Your refrigerator is such a key appliance, it is constantly used to keep your food cold and fresh, making it one of the most important appliances in your home. This is why it’s good practice to keep it clean and well maintained to ensure it doesn’t break down and lasts as long as it can before needing to be replaced.

Keep the Coils Clean

The coils in a refrigerator are used to cool and condense the refrigerant that circulates the appliance. If these coils get dirty and clogged with dust etc, they can’t regulate the heat efficiently meaning your refrigerator may overheat and spoil your food. These coils are usually located at the bottom or the back of the appliance.

To remove the dirt and debris from the coils you can use a vacuum cleaner or a stiff brush, or you can purchase a specific coil cleaning brush to get the job done. Just run the vacuum over the coils as thoroughly as you can until free of dust, and with the brush just brush the dirt off and try to get in between all the cracks. This should be done around 2 times a year to make sure there are no issues with the temperature.

Regulate the Temperature

It’s important to keep checking the temperature in your refrigerator as you don’t want your food to go off, and you want to make sure your fridge is running as efficiently as possible. The refrigerator should be running at around 5 degrees celsius. If your fridge doesn’t have a temperature display, you can buy a fridge thermometer really cheap, which will do the trick.

Make Sure the Gasket is Sealing Well

The gasket is the rubber seal around the door that seals the refrigerator shut and keeps it air-tight. If the seal is broken your appliance has to work a lot harder to maintain the right temperature which will use a lot more energy. It’s a good idea to check the gasket every couple of months for signs of wear and tear, and if it is broken you should replace it to ensure your fridge is able to work to its’ full potential.

Change the Filters

Water dispensers and ice machines within fridges tend to have filters that will build up with dirt and residue after a while, and these need changing to keep them functioning properly and keep them clean. your manufacturer will have specific recommendations for how to replace your filters, so look these up and remember to change them regularly for good practice.

Keep the Door Closed

Keeping the door closed on your refrigerator is a great way to make sure your fridge stays efficient and doesn’t overwork itself. When the door is open, you lose cold air really quickly and the temperature can start to rise. This will spoil your food as well as make your appliance work much harder to regulate the temperature.

Keeping the door closed will ensure it is being used correctly and keep it in good condition, as well as keep your food nice and fresh at the right temperature.

Make sure the Fridge is Level

Your refrigerator might be inhibited if it isn’t level on the ground. It may affect the door and how well it closes, it may affect the circulation of refrigerant, and the motor may have to strain to work properly. Make sure it is level to the ground to get the best performance and if necessary, adjust the feet so it is level.

Keep Food Covered

This will reduce the amount of moisture that gets released by food in your refrigerator, keeping the cleaning you have to do down to a minimum and should make it easier to maintain. When dirt and moisture from food build up in your fridge it can start to smell really bad so keeping your food covered should stop this at least in part.

Don’t Put Hot Food in the Fridge

Hot food in the fridge can actually alter the temperature in the fridge, another thing that makes the appliance work harder than it needs to, to regulate the temperature. This is why it’s a good idea to let your leftover food cool down before placing it in the fridge. It’s also healthier, as food that is going from warm to cold tends to develop more bacteria in less time than it would if it was left to cool down before going in – pro tip!

So that’s our guide on how to maintain your fridge freezer. If you’d like tips on keeping other appliances well maintained, check out our other articles on maintenance.