"What's for dinner tonight, Mom?"

"Well, we've got some salmonella, listeria, and a side of E.coli in a botulinum sauce. Yum!"

All right, that's not the kind of dinner menu that'll earn any Michelin stars, and I'm exaggerating. But without proper cleaning and maintenance, the average household fridge can play host to all or any of the above, not to mention a funky odor that assaults your nostrils every time you open that fridge door. Yes, that welcome light and frosty greeting can lull you into a sense of security. Unfortunately, however, your fridge is a Trojan Horse when it comes to harboring things that can do you harm.

How dirty is your refrigerator?

One study on a carelessly maintained home fridge found that salad drawers alone contained an average of 7,850 bacteria units per square centimeter, that's almost 800 times the number of bacterial units considered safe for food preparation.

How often should you clean your fridge?

Experts recommend giving your fridge the once over every week, especially the crispers and the meat storage areas. Deep cleaning, which means taking everything out to clean, should happen every 3-4 months. Freezers need cleaning every 2-3 months.

How to keep your fridge clean

Guidelines on keeping your fridge clean include:

• Wiping up spills immediately using hot soapy water.
• Rinsing jars, containers, and bottles that can get encrusted with food on the outside. 
• Disposing of outdated foods weekly, and leftovers more often. 
• Avoiding using solvent cleaning agents and abrasives as they can damage your fridge and affect temperature regulation.
• Scrubbing down the interior shelves and drawers with warm, soapy water.
• Wiping the fridge door handle, the most touched part of the refrigerator. 
• Dusting the front grill of your fridge to maintain airflow and cooling efficiency. 

Refrigerators are at the heart of your kitchen, which in turn is at the heart of your home. So, make the heart of your home a haven by keeping your fridge clean!

Reviewed-approved cleaning recommendations:

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