Cleaning your refrigerator is probably something you only do once per year, maybe even less that that. However, you should be cleaning your refrigerator at least once a year. Your refrigerator gets a lot of use, from moving food in and out to getting water and ice from the ice maker. It has little hands and big hands all over the outside of it as well, and probably a few dog noses. See below for tips on how to clean your refrigerator to make it sparkle.

Outside

Cleaning the outside of your refrigerator depends on what type of refrigerator you have. Whether it's black, white, or stainless, will determine how you clean it. 

• White. White refrigerators can be cleaned with Clorox wipes, baking soda and white vinegar, or with warm soapy water. Get into the grooves of the door handle with a toothbrush.
• Black. Black refrigerators can be cleaned with warm soapy water as well, or you can use a mixture made up of 1 cup white vinegar, 2 cups hot water, 1 tsp. dish soap, 1 cup rubbing alcohol and 1 tbsp. baby oil, with a microfiber cloth to get it clean as well. 
• Stainless. Stainless appliances are a little more difficult to clean. You can use white vinegar and water, or you can use a stainless steel cleaner, which is sold at most stores. Use a microfiber cloth to keep dust particles off of your refrigerator.

Inside

Take everything out of your refrigerator, so you can get into every nook and cranny. You can unplug your refrigerator to help save energy. Clean the interior of your refrigerator with warm soapy water, or use baking soda and white vinegar. Use a toothbrush to get into small spaces, and in the seals of the door. 

Wipe your refrigerator clean, then replace all of the contents in your refrigerator.

Ice And Water Dispenser

Clean the gunk and hard water spots from your ice and water dispenser with the tips below.

• Take the water tray out from the dispenser and clean it with hot soapy water and a toothbrush, or a scrub brush. To remove really hard water spots and buildup, use vinegar. Soak it in a mixture of vinegar and water if need be.
• Wipe out the ice and water dispensers with a vinegar-soaked towel. This will help remove any mildew and hard water spots.
• To really deep clean your ice and water dispenser, you can use a hand-held steam cleaner. The small head on the steam cleaner is able to get into the smaller spaces of your dispenser.

Other Tips

• Line your shelves with plastic wrap, shelf liners, or plastic mats. This way, you simply replace the plastic wrap when it gets dirty, or you can just take out the shelf liners and plastic mats to clean them, rather than removing the entire shelf.
• Clean spills right away, so they aren't stuck on and harder to clean off.

Cleaning your refrigerator should be done a little more often, and it doesn't have to be too difficult. Use the cleaning tips above to help make things a little simpler. Your refrigerator will look great when you're finished. For more fridge care tips, contact a company like Jensen Appliance & Refrigeration.