FAQ Portal

Refrigerator and freezer

4 questions

QUESTION: Refrigerator and freezer: how to properly defrost the freezer?

Proper and regular defrosting of the freezer compartment is the key to its long-lasting operation, efficient energy saving, and hygienic food storage. Start this process by creating a simple step-by-step plan that includes defining the goal, estimating the budget for potential cleaning products, allocating the necessary timeframe, and preparing a list of materials.

First of all, you will need to prepare everything necessary for the job: cleaning sponges, soft microfiber cloths, a safe detergent, containers for collecting meltwater, as well as insulated bags or a cooler bag if the weather is warm, so that temporarily moving the food does not cause it to thaw.

Then proceed in small iterations and check the result at each step, starting with unplugging the appliance from the electrical outlet and temporarily moving all frozen supplies into the prepared insulated bags.

Next, open the freezer door, remove all removable drawers and shelves, and lay highly absorbent towels on the bottom of the compartment or place wide containers for the draining water. Let the ice melt naturally, avoiding the use of sharp metal objects and knives that could damage the plastic or puncture the cooling circuit.

After complete thawing, thoroughly wash the internal surfaces with warm water and a mild soapy solution, remove residual moisture with a dry cloth, and leave the door open for a while to air out completely.

At the final stage, return the clean drawers to their places, plug the freezer in, and wait about an hour for the temperature inside to stabilize before carefully putting the food back.

[ITEM 2] QUESTION: Refrigerator and freezer: how to remove odors and bacteria?

Eliminating unpleasant odors and fighting bacteria in the refrigerator requires a comprehensive approach, regularity, and compliance with certain hygiene rules. Maintaining ideal cleanliness in your refrigerator starts with setting up a convenient checklist that will help you clearly control what disinfectants to buy, which areas to measure for proper space organization, and with which family members to coordinate the general cleaning schedule. Maintaining such a list and tracking the costs of quality household chemicals prevents repeated rework and unnecessary budget overspending on purchasing new spoiled food.

To effectively combat microorganisms and persistent aromas, you need to act step by step, regularly checking the condition of every corner of the compartment.

•Audit all products, ruthlessly getting rid of expired food, forgotten leftover dishes in containers, and vegetables showing signs of decay, as they are the main source of bacterial growth.
•Completely empty the shelves and drawers, then thoroughly wash all internal walls, door sealing gaskets, and hard-to-reach grooves with a special disinfecting solution or a mixture of warm water with added baking soda or vinegar.
•Install natural odor absorbers, such as an open pack of baking soda, activated carbon, lemon slices, or special green tea extract gel cartridges that effectively neutralize aromas.
•Follow the rules of food compatibility and airtight packaging; store pungent cheeses, fish, and prepared meals only in tightly closed containers or vacuum bags.
•Regularly wipe the external refrigerator handles and control panels with antibacterial wipes, as they accumulate the maximum number of microbes from the hands of all family members.

[ITEM 3] QUESTION: Refrigerator and freezer: how to organize food storage?

Competent organization of food storage in the refrigerator and freezer directly affects food freshness, cooking speed, and the convenience of daily use of household appliances. The answer on proper space organization is based on a strict principle: safety and engineering first, and only then convenience and decor, because proper air circulation and a stable temperature regime are more important than external beauty. By adhering to this principle, you will ensure a long food storage life and minimize the number of hidden problems like rapid vegetable spoilage or mold growth.

To establish ideal order, implement the following practical steps:

•Divide the internal space into temperature zones: allocate the top shelves to prepared meals, dairy products, and desserts, the middle ones to semi-finished products and sausages, and the bottom ones, including the freshness zone, to raw meat, fish, and fresh vegetables with herbs.
•Use transparent plastic containers and rectangular organizers that allow you to utilize the entire depth of the shelves and clearly see the contents without having to rearrange jars.
•On the refrigerator door, store only sauces, drinks, vegetable oil, and hermetically packaged products with a long shelf life, as this is where the most frequent temperature fluctuations occur when opening.
•For the freezer, use the labeling method: sign the freezing date on bags or containers using masking tape and a marker to use products with expiring shelf lives first.
•Arrange products according to the FIFO (First In, First Out) principle, placing fresh packages behind those purchased earlier so that nothing sits around indefinitely.

[ITEM 4] QUESTION: Refrigerator and freezer: how to quickly wash shelves and drawers?

Quick and effective washing of refrigerator shelves and drawers helps maintain hygiene without wasting extra hours of personal time and physical effort. To solve this household task, the proven 80/20 rule works great: first, solve two or three main pain points, such as sticky spots, old grease, and unpleasant plaque in recesses, and only then improve the small details. This approach allows you to focus on the most important things and achieve maximum results with minimal energy expenditure.

Before you start washing, be sure to let the glass shelves and plastic drawers warm up a bit at room temperature if you just took them out of the refrigerator, to avoid cracks from thermal shock.

Then prepare a spacious sink or bathtub, lining the bottom with a soft towel so as not to accidentally scratch the fragile plastic or tempered glass during washing.

Use warm water and a mild dish soap or a special refrigerator cleaning spray, avoiding abrasive powders, stiff brushes, and metal sponges that leave micro-scratches.

To remove ingrained dirt and yellowness on plastic parts, prepare a paste of baking soda and a small amount of water, gently distribute it over problem areas and leave for ten minutes, then rinse off with a sponge.

After finishing the wash, thoroughly wipe each element dry with a clean microfiber towel so that when you put them back on the shelves, water drops do not turn into icy streaks.