Fridge odours can be eliminated by placing a bowl of fresh coffee ground inside (Image: Getty)
Cleaning is a necessary evil at home and something you have to stay on top of to avoid a build up of dust, dirt and grime.
When it comes to , often requires a bigger focus as it’s used every day and can generate a lot of mess. As well as wiping surfaces, floors and with dirty plates, it’s worth giving your fridge some attention to avoid a build up of spills and stains, and to eliminate any nasty odours. Experts say you only need to do a deep clean of your fridge around every three to six months to ensure it’s in a sanitary condition.
But it’s also worth giving it some attention on a more regular basis, giving it a wipe down with soapy water to remove spills and removing any spoiled food that may have gone bad as this can cause your fridge to smell.
Luckily, if you’ve got some bad odours drifting out of your fridge – either from food that’s going bad, or just from things that have strong scents like onions or cheese – then there is a very cheap and easy way to tackle this that doesn’t involve having to scrub the entire fridge.
Experts say fridge odours can be eliminated simply by placing a bowl of fresh coffee ground inside it. The coffee grounds contain nitrogen which is very effective for neutralising odours and will absorb the bad smell and leave your fridge with a very subtle coffee smell instead.
It’s a great natural alternative to keeping your fridge smelling fresh, rather than resorting to harsher chemicals which are in most household cleaning products.
Food Republic explains: “Unlike air freshener sprays, incense, candles, or perfumes, ground coffee doesn’t just mask odors – it eliminates them.
“It works just as well with unused, fresh coffee as it does with a batch that’s already been brewed … there’s no need to waste perfectly good coffee on this … but you can put it to good use once you’ve made your drinks.
“Leave the grounds out to air dry or roast them at a low temperature to speed up the process. Alternatively, you can also use grounds that are still wet, which will give your fridge a more prominent coffee scent – but you’ll want to keep an eye on it for mold, which can develop on moist coffee quickly.”
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If you aren’t a coffee drinker and don’t have any knocking around in your kitchen then you can try using tea bags instead. Simply place the used tea bags inside an open container or a small bowl and put this in your fridge.
Like the coffee grounds, the tea leaves will naturally absorb and neutralise the bad smells thanks to the tannins – chemical compounds that have antioxidant effects and help fight odourous bacteria.