If you have been tuning into our blog, you have likely noticed a trend in our topics. While there are many uses for food grade hydrogen peroxide products, the most common use is cleaning — although there are some things that you can clean with food grade hydrogen peroxide that you might not immediately think of.
When people think of food grade hydrogen peroxide, they usually think of cleaning kitchen countertops, sanitizing fruits and vegetables, and cleaning other common household areas like the bathroom. That said, there are some other things that you can use food grade hydrogen peroxide for that you may have been cleaning with other products — things like your refrigerator.
When people think of cleaning out the refrigerator, they typically think of using environmentally friendly cleaning tools like baking soda. While baking soda is an efficient way to clean out your refrigerator, it can sometimes be tedious and messy. Because of this, it is becoming increasingly more common that people are using clean, safe hydrogen peroxide products instead.
At The One Minute Miracle, we fully advocate for the use of 35% hydrogen peroxide as a cleaning product. 35% hydrogen peroxide is considered to be food-safe — meaning that it is an excellent tool for sanitizing surfaces that your food might come in contact with. Because food grade hydrogen peroxide is such an effective cleaning tool, we thought that we might walk you through how you can use it to deep clean your refrigerator.
When you are cleaning out your refrigerator, it is more than likely that you will have to find a cool place to store your perishable foods during the cleaning process. Some homes have auxiliary refrigerators in the garage, while others do not. If you do not have another refrigerator to move your food to, consider filling a cooler with ice and placing your food in the cooler for the cleaning process.
The first step to cleaning any refrigerator is to remove the shelving and any other features that are designed to be removable. Once they are removed, spray them with your food grade hydrogen peroxide and scrub out any stains or food accumulation that may be present. If there is a lot of stuck-on food, consider cleaning it with an abrasive sponge and hot water — using the food grade hydrogen peroxide to sanitize the removable pieces after they are dry. Next, you can set the components aside and begin to clean the refrigerator itself.
Now that your refrigerator is completely empty of all food and removable components, wipe down the inside of the refrigerator with a dry cloth. Doing so will collect and remove any dried food particles that are in the refrigerator. Next, use an abrasive sponge and warm water to remove any tough stains that might be present. Once the refrigerator appears to be completely clean, it is time to sanitize it with your food grade hydrogen peroxide.
Hydrogen peroxide is best applied by a spray nozzle, as it will allow the mist of hydrogen peroxide to reach the entirety of the surface area, including cracks and otherwise difficult to clean features. After letting the hydrogen peroxide sit for five minutes, wipe the refrigerator down. If you can’t wipe up all of the hydrogen peroxide, keep the refrigerator door open and let it evaporate from the cracks and crevices.
Now that your internal, removable components are clean and have been drying as you cleaned the interior of the refrigerator, it is time to reassemble the fridge. Start from the bottom and work upwards until all of the shelves are installed. Next, you’ll want to close the refrigerator and let it reestablish a safe holding temperature before you add your food back to the shelves. Be sure to wipe down food packaging as you replace it.
Now that you have spent time focusing on the interior of the refrigerator, it is time to clean the exterior. Again, use a dry cloth and an abrasive sponge to clean hard, stuck-on stains before spraying it down with your food grade hydrogen peroxide and wiping it clean. This is generally the easiest step in the cleaning process — but you aren’t done cleaning the exterior.
Any place that water is present, the issue of mold growth is present too. Water that splashes back up into the dispenser and water that accumulates under the tray could create mold issues if not properly cleaned from time to time. To clean the dispenser, spray a rag or paper towel with food grade H2O2 and wipe any internal surfaces that you can thoroughly. For the tray, simply remove the tray and wipe down the collection pan and the tray with a different hydrogen peroxide-soaked cloth.
While baking soda is a traditional tool for cleaning the refrigerator, we see it better as a tool to regulate the humidity levels inside of your clean refrigerator than it is as a primary cleaning tool. At The One Minute Miracle, we have a large selection of 35% hydrogen peroxide products that can be used to safely and effectively clean out your refrigerator, as well as other sensitive kitchen equipment.
So what are you waiting for? Browse our selection of food grade hydrogen peroxide products today for a cleaner refrigerator tomorrow.
