help me get rid of this odor in fridge

[hellokitty1]

there has been an odor in my fridge for awhile now and we are slowly noticing it infiltrate the food we have in there. it isn't from anything rotten that i can tell. it's just an odor that i am sick of smelling. i am halfway through removing the food and wiping down shelves and walls. but if that doesn't get rid of it, i need help. do those arm and hammer fridge stick-ons really work? i do have a box of baking soda in there but it's old so i doubt it's of any use. any ideas?

[urquie]

my mom always says to use kitty litter. :)

[wencit]

I've used a container of open ground coffee with much success.

[JTsMom]

Did you pull out the produce drawers and/or any ledge that might be hiding something? I've found areas that I never knew existed in my fridge.

I'd first check that, then I'd remove everything and wipe the whole thing down with a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water. Vinegar is really good at killing odors, plus it's safe around food.

[hellokitty]

Is the smell infused into the rubber seal/gasket around the fridge? If so, I wonder if you clean the fridge out and replace the seal, if that will get rid of the beast. There are some smells (like kimchi) that are impossible to get out, even Koreans will admit that once a fridge is overtaken by kimchi or garlic smell, you may as well forget about getting rid of the odor. Mil and fil have donated a couple of kimchi infused smelling fridges to charities...

[hellokitty1]

I've used a container of open ground coffee with much success.
I've got some dunkin donuts left from when i became preggo and stopped drinking it bc of caffeine. i'll try this if my cleaning is not succesful.


Did you pull out the produce drawers and/or any ledge that might be hiding something? I've found areas that I never knew existed in my fridge.

I'd first check that, then I'd remove everything and wipe the whole thing down with a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water. Vinegar is really good at killing odors, plus it's safe around food.
I thought it might be produce so i've cleaned all those out and found nothing hidden. I used a dininfexting wipe with lemon smell but i'll try vnegar too if it doesn't work.


Is the smell infused into the rubber seal/gasket around the fridge? If so, I wonder if you clean the fridge out and replace the seal, if that will get rid of the beast. There are some smells (like kimchi) that are impossible to get out, even Koreans will admit that once a fridge is overtaken by kimchi or garlic smell, you may as well forget about getting rid of the odor. Mil and fil have donated a couple of kimchi infused smelling fridges to charities...
Nio kimchee here (haven't had it in ages) but i do feel lie it's related to something "fresh." it's not ginger and i don't have the pre-chopped garlic. my mom was here for a month after ds was born and did tons of cooking and i think that is when it started...

here's another observation. our ice tastes bad too but our filter is up-to-date and the water doesn't taste bad. it seems like our ice has been impacted too but how can this odor be in the fridge part and freezer part. i dumped out the ice and the new stuff is not so bad but it may just be a matter of time.

this fridge is only three years old - no chance it will be given to charity. :-)

[hellokitty]

I've got some dunkin donuts left from when i became preggo and stopped drinking it bc of caffeine. i'll try this if my cleaning is not succesful.


I thought it might be produce so i've cleaned all those out and found nothing hidden. I used a dininfexting wipe with lemon smell but i'll try vnegar too if it doesn't work.


Nio kimchee here (haven't had it in ages) but i do feel lie it's related to something "fresh." it's not ginger and i don't have the pre-chopped garlic. my mom was here for a month after ds was born and did tons of cooking and i think that is when it started...

here's another observation. our ice tastes bad too but our filter is up-to-date and the water doesn't taste bad. it seems like our ice has been impacted too but how can this odor be in the fridge part and freezer part. i dumped out the ice and the new stuff is not so bad but it may just be a matter of time.

this fridge is only three years old - no chance it will be given to charity. :-)

Have you checked if anything has fallen in the back behind the drawer? I had to kind of laugh about how the stink started after your mom came over and did some cooking. I am pretty sure I would have the same issue if either my mom or mil came over and cooked too...

[hellokitty1]

Have you checked if anything has fallen in the back behind the drawer? I had to kind of laugh about how the stink started after your mom came over and did some cooking. I am pretty sure I would have the same issue if either my mom or mil came over and cooked too...

ok, i finished cleaning it out tonight. i will have to re-smell in the morning. i found nothing rotting in any crevice but... i did smell the 5bulb pack of garlic in my butter shelf and about hurled. that may have been it. my mom did not use much garlic while she was here so that garlic may be old. still doesn't explain why my ice tasted funky though. we'll see how it goes tomorrow.

thanks.

[jessicallyn]

I saw this on the show with the cooking guy from Queer Eye and it does work: place an open bowl or tupperware with activated charcoal in the fridge. Activated charcoal (the cheapest kind is in cartons at the pet store in the fish care aisle) absorbs odors and some contaminants. That's why you use it in water filters (both human and fish).

Just don't let anyone tip it over because it's very dusty!

Good luck