The New York Womans

Latent diseases in your refrigerator.. When and how do you get rid of it?

There are more than 1.8 million bacteria lurking in your refrigerator. These invisible microbes are linked to respiratory and urinary tract infections, food poisoning, and miscarriages among pregnant women.

Because this requires caution and follow-up, we explain below the diseases resulting from neglecting the refrigerator and its cleanliness, and the appropriate time to sterilize it from bacteria.

Types of bacteria in the refrigerator:

Two different families of microbes live in your refrigerator: disease-causing bacteria and spoilage bacteria.

Pathogenic bacteria are transmitted through food, but they do not affect the taste, smell, or appearance of the food. Spoilage bacteria, on the other hand, thrive at lower temperatures and are detected when the food has spoiled.

In 2019, scientists took 5 swabs from different locations in 10 refrigerators, and found 19 of 50 samples to contain Aeromonas, Enterobacteriaceae, and Klebsiella oxytoca.

The first is associated with gastrointestinal infections, leading to watery or bloody diarrhea, the second can cause bone and heart infections, and the third is associated with severe infections.

Why is cleaning important for your refrigerator and your health?

The refrigerator is the backbone of the entire kitchen, and the kitchen is the backbone of your home, so it is important to clean it. Putting food in the refrigerator does not completely stop the growth of germs, it slows down their growth cycle.

Not only is it important to keep your food fresh, but you must also be careful to avoid foodborne illnesses if it stays in the refrigerator too long.

How often should you clean your refrigerator?

It is recommended to thoroughly clean your refrigerator at least once a month with warm water and soap, but weekly cleaning is recommended to keep it in its original, safe condition.

Signs that it's time to clean your refrigerator:

Bad smell inside the refrigerator.
Presence of expired food.
Transform vegetables from solid to liquid.
Turning cream and cheese containers from liquid to solid.
Food drips onto the upper shelves and spills.
Mold in some molds inside the refrigerator.
Swiss cheese turned into blue cheese.
Some glass sticks to the refrigerator door shelf, after drinks seep under the bottle and turn solid.

How do you clean the refrigerator?

Many people have no idea how to start cleaning their refrigerator. The process is simple and can be completed in a few easy steps:

Make sure the refrigerator is turned off at the main switch before starting.
Discard any expired or contaminated food.
You can store your food in the refrigerator temporarily to keep it cool while you clean.
Empty the refrigerator completely, then remove all shelves and clean them individually.
Wash every shelf, corners, and interior of the refrigerator with hot, soapy water.
Use a clean, dry cloth to wipe away all excess water.
Dry the shelves completely before replacing them.
Wipe the inside of the refrigerator.
Sterilize using two tablespoons of bleach per liter of water, or a 1-1 vinegar and water solution.
To clean the outside of the refrigerator, wipe it with a damp cloth and a small amount of dish soap.

Tips for keeping your refrigerator clean and healthy:

If the thought of cleaning your refrigerator every week intimidates you, there are good organizing methods that make this process quick and easy:

First in, first out : Oldest foods should be kept on top, used first, as this will help prevent food from going bad and spoiling in the refrigerator.
Maintain the right temperature: It may be tempting to pile food on the top shelves of the refrigerator, but this can be dangerous because when the refrigerator is too full, it can cause the air to not circulate properly, causing some areas of the refrigerator to be warmer.
Check expiration dates: Expired food products begin to develop harmful bacteria that not only cause immediate food poisoning, but also begin to affect other items in the refrigerator, thus posing a risk if eaten.
Avoid overcrowding: Allow enough space between food items to allow adequate air circulation.
Make sure the doors are closed properly: Accidentally leaving the refrigerator and freezer doors open allows harmful bacteria to grow. This also allows moisture to enter the refrigerator, which accelerates the growth of bacteria.
Proper food storage: There are different temperature levels in the refrigerator. For example, perishable foods such as milk, seafood, raw meat, eggs, and even cooked rice and pasta should never be stored in the refrigerator door. This is usually the warmest place and allows bacteria to grow.
Covering meat: Raw meat should be covered and stored on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator to prevent the transfer of harmful bacteria and contamination of ready-to-eat food.

Refrigerator and Power Outages: Move all perishable items to the hottest part of the refrigerator, the middle shelves, as the doors and top shelf are the first areas to heat up during a power outage.

Freezer care steps:

Maintain a temperature of -18°C and freeze properly packaged food.
Replace the water in the ice cube trays regularly.
Avoid food spills as much as possible.
Keep good space between items to keep freezers healthy.
Keep freezer vents clean and free of clutter.
Sometimes we buy large quantities of meat and forget the date of purchase without proper labels. If you do not remember when you purchased the food, it should be discarded.