one of these handy Fridge-It cubes to hold charcoal and hang it out of your way. (Get it here!)

4. Newspapers are great for stinky smells

Newspapers are great for reading but they also help absorb smelly odors as well! Remember that time your kid turned the switch off on the front of the deep freezer from our basement and we had no idea for days! Imagine the horrendous smell?? So when the power goes out or your son decides to turn off your freezer and food has gone bad in the fridge or freezer, it can take several days to get the stink out. In addition to the charcoal idea above, clear out all the food and stuff lots of newspapers inside. Repeat for a few days until the odors are gone.

5. Press ‘N Seal on the fridge shelves

So when you think of press and seal I am thinking of those sticky things that you place in the bottom of kitchen cabinets! There are so many other uses including in your fridge! This is just another genius trick to prevent smells is by cleaning up messes FAST. It can make cleanup a breeze by applying Press ‘N Seal wrap to your refrigerator shelves. Have a spill or a mystery sticky substance? Just pull up the wrap and replace it.

6. Make your own refrigerator deodorizer

1. Baking soda
2. essential oils
3. A little bit of water

They’re super easy, and you don’t have to worry about boxes or containers.

7. Vinegar is a great cleaner

I love vinegar for another all-natural cleaner that does the trick! Do you want a powerful cleaner that naturally eliminates odor? Vinegar is where it’s at! It’s one of my go-to’s for all-natural cleaning for refrigerator smells. Make your own with heated vinegar and water (1 cup vinegar to 2 parts hot water). Add some essential oils to make it smell better. I like to use either lemon or lime, essential oils! The fresh citrus smells help get the stink out! Plus vinegar on its own doesn’t smell that pleasant!

8. Baking soda and water or vinegar

When spring rolls around and you have some extra time on your hands so why not do some deep cleaning! Baking soda is a great all-natural deep cleaner, just make sure you rinse it off right away, or else it will leave a cloudy film all over and that would not be pretty!! All you need is a little elbow grease as they say! The best way to deep clean your fridge is whenever you have a super sticky mess on your hands. Use baking soda and water (or baking soda and vinegar) to clean the shelves and drawers after you’ve removed them

9. Mold is the worst in a stinky fridge!

Mold can grow in moist places and can be tough to get rid of sometimes. Nobody likes the smell of mold, it can make you sick, and it’s really stinky and hard to get rid of! To do a thorough cleaning make sure that you really get in the nooks and crannies of the drawers and shelves, as sometimes mold can hide there. Luckily it’s a quick fix! And a moldy fridge is a smelly fridge, my friends.

10. Check the fridge for any spills you cannot see easily

Sometimes it’s a good idea to make sure there is no rotting food lurking in one of the fridge drawers. The best way to examine your stinky fridge is to get make sure you know the source of where the smell is coming from or you’ll never get rid of bad odors. Make sure to be extra diligent and look through the food items in your fridge to find spoiled produce, rancid dairy products, or anything else that could be causing a funky odor.

11. Freshen it up with some lemon scent

Who doesn’t love the smell of lemons?? It has to be one of my favorite smells on earth! There is just something about it that makes me scream “Clean”! Here is another great tip for getting the stinky smells out! Reuse those lemons after you’ve squeezed the juice out of them! Place them in a bowl in the fridge to give your refrigerator a fresh, citrusy scent. Say it with me now, mmmmmm, ahhhhhh! You might even want to eat the fridge it will be so squeaky clean!

12. Coffee is a great way to get rid of the stink

A life without coffee is well let’s not go there right now! Who doesn’t like a good cuppa joe in the morning or afternoon to pick me up? I know I do! Don’t throw away those used coffee grounds instead, here is a great way to save them from the morning! If you love the smell of coffee, reuse those old coffee grounds as an odor absorber in the fridge. You can use this fancy gadget or just put them in a bowl. It’s always a good idea to recycle when you can.

13. Dry oatmeal to help absorb and eliminate odors

I usually like to eat oatmeal for breakfast but who knew it would help absorb stinky fridge odors too?! If you have nothing else on hand at the time there is one more option and it’s something we all have in our lazy Susan or pantry! If you’re all out of the above solutions, one thing almost everyone has on hand is oatmeal. That’s right, just put a bowl of dry oatmeal in the fridge to absorb that stinky smell. I would not recommend eating it after use so be sure to throw it out once the smell is gone.