Yes, you read that right! The best way to clean refrigerator coils; not the refrigerator surface or the shelves. Contrary to what most people think, cleaning a refrigerator involves more than just wiping the shelves and throwing away overstayed foods; it also constitutes cleaning the coils.

The Best Way to Clean Refrigerator Coils

If you own a refrigerator, you most probably have seen those long tubes that run along the base or bottom part of the fridge. These are refrigerator coils. Cleaning the coils not only ensures that your refrigerator remains cold for long periods without consuming much electricity, but also remains durable and highly efficient.

Considering that the fridge is a very important kitchen appliance, you wouldn’t want it to provide any lesser performance than it is supposed to, would you? We wouldn’t want that happening either. And the good thing is that cleaning refrigerator coils is more of a do-it-yourself task.

In this article, we have researched and come up with the best ways to clean refrigerator coils. The article discusses all the steps and different methods involving in cleaning the coils. Read along!

 

Preparing the Refrigerator

Before you can start cleaning the coils, you first need to prepare the refrigerator. The main goal of preparing the refrigerator is to ensure that a safe environment and surrounding is maintained during the coil cleaning process.

Preparing the refrigerator and its surroundings is a very crucial step to cleaning the coils. It is no wonder that this process is usually described as ‘half the battle’, when it comes to cleaning refrigerator coils.

The first step to preparing the refrigerator is unplugging it from the power source. Otherwise, failure to disconnect it from the socket can put you at a risk of shocking yourself while cleaning it. The best way to disconnect a refrigerator is to unplug the fridge power cord. However, if the plug is inaccessible for any reason, follow along the circuit connecting the fridge, then disconnect the circuit breaker.

Considering that the refrigerator will go without power for quite some time, it will be a good idea to empty it. If you have a second fridge or a cooler, you can move the food there. Then, remove all the shelves, so that the refrigerator remains completely empty.

After emptying the fridge, move it, so that you can be able to freely access the floor area where it usually stands. If your fridge has its coils located on the bottom, remove the bottom panel to make it easier to access the coils (you can consult the refrigerator manual on how to go about this). It is always a good idea to first clean the inside of the fridge before proceeding to clean the coils.

 

Cleaning the Refrigerator Coils

After disconnecting your refrigerator, emptying it, cleaning the interior and moving it away from the wall, you can now get down to the coil cleaning process. There are different approaches that you can use to clean refrigerator coils. The method that you choose to use will depend on two things:

  • How dirty the refrigerator coils are.
  • Whether the refrigerator coils have any grime or food stains that require extra attention.

The following are two effective methods on how you can clean your refrigerator coils naturally; such that your increase their efficiency and performance:

 

Method 1: Using a Brush and Vacuum

Materials Needed:

  • Dust Mask
  • Refrigerator Coil Brush
  • Vacuum Cleaner (preferably that with a crevice tool and a vacuum hose)
  • Safety Goggles or Glasses

The Process:

1. Using a coil brush, dust off and remove all accumulated dust on the refrigerator coils. Ensure that you access even the crevices and the undersides. The coils are usually protected from most kitchen messes; hence, they usually accumulate less dirt and dust. Simply brushing off the coils with a coil brush will most likely leave these sparkling clean.

2. Using a vacuum cleaner, vacuum up any loosened dust. Also, vacuum the bottom part of the fridge, irrespective of whether the coils are located at the back or not. Repeat this until the refrigerator coils are clean. Don’t forget to wear your dust mask and safety goggles; this protective gear prevents dust from getting into your lungs and eyes.

 

Method 2: Using a DIY Cleaner

Sometimes, the refrigerator coils may have stains and grime that simple brushing cannot remove. In such cases, the best way to clean these coils would be to use cleaners that can remove these tough stains.

While you can get most of these cleaners from your local store, you can also make homemade ones. For instance, homemade glue removers can be used to perfectly remove tough stains from refrigerator coils. The good thing about homemade cleaners is that they are environmental-friendly and do not fill the air with chemicals, as commercial cleaners do.

Materials Needed:

  • Warm Water
  • Baking Soda
  • 1 tsp Vinegar
  • Clean Cloth
  • Refrigerator Coil Brush
  • Spray Bottle
  • Soft Brush
  • 1 tsp Rubbing Alcohol

The Process:

1. Combine the vinegar and rubbing alcohol in the empty spray bottle. Then, add the warm water to the bottle and shake it to mix the products evenly. Spray the mixture on the refrigerator coils, and especially on the tough stains and grime. Let the mixture to sit for about ten minutes.

2. Using a refrigerator coil brush, scrub the coils gently to remove all stains. Then, wipe them clean. If the coils still have some stubborn stains, sprinkle some baking soda on the stains. Then, repeat the process until the refrigerator coils are sparkling clean.

 

How Often Should You Clean Refrigerator Coils?

You should clean your refrigerator coils at least once a year. However, if you have pets around the house, it would be best to clean the coils at least twice per year. Dirty coils usually force a refrigerator to work harder to keep the food cold, in turn leading to reduced efficiency and high energy costs.

Therefore, when you clean your refrigerator coils, you increase their performance and extend their life. More so, you reduce the energy costs that you would have otherwise incurred due to dirty coils.

 

Most people don’t really think about their fridges until they’ve broken down. And by then, it is usually too late. The fridge is not only a crucial appliance in the kitchen, but also an expensive machine. Therefore, unless are willing to spend a lot on your refrigerator, it is high time you paid keen attention to its maintenance.

A good way to maintain and increase the life of your refrigerator is by cleaning the coils. The two discussed the best way to clean refrigerator coils can help you clean these effectively, so that your refrigerator appears as if it came straight from the showroom!

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