How to safely and effectively remove mold from the refrigerator at home?

The main purpose of the refrigerator is to keep food fresh; it loses its meaning if black mold spots appear on the walls of the household appliance.

You should not ignore the problem, because mold, spraying spores, poisons the food stored in the refrigerator.

Quickly identifying and eliminating the cause of mold, washing all surfaces of traces of mold are the main actions that allow the refrigerator to return to its main function of keeping food fresh.

Read about how to remove mold in the refrigerator in the article.

Reasons for the appearance of fungus inside a household appliance and on an elastic band

The ideal habitat and breeding ground for mold is high humidity and moderate above zero temperatures. Based on this, the first thing that can provoke the development of black spots on the walls and gum of the refrigerator is insufficiently low cooling temperature and condensation on the inner surfaces of the household appliance.

Also the appearance of mold can provoke:

• violation of the shelf life of food (spoiled food becomes covered with a fungus, infects everything around it with spores);
• violation of the rules of operation (a household appliance is turned off for a long time with the door closed);
• laying in the refrigerator of fresh food already infected with spores of fungus and mold;
• irregular, poor-quality cleaning;
• Leaky adhesion of the rubber door seal to the walls of the refrigerator (warm air, penetrating inside, provokes the appearance of condensation, which, in combination with a positive temperature, is an ideal breeding ground for pathogenic microorganisms).

Mold spores are extremely dangerous for human health (they can provoke asthmatic attacks, other lung diseases).

How to withdraw using improvised means?

When choosing methods to combat mold, first, you should pay attention to the improvised, folk remedies... Unlike professional chemical compositions, they are more affordable, rarely cause allergic reactions and other health problems.

Hydrogen peroxide

Pharmaceutical hydrogen peroxide, possessing disinfectant properties, copes well with black marks on the walls of the refrigerator.

Algorithm of actions:

1. Hydrogen peroxide is poured into a spray bottle (you do not need to dilute with water), and all surfaces of the refrigerator are treated.
2. Fifteen minutes later, the walls, shelves, and boxes are wiped with a clean damp cloth.

Hydrogen peroxide has a whitening effect, so it cannot be used to clean colored surfaces (whitish spots may remain).

Baking soda

The anti-fungal properties of baking soda will help you quickly remove black stains from your refrigerator.

Algorithm of actions:

• dissolve 2 tablespoons in one liter of warm water. baking soda;
• the resulting composition is abundantly moistened with a soft sponge, with which the infected surfaces are wiped;
• traces of soda are removed with a soft damp cloth, after which the inner surface of the refrigerator is wiped dry.

Laundry soap

The alkali in the laundry soap prevents the growth of mold spores.

Algorithm of actions:

1. All contaminated surfaces are treated with a soft sponge, thoroughly rubbed with laundry soap.
2. After ten minutes, the walls, drawers and shelves of the refrigerator are washed with warm clean water, and then wiped dry.

To remove stubborn mold stains from the gum of the sealant, use a gruel from shavings of laundry soap. To prepare it, the soap is rubbed on a coarse grater and mixed with a small amount of water to a plastic, viscous mass.

Alcohol

Ethyl, ammonia, boric, or salicylic alcohol is an excellent antifungal agent that is effective against mold spores.

To quickly clean the refrigerator, it is necessary:

• dilute alcohol with water in a 1: 1 ratio;
• with the obtained product, moisten a soft cloth or sponge and wipe all infected areas of the inner surface of the refrigerator;
• if necessary (if the black spots have not completely disappeared), the treatment is repeated again.

Lemon acid

Citric acid will help to quickly remove not only black plaque, but also an unpleasant smell of mold.

To treat dirt, a cleaning solution must be prepared - stir 3 tbsp in a liter of warm water. citric acid... The resulting product is abundantly moistened with black spots, left for five to ten minutes, and then washed off with warm water.

Alternatively, you can use lemon juice instead of citric acid. Rub the traces of mold with lemon wedges, then wash them off with warm water. Lemon will not only quickly fix the problem, but will also fill the refrigerator with a pleasant citrus scent.

White

Chlorine bleach kills mold and mildew spores.

Disinfection of surfaces occurs according to the following algorithm:

1. Water and bleach are mixed in a glass container (10: 1 ratio).
2. Using a brush or spray bottle, apply the product generously to black spots.
3. After two to three minutes (the spots will brighten sharply), the surfaces are wiped with a damp cloth, after which the refrigerator is left for five to six hours to ventilate.

How to quickly clean surfaces with special compounds?

Special chemicals will help to quickly remove not only traces of mold, but also other contaminants from the inner surface of the refrigerator.

You can buy them at any hardware store. When choosing cleaning products, you must carefully read the manufacturer's label..

There are universal preparations (suitable for all surfaces), as well as agents designed to combat mold in the refrigerator. Products with an ecological composition deserve special attention (they do not cause allergic reactions, they smell good).

The TOP 3 of the best special remedies for fighting mold in the refrigerator are presented below:

Domestos Ultra White

An effective anti-mildew and mildew cleaner for all surfaces. Thanks to a special formula, Domestos Ultra White not only cleans, but also whitens the walls refrigerator.

The gel structure allows you to use Domestos Ultra White as economically as possible.

The average price of Domestos Ultra White is 120 rubles. (500 ml bottle).

Cillit bang

Cillit Bang Black Mold Remover helps to quickly and effortlessly remove black spots from the refrigerator. It is enough to spray the product on the contaminated surface, wait two to three minutes, then rinse the product with clean water.

The average price of the Cillit Bang composition is 300 rubles. (bottle volume 750 ml).

OdorGone

OdorGone is a versatile product that is great at dealing with unpleasant mold odors in the refrigerator. The drug is absolutely harmless for allergy sufferers and people suffering from lung diseases.

The average price of OdorGone is 600 rubles. (500 ml bottle).

Cleaning using special chemical compounds is carried out only in a well-ventilated area using personal protective equipment (rubber gloves).

How to get rid of the smell?

The first thing that gives out the appearance of mold inside the refrigerator is a very unpleasant, obsessive musty smell.

There are several ways to get rid of this "aroma":

• lemon peels (slices of fresh lemon can be used), slices of raw potatoes, rice, activated carbon tablets or dry baking soda powder in a bowl are laid out on the shelves and inner drawers;
• all internal surfaces are wiped with a solution of table vinegar (diluted with water in a 1: 1 ratio);
• shelves, refrigerator drawers are wiped with a slice of fresh lemon.

How to get rid of the smell in the refrigerator, the video will tell you:

Advice

A few tips from experienced housewives to quickly fix the problem mold in the refrigerator:

1. Before treating contaminated surfaces, all non-hermetically packed food is thrown out of the refrigerator without regret.

   Even if there are no visible signs of infection on them, mold spores have still managed to get inside.

   By placing such products back into the refrigerator after cleaning, the previously performed surface disinfection procedure loses its meaning.

2. Cotton swabs or a toothbrush will help to qualitatively wash black spots from hard-to-reach places (corners, cracks).
3. After cleaning with chlorine bleach, it is necessary to lubricate the rubber seals on the door with oil (any vegetable oil). This will help maintain the ductility of the seal.
4. When cleaning the refrigerator, special attention should be paid to the drain pipe and sump. It is in them that colonies of mold spores most often reproduce.

After cleaning, the refrigerator must be left for a few hours to air out, so that all disinfected surfaces dry thoroughly. Otherwise, residual moisture can cause new foci of mold and mildew to appear.

Find helpful tips and tricks for cleaning your refrigerator in this section.

Conclusion

A timely response to the problem of black spots on the inner surface of the refrigerator and the subsequent maintenance of cleanliness of the household appliance will help you to forget about mold forever.