Time to Clean the Fridge

It’s winter and you’re probably not going to be mowing the grass, cleaning the gutters or other outdoor chores for a while. Which makes it the perfect time to clean out the fridge.  We know, cleaning the fridge is miserable, but if you do it the right way, it’ll be done in a jiffy and hopefully you won’t have to do it again for quite some time.

Follow these steps to clean it right:

1. Turn on Some Music. If the task is so miserable – and it is – at least put on your favorite jam before you, um, remove your favorite jam from the side shelf of the fridge.
2. Feeling Empty. Remove everything from the fridge.  Separate the items – things going back in the fridge and food that might not make the cut (old Tupperware leftovers, Dijon mustard nobody uses and might have expired in 2015, and whatever is in that old Mason jar back there).
3. Remove shelves, drawers and everything else that can be cleaned in the sink.
4. Spray the fridge with a mixture of vinegar and water, especially the gunky spots that are starting to make you gag. Let that stuff sit. Gunk and vinegar needs private time to be alone.
5. Sink or Swim. Now to clean the shelves and drawers. Use the elbow grease under bright light.  You don’t want a snarky spouse or child smugly saying “You missed a spot….”
6. Lay the shelves/drawers to dry.
7. Back to the Fridge to wipe the vinegar/gunk and hope you won’t have to scrub harder and get old mushrooms under your fingernails. Ew. Besides you should be using rubber gloves.
8. Shelves back in
9. Food back in.
10. Wash your hands. Hot water and soap like your mother taught you.
11. Dance in the kitchen like nobody’s watching. You earned it – you cleaned out the fridge, for cryin’ out loud.