This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Duck Brand for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.
photo: flickr user Backdoor Survival
Last week I spilled coffee grounds all over the inside of our refrigerator. Not only was it a heartbreaking waste of good Columbian coffee, it meant that I would finally have to clean out our fridge. I had been doing a decent job of wiping up spills as they happened, but I knew it was time for a thorough cleaning. On the day before trash day (very important), I got to work. This process is what I like to call the Lazy Girl’s Guide to Cleaning the Fridge.
Yes. The fridge is not pretty. Or organized. Or clean. This is real life, friends.
KEEP IT COOL: Bring a cooler or two into the kitchen and place food into it as you empty the fridge. The food will stay fresh while you are cleaning.
TOSS IT: This is why we are working on the day before trash pick-up. Throw away any food that is past its expiration date or that looks (or smells funky).
WASH UP: Once the food is out, remove any shelves and drawers and wash them in cool or warm water. DO NOT USE HOT WATER if you have glass shelving. The sudden change in temperature can cause the glass to break.
TOP TO BOTTOM: Wipe down the inside of the fridge from top to bottom, pushing any crumbs or gunk to the bottom as you go.
SUCK IT UP: Use the attachments on your vacuum to suck up any grossness from the bottom of the fridge, making sure to get into the cracks and corners.
LINE IT UP: Line each shelf and drawer with shelf liner. Next time you have a spill, removing and washing just liner is MUCH easier than removing the whole shelf. Be sure to use a liner with a smooth top, not the kind with holes, or the spills will just leak right through.
RESTOCK: Put food back into the refrigerator, putting the food that is most likely to spoil in the front of the fridge. You will be less likely to forget about it and have to toss it later. Keep as much room between food as possible, as well. When your fridge has better air circulation, your food will stay fresh longer.
DEODERIZE: Little did I know, that coffee I spilled probably kept my fridge from smelling funky. If your fridge has stank to it, spread some coffee ground on a tray or dinner plate and set it in your fridge for a day or two. The grounds will soak up any bad smells, then you can empty the grounds into the trash.
The refrigerator is still no cover girl, but it is clean and organized. And that’s good enough for this lazy girl.
I really liked Duck Brand’s Shelf Liner that I used to line the shelves. They have several patterns you can choose from, and it was very easy to cut it to size. Again, for this project, be sure to choose the smooth top liner.
Duck® also makes adhesive-baked and grip-top liner for other projects. What project will you tackle with their shelf liners? Check out the hashtag #DuckShelfLiner for more ideas!
Check out Duck Brand® on Pinterest and Facebook for other great home and craft projects.
What a great idea! I never thought to use liners in the fridge but it makes SO much sense! We get a lot of spills!
I’ve gotta get my hands on some of these! They are cute and super functional!
I *really* need to do that. Your fridge looks amazing!
The laziest girl gets her husband to do it:)
In all seriousness, it has been on my list for a while now and you just pushed me over the edge! Weekend project here I come!:)
Oh man! Mine would never get clean then! 😀 Hope your fridge cleaning is quick and painless!
Does the shelf liner make the fridge darker? My hubby is legally blind and needs as much light as possible to see in the fridge.
I saw there were some “clear” liners, but they look like they might have small holes. Do you know if they do or if it’s just a texture pattern?
I believe the Clear Classic liner is just textured to keep the surface "grippy" enough that items don't slide. It would probably be best to check it out in person to be sure. Hope that helps!
While I was at Wal-Mart, and looking for shelf liners, a woman came up to me and told me that she uses those cheap plastic placemats that you can get for a $1.00 or so. I picked up three for just my three glass shelves and I will never go back.They’re is to clean up and cheap, just wipe down!
This is a great tip!
Love the liner idea, makes such good sense now that you say it, just cleaned my fridge last wk one day, I need to jump in and get to lining those shelves before its to late, TY for the great idea… Im excited *