Dear Joyful Surroundings: There’s an odor in my fridge. I’ve got a new box of baking soda in there, but it doesn’t seem to be working. — M, Colorado
Dear M: Back in the day, our family of six had a fridge not much bigger than one you’d find in a hotel room. Nowadays, we shop for the week or longer and we keep our fridges completely full. Fridges are helpful but they’re not magical. Nothing lasts forever. It gets crowded in there and finding the source of a bad smell can take some detective work.
Open the fridge and look at the drawers on the inside of the fridge door first. There are probably five or six, but just deal with them one at a time. Starting with the top drawer, take everything out and set it all on the counter. Give the shelf a wipe with a damp, soapy cloth and then dry it.
Look on the counter for culprits:
- Milk or creamer that’s seen better days.
- Half an oozing tomato in a bag with a few of its rotten friends.
- A loose cap on anything that could be releasing odors.
- Mold growing on a block of cheese or a half used can of beans.
Put all those things in the trash. It’s not wasteful to throw away food if the food’s bad.
Group the things that are left into two piles: things you use frequently and then things you use often enough to keep but don’t need weekly. Leave both piles on the counter. Work drawer by drawer in the same way to find that smell.
Eventually, you’ll have emptied, wiped and dried all the drawers in the fridge door, and you’ll have a pile of food gracing your kitchen counter. Look for anything you don’t like the taste of, anything you never use, anything that doesn’t earn its keep.
Start putting things back. You could put all the breakfast things together, all the stir fry sauces together, however you want to arrange it. Or just put everything back where it fits, whichever feels least overwhelming to you.
Now go shelf by shelf inside of the fridge in exactly the same way. Nothing smelly, moldy, or out-of-date gets a pass to get back in your clean fridge. Put things that you use often nearer to you, let things you use rarely be more difficult to find. Rejoice when you find the source of that smell!\
Professional organizer Lucy Kelly shares decluttering tips and strategies on her blog, www.joyfulsurroundingsllc.com. Reach her at 720-526-2114. Do you have an organizing question you’d like professional advice on? Email lucy@joyfulsurroundingsllc.com, and I’ll answer your question in a future column.
The Link LonkNovember 14, 2020 at 08:39PM
https://www.timescall.com/2020/11/14/send-it-away-saturday-find-and-remove-that-odor-in-your-fridge/
Send It Away Saturday: Find and remove that odor in your fridge - Longmont Times-Call
https://news.google.com/search?q=Send&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en
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