How Can I Get Rid of the Bad Odor in My Refrigerator
Last Update date : May 06. 2022
Keep your refrigerator clean to maintain the freshness of your food and groceries. Spoiled food can cause a foul odor and a strange taste/smell of water or ice.
My water or Ice tastes/smells bad
It is important to keep your refrigerator clean to maintain the freshness of your food and groceries. Otherwise, harmful bacteria can grow and multiply from spoiled food, causing an odor inside your refrigerator. This can cause bad tasting/smelling water or ice. This problem can occur in any brand of refrigerator and can be solved with some routine maintenance and other simple measures.
Part 1. Bad odor inside of my refrigerator
- Check the inside of your refrigerator and throw out any expired food or spoiled leftovers. These are the largest source of bad odors.
- Also, check if there are any spoiled vegetables or fruits in your crisper drawer. Discard any spoiled food from your refrigerator.
- Look for any unsealed food or open food containers in your refrigerator. Make sure strong-smelling food is wrapped airtight.
- Check the inside of your refrigerator for spills, crumbs or other food residue and immediately clean up messes before it has a chance to stain.
- It is recommended to clean out the inside of your refrigerator after removing the source of the odor.
How to clean the inside of your refrigerator
- Before starting, unplug the power cord of your refrigerator.
- First, empty out the contents of your fridge and freezer. Then, take out all of the shelves, bins, crisper drawers, etc.
- Wipe down the inside with a soft cloth or sponge soaked in cleaning solution.
Caution:
- Do not use benzene, thinner, chloride or Clorox to clean, as these may damage the surface of your refrigerator or cause a fire.
- Wash the compartments with mild detergent and dry them completely before putting them back into your refrigerator.
- Gently reinsert the compartments into the fridge and freezer.
- It is recommended to open your refrigerator doors and ventilate well before putting your food and groceries back in.
Note:
- Please make sure that the inside of your refrigerator is completely dry before putting your food back in.
Wrap-up
- Check for expired items, as these may cause bad odors.
- Discard any spoiled food.
- Make sure to seal any open food and that strong-smelling food is airtight.
- Immediately clean up messes.
- Deep clean the inside of your fridge or freezer by removing the shelves and bins and make sure to wash them regularly.
Part 2. My Water/Ice tastes bad
- Sometimes, water or ice from your dispenser may taste bad. If this is the case, check out the frequent causes.
- Water or ice may temporarily taste or smell off, especially if it is the first time after installation. This is a normal phenomenon.
- The water lines may have accumulated dust and debris, so it is recommended to discard the first few glasses of water.
- If your refrigerator has a built-in ice maker, discard the first few glasses of ice to remove accumulated dust and debris.
- Water can taste off if the water filter has recently been replaced. This will soon disappear with normal use.
- Please note that the water filter location may vary depending on the refrigerator model. (Check the user manual to see if it requires an internal or external filter.)
- With normal use, the bad taste of the water or ice should disappear. If necessary, you can discard the first few glasses of water or ice.
- Your water may taste stale if you have not used the dispenser in a few days. Discard the first few glasses of water before drinking.
- If you haven’t used the ice bucket in a few days, the ice bucket may contain a mix of jammed ice cubes that taste bad and smelly.
- To keep your ice fresh and to prevent it from clumping, it is recommended to regularly discard unused ice.
Wrap-up
- Check whether the dispenser is new or if it has been unused for a while.
- Check whether the water filter has been replaced recently.
- Water or ice may temporarily taste or smell bad, discard the first few glasses of water.
- Regularly discard unused ice.
Note:
- Available technologies and functions may vary depending on the country, service provider, network environment, or product.
- Images on this content may vary depending on the device model you have.
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