Matti Daniels
Family and Consumer Sciences

Spring clean your refrigerator

As you tackle spring cleaning, do not forget your refrigerator! Keeping your refrigerator clean is an important part of keeping your food safe.

Start by throwing out perishable foods that should no longer be eaten.

As a general rule, the safe storage time for cooked leftovers is four days; raw poultry and ground meats is one to two days. Contact the Whitley County Cooperative Extension Service office or refer to a cold storage chart like the one at http://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/charts/storagetimes.html to find safe storage times for specific foods. Do not taste items to see whether they are still good. The bacteria that cause food poisoning cannot be smelled or tasted.

Remove drawers and wash them with hot soapy water in the kitchen sink. Rinse well and dry with a clean cloth.

Clean other interior surfaces with hot, soapy water, rinse and dry. For added safety, you can sanitize drawers and surfaces with a diluted bleach and water solution (one tablespoon unscented bleach to one gallon of water). Let stand for 15 seconds and dry thoroughly with paper towels.

The exterior of the refrigerator may be cleaned with a mild dishwashing detergent or a cleaner that is made for appliance use.

Clean the front grill and condenser coil with a brush or vacuum cleaner to remove dirt and lint. This helps with air flow and can help your refrigerator run more efficiently.

To keep your refrigerator clean and safe year-round, get in the habit of wiping up spills immediately. To keep it smelling fresh, place an opened box of baking soda on a shelf and replace with a fresh box every three months.

Now, on to the rest of the house.

For more information or reference and source information, contact the Whitley County Cooperative Extension Service at 549-1430; email DL_CES_WHITLEY@EMAIL.UKY.EDU; or visit the office currently located in Cumberland Regional Mall, 965 S. Highway 25W, Williamsburg.