Use a dry towel to dust off the dirt, dust, fur, and fingerprints. Then apply a cleaning solution. Use a stainless steel cleaning kit, a vinegar solution, or a baking soda solution. Wipe off the cleaning solution with the help of cloth in a circular motion. End with an olive oil rub to preserve the shine.
Read our 7 step by step process to know more about how to clean the fridge exteriors.
Cleaning the fridge is a chore that no one enjoys.
I’ve often desired that manufacturers would produce a refrigerator with a striped, streaked surface that would hide the filth and oil. But that would again destroy the looks.
A modern-day Refrigerator has a Shiny outside. That makes it look elegant and stylish. They can either add or destroy the looks of the pace that it occupies.
So, keeping it clean is also very important. Both with respect to Hygiene and Aesthetics.
What makes your refrigerator exterior dirty?
Refrigerator exteriors are the ones that are exposed parts of the fringe. So they are bound to be dirty. So let us see if that can make it dirty or make it look messy.
- Dirt.
- Water Stains.
- Liquid Stains
- Oil Stain
- Oily and greasy feel
- Fingerprints
- Furs.
If we don clean the refrigerator exterior then the dirt will settle and start accumulating on the fridge exterior. At first, it will be like this.
Ok.
But, soon you’ll realize that it needs to be cleaned.
Sometimes while serving, storing, or even cleaning you can accidentally spill water or any liquid on the refrigerator. These will stains.
So you’ll need to clean that.
In that case, I am sure you will take immediate action. But you will need some help with cleaning agents. So keep on reading.
Do you have a particular dog, cat, or other pets at home? They can be naughty and mischievous at times. You can often find their fur (and paw prints) which will adhere to the already-present film of frying oily grease.
This will create a stubborn stain.
Now we do not have to go to is extremes. Kids and also adults leave their fingerprint marks on the fridge. You will do a great job if you clean when that print is seen.
But it does not happen always. We somehow always become busy that these small details are left ignored. Now the oils and grease will deposit on it and will create a bad stain.
Why should you clean the exterior of your fridge?
Cleaning of the refrigerator should be done at least once a week. The reasons are very visible after reading about how can the refrigerator becomes dirty.
If you clean it once a week, then you’ll see the positives.
Increase the longevity of your fridge.
Looks clean.
Looks attractive and enhances the look of your room,
Maintains good hygiene standards.
These are the common things that cane to my mind. If you have any other points then let me know.
Now let us see how e can focus on cleaning. But first, we need to know what task we have on our hands.
So, let us start with the refrigerator surface that we need to clean.
Refrigerator surfaces.
A Refrigerator has 6 Surfaces.
- Top
- Bottom
- Front
- Back
- Right side
- Left Side
Now out of these, we can exclude the bottom surface. It is also important. But we will talk about that in some other post.
The Backside contains the Coils. I know you might like to avoid it also.
Yes, I also feel the same way. But we cannot avoid it.
The back of the refrigerator should be cleaned twice a year.
Now we have the top, both the Right and left sides. These are continuous sheets of metal. So it Will be our main concern while cleaning.
Also the most important is the front which has the doors. Now let’s see what is a refrigerator’s outside surface made of.
The material used in making the outside of a Refrigerator.
Nowadays you have seen either shiny steel-colored Fridges or attractive-looking refrigerators in different colors.
Ever wondered,
What is the attractive-looking refrigerator exterior is made up of?
It is very important to know because it depends on what solutions and products you can use while cleaning them.
The Body of a refrigerator has a three-layer model
- The Inner Sheet
- The middle Insulation
- The Outer exterior
A Refrigerator Exterior Sheet is made of A Stainless Steel Sheet, A Metal Sheet, or an Aluminum Sheet. The Inner sheet is made of either aluminum sheets, metal sheets,s or plastics.
The Middle Insulation is the portion between the outer and the inner Sheet. It is made of polyfoam or fiberglass.
Now that we have acquired enough knowledge about the fridge surfaces, I think we can progress with the cleaning.
Cleaning Agents
You can clean the outside of your refrigerator using a variety of cleaning agents. An excellent all-purpose cleaner should be sufficient enough.
You will need a spray bottle.
If you have a stainless steel refrigerator, read the warnings before purchasing a cleaning solution. Please ensure that it will not harm the finish. Also, keep on reading I have made a list of things that you should avoid.
Vinegar Solution
In a spray bottle, combine white vinegar and water in a 1:1 ratio for a simple cleaning solution.
Vinegar is a great kitchen product that has disinfectant properties. It is commonly used in cleaning the exterior and interior of kitchen appliances.
A Medical study conducted in 2015 studied how vinegar acted as a disinfectant and killed bacteria like E. Coli and Staphylococcus aureus.
Dish Soap
If you don’t have access to white Vinegar or if you do not want to use White Vinegar you can always use a Dish soap.
Simply add water to dish soap and make a solution of it.
The dish soap solution should not be too thick. In that case, once sprayed it might stick to the fridge surface. If it is thick it can also leave staining on the surface instead of cleaning it.
So, what should you do?
You should mix the dish soap and water. Keep the solution more watery. Stir it until you have foam. Once you have foam, then this is the right proportion. You have your Dish Soap Solution ready to use.
Also if you are using a solid soap or powder, make sure that there are no solid particles in the dish soap solution.
Baking Soda
Another good and common household alternative is baking soda. Baking soda is good for getting rid of dirt and greasy stains.
So if you have oily stains on your fridge then Baking Soda will come to your rescue.
Now baking soda and soap are both acidic in nature. But Baking soda is harder. it might leave some abrasion.
It is also a Non-toxic and natural substance. it is also commonly available.
If baking soda is consumed by pests, then it will kill them. So it is also natural, non-toxic pest control.
You might also know that Baking soda will absorb smells.
So,
A Baking Soda is a natural, non-toxic pest control and cleaning product. It will remove greasy, oily stains and will also absorb smells. That is why use Baking Soda while cleaning the back of the refrigerator.
Now, you would like to use a milder and more commonly available cleaning solution. Use the Dish Soap Solution.
LCD Cleaner or Glass Cleaner
If you want do not want to use soap water, baking soda, or Vinegar and also do not have access to Stainless Steel Cleaner Kit. Then you can use an LCD Cleaner or a regular Glass Cleaner Spray.
Both of them will work fine.
Apply them directly to the Fridge body, wait for some time then Clean it.
Now, after talking about the agents we can now talk about how to apply them.
Stainless Steel Cleaner Kit
There is a number of Stainless Steel Cleaner Kit that are available on the market. They work well. It will remove all the dirt, stains, even stubborn stains, and fingerprints.
They also give a shiny posh to the exterior surface.
Cleaning Cloths
The microfiber cloth will be ideal for cleaning the fridge. It is made of polyester and polyamide (nylon).
You can use the microfiber cloth to:
- Clean the dust
- Clean the dirt.
- Wipe off the cleaning solution.
Microfiber cloth also absorbs water and can also clean when it is wet. So, it will absorb the cleaning solution, without leaving any stain.
Use a microfiber cloth, particularly for those refrigerators which are made of stainless steel.
In their absence, a soft sponge or an old, faded t-shirt will suffice.
Sponges
Sponges are fantastic for cleaning dust and filth off of the fridge, but removing fur and heavy dust with a sponge is difficult.
In that case, you would like to spray the cleaning solution once again and leave it for some time. And also use microfiber. If possible apply a bit more pressure. But don’t apply too much pressure for too long, it might leave an abrasion on the surface.
Do Not use stainless steel cooking sponges. An abrasive sponge should not be used since it may damage the surface.
Paper Towel
Alternatively, a paper towel can be used. Choose an eco-friendly brand that can be recycled to avoid adding to the waste stream.
Step By Step process To Clean the Exterior of the Fridge
Now that, we have all the ingredients that we need to clean the fridge, let’s proceed with the cleaning process.
You will need:
- Two Dry Cloth.
- Paper Towel
- Cleaning Solution
- Pair of Gloves.
- Olive Oil
Here is a 6 easy to do step by step process of how to Clean the Exterior of a refrigerator. The process is very easy. So you can easily follow it.
- Step 1
Use a Dry Microfiber and dust and whip the refrigerator exterior. The motion should be unidirectional. I prefer the top to the down.
Also, dust the corners. - Step 2
Now focus on the Handles and the nearby areas. Whip it off and dust it with a dry microfiber cloth or cotton cloth.
The direction should be unidirectional. - Step 3
Apply the Cleaning Agent. You can use any of the cleaning agents, that are mentioned above.
In case you are using Vinegar solution or baking soda solution, then it is better to spray on the towel. Then apply it to the surface. - Step 4
Let the Cleaning Solution rest for 2 minutes to 3 minutes.
- Step 5
Now, Whip off the clean solution from the surface of the outside of the fridge.
Use a circular motion.
Apply a bit of pressure. But avoid applying too much pressure.
In case of stubborn stain, Again repeat Step 3. - Step 6
Now Dry it off with a dry towel or a paper towel.
- Step 7
You can apply Olive oil or Coconut oil, in case you are not using Stainless Steel Cleaning Kit. These will give extra shine to the exterior of the refrigerator.
Pour a few drops of oil on a dry towel and rub them on the surface, gently.
Wipe out the Extra Oil.
Cleaning of the exterior of a Stainless Steel Refrigerator.
Let’s be honest: stainless steel isn’t like other metals.
A dry microfiber cloth rub may be all you need to clean a kitchen that features stainless steel that isn’t too unclean. Keep in mind that you should clean from the top down.
Scrubbing should not be done with too much pressure to avoid marring the surface. Use a white vinegar and water mixture or an LCD cleaner intended for cleaning television and laptop screens if you have persistent stains.
Wipe in the direction of the stainless steel’s “grain,” rather than in a diagonal direction. You don’t want to leave any streaks on your clothes.
Some important points to remember:
- For persistent areas, use a mix of dish detergent and water or liquid soap with baking soda.
- White vinegar with water at a 1:1 ratio
- Surfaces such as ceramic stoves and stainless steel equipment require special non-abrasive cleansers.
- A dry towel with a few drops of olive oil
- Nylon “scrubbies,” microfiber cloths, and the soft t-shirt fabric
After washing the fridge, “wipe” any detergent or baking soda from the surface using a fresh moist towel.
Cleaning of the exterior of an Enamel Refrigerator.
There are Refrigerators that are made of enamel exteriors. Their cleaning also needs some special attention.
These Cleaning agents will help you in this quest.
- Mix a handwashing or dishwashing liquid or shampoo and water.
- White vinegar and water solution at a ratio of 1:1.
- Alcohol-Based cleaning Agents.
- General Cleaning Solutions
- Baking soda Solutions for Stubborn Stains
Follow our 7 Step process, to clean the enamel exterior of the refrigerator.
Precautionary measures
The following specific safety measures apply to all fridges, whether enamel or stainless steel.
Use sparingly:
- Cleaners that are abrasive
- Alcohol should not be used on stainless steel refrigerators, but it can be used on enamel fridges.
- Ammonia
- Liquids that can catch fire
- Removes nail polish
- Cleaner for the oven
- Steel wool or any abrasive scrubbers, such as stainless steel pads
For cleaning instructions, consult your refrigerator’s handbook. A transparent finish is applied to some stainless steel kitchen hood stands, and many cleaning agents can destroy this finish.
So be careful and cautious.
Black refrigerator or kitchen products are not rare. As per Dons Appliances, the industrial era influenced the introduction of lack appliances into interior design.
It gives a more modern look. But it can even clash with the entity of the style of your kitchen. So plan accordingly.
They are easy to maintain.
The Back refrigerator is made of a colored sheet of steel. So you can use a vinegar solution, a baking powder solution, or even a dishwasher soap solution to clean it.
Follow the above-mentioned process
White refrigerators are simple-looking, yet attractive and elegant looking. The white refrigerators are made of pre-painted steel sheets.
It changes the look of your kitchen. But you need to be more careful.
It is a bit high maintenance.
You will need to clean the outer of the white refrigerator every 2-3 days.
You can use vinegar solution or dishwasher solutions.
Conclusion
Cleaning the outer of a refrigerator is a tiering task but must be one. You need to maintain the routine. These will keep your fridge in a good hygienic condition.
These will also increase the longevity of your fridge.
Follow our steps, these will help you clean your fridge easily and quickly.