Get Rid of Pesky Refrigerator Odors with Activated Carbon!

Although refrigerator odors can sometimes be caused from odor penetration into the refrigerator's insulation, most odors often result from strong, pungent food; food that has been left too long or not packaged correctly; or when food becomes spoiled following a power outage.

In order to deal with pesky food odors, most people have the ubiquitous box of baking soda somewhere in their refrigerator. While baking soda can sometimes be an effective deodorizer, over time, the deodorizing media can become oversaturated and we may even forget about the box altogether. Instead of letting the baking soda box sit in the back of your refrigerator, you can increase its effectiveness by take it out of the box and spreading it on shallow pans lined with foil, such as pie plates or casserole dishes.

Another simple way to remove refrigerator odors is by completely emptying out the refrigerator and throwing out any food that has been spoiled. Take out any removable parts, wash them in a mixture of warm water and detergent, and let your refrigerator run empty on its low setting for a few days. For heavy-duty odor control, here are also a few additional steps to take when using this "emptying" method:

1. Buy activated charcoal and spread this out on shallow pans and on the shelves of your refrigerator while your refrigerator is running empty. This can also be done with cat litter. Also, you can try placing one or two commercial activated carbon odor absorbers such as the EasyPur Odor Catcher by AllerAir in your refrigerator.
2. Put fresh coffee grounds in cereal bowls and place these in the refrigerator. Although there may be a faint coffee scent, this should go away within a few days.
3. Pour a few ounces of vanilla extract into a shallow saucer or dish, leave it on a shelf, and let it sit for a few days.
4. Though this may take a bit longer, pack the shelves with newspaper and lightly sprinkle these with water. Strong odors should be eliminated within a week.

If all of these methods fail to remove the odor from your refrigerator, the liner and insulation may have to be replaced by an appliance technician.