Putting Your Refrigerator In Storage? Follow These Tips To Ensure It Survives
Posted on: 18 July 2016
Refrigerators are not cheap! If you're paying to keep yours in a storage unit, whether for a few weeks or a few years, it's important to make sure it's going to still work when the storage period is over. Success lies in the preparation. Before you put the fridge in a storage facility, make sure you follow these steps.
Wipe the entire fridge out with bleach water.
Even the smallest amount of bacteria or fungi can replicate while a fridge is in storage, leading to a stench that will render the refrigerator unusable. To sanitize your refrigerator, empty it completely, and then prepare a mixture of bleach and water. Just a few caps of bleach in a bucket of warm water is enough. Use a rag to completely wipe down the inside of the refrigerator with this mixture. Make sure you get all of the shelves and drawers – you might need to remove them in order to clean them thoroughly.
If there is any caked-on grime, use a nappy sponge to scrub it off. You can add a little baking soda to create more friction if needed.
Clean the gaskets.
Mold spores and crumbs love to hide in the creases of the gaskets, which are the rubber pieces that line your refrigerator's door. To clean these out, dip a cotton swab in your bleach mixture, and then run it down the length of each crease. Pull on each gasket gently to allow any crumbs stuck between the gasket and the door to fall out.
Dry it out.
Once you're finished wiping down the fridge, prop the door open, and give it at least a day – if not longer – to dry it out completely. If there's any moisture left in the fridge, this can perpetuate molding and bacterial growth.
Put baking soda inside.
Before you put the fridge in storage, place an open container of baking soda on one of the shelves. If the fridge has drawers, you can also put a small container of baking soda (with no lid or an open lid) in each drawer. The baking soda will absorb odors and moisture while the unit is in storage.
One you've completed the steps above, it's time to take your refrigerator to the storage unit. Make sure you store it on a pallet rather than on the ground. Leave the door propped slightly so that air flow is maintained. With any luck, your fridge will be in great shape when it's time to retrieve it. Contact a business, such as Stevens Creek Storage, for more information.
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