It’s the day after Christmas and your refrigerator is likely full of great leftovers from the holiday celebrations.  We’ve prepared 10 tips to get rid of any foul smelling odors and to keep your fridge smelling fresh using all natural ingredients.  Do you have a tip for keeping bad smells out of the fridge? If so, let us know in the comments below. 

Tips for Removing Bad Odors from Your Refrigerator

• Mix baking soda and water, to create a deodorizing cleanser. Mix about 1/2 cup of baking soda into a sink of hot water to create a cleanser that will also deodorize your fridge.  Dip a rag in the sink and completely clean your refrigerator’s interior, including all drawers and shelves.
• Keep your refrigerator set to the right temperature. Food stored in a refrigerator that is not cool enough will spoil faster, and create a bad odor in your machine. The correct temperature for a refrigerator is usually between 37 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Consult your owners manual if you are unsure of how to change the temperature on your unit.
• Toss out that old ice. If your freezer has an ice maker, stale ice cubes can absorb food smells from the food in your freezer. If your family does not regularly get ice from the ice maker, toss the old cubes about once a month.
• Regularly defrost your refrigerator and freezer compartment to keep bad odors from condensing and mixing with ice in your unit.
• Clean the drip tray. Most refrigerators have a drip tray located underneath the machine that should be regularly cleaned. Dirty water in the drip tray may be contributing to the bad smell in your fridge.
• Store food properly. Different parts of your refrigerator have different temperatures that preserves the freshness of different kinds of foods.  Store food items in their correct compartments to avoid foul smells from food.
• Keep an open box of baking soda in your fridge at all times. The baking soda will absorb bad smells from old leftovers and foods.
• Check your refrigerator at least once a week for old food / leftovers and toss foods out when they’ve expired.
• Regularly wipe down trays, shelves and drawers with a solution of white vinegar and water. White vinegar will effectively neutralize bad smells in your fridge or freezer.
• To keep your refrigerator extra fresh, take an old dredger, made for sprinkling flour or sugar and fill it with baking soda and lavender stems.  As an added bonus, you can sprinkle a little of the powder on your garbage can on days when your garbage is emitting odor. Check out the recipe on MSN.