These tips will help you use your device more efficiently and waste less food. Read on.
1. Adjust the temperature to suit different conditions
On average, it should be between 1 ℃ and 4 ℃. Reduce the temperature when there is a lot of food in the refrigerator. Keep the temperature in the freezer stable (-18 ℃). If your refrigerator includes defrosting, do it once a year.
Read also: How To Get Rid Of Refrigerator Odors.
2. Clean regularly
Remove all smudges right away. Wipe the refrigerator handles once a day and the door every week. Sort food on all shelves every few days. Try to use those that are about to expire as soon as possible.
Clean the inside of the refrigerator every three months. To do this, first, remove all shelves and drawers and wash them with hot water. Do not use bleach or similar cleaners, but rather use regular soap or dishwashing gel. Then wash the walls of the refrigerator. For stubborn stains, use a toothbrush and a thick baking soda/water mixture. Wipe dry after wet cleaning.
Do spring cleaning once a year. Unplug the refrigerator plug from the outlet, move it aside, and remove the debris that has accumulated under it. Wipe off the dust on the back wall. If you can, remove the protective grill and dust off the fan and condenser. After this cleaning, the cooling system will work more efficiently.
3. Know what to refrigerate and what not.
Do not refrigerate
- Most fruits and some vegetables, especially those that are not yet ripe. Store them at room temperature away from sunlight. This applies to tomatoes and cucumbers, potatoes, carrots, onions and garlic, pumpkin, beets, and other root vegetables, including ginger.
- Opened cans, primarily with fruits and tomatoes. If they stand in such a container for a long time, they have a metallic taste. Therefore, it is better to transfer the contents to glass or plastic containers.
- Hot food. Wait for it to cool completely so as not to overload the refrigerator compressor.
- Expired products. It’s okay if one day has passed after the specified period, but if the product has been standing for a week, do not risk your health.
- Opened jars of jam, mustard, syrups. It is enough to put them in a closet where the sun’s rays do not fall. But just in case, check the instructions on the package.
Must be refrigerated
- Berries and ripe fruits.
- Vegetables (excluding those listed above).
- Dairy products and eggs.
- Meat and fish.
- Any food that has been opened says to store it at low temperatures, including open bottles of wine.
- Leftovers from ready meals (as soon as they have cooled down), salads, snacks.
- Large cans of peanut butter if you’re not going to use it quickly. It will not exfoliate in the cold.
4. Distribute food on shelves
- The top shelf contains everything you don’t need to cook; sausages, sauces, salads, snacks, leftover dishes, as well as canned food from cans that you transferred to another dish.
- Middle shelf – dairy products and eggs. The refrigerator door is not a suitable place for them: it is more often exposed to warm air, which shortens the shelf life of food.
- Lower shelf – meat and fish.
- The vegetable compartments are natural fruits and vegetables; keep them separate from each other. Some fruits (apples, pears, bananas) emit ethylene gas, spoiling nearby vegetables faster. In the same department, remove leafy greens after washing and drying them with a paper towel. But herbs (other than basil) are best placed in a jar of water and kept away from the cold back wall.
- Door – juices, dressings, and other products with the longest shelf life.
Also read: 9 Simple Life Hacks That Will Surprise You
5. Organize storage
To maximize the use of refrigerator space, stack food containers on top of one another. Place the high ones back and the low ones forward so that everything is in plain sight. Label the date when you cooked the dish or opened the package.
6. Get rid of unpleasant odors
Place strong-smelling foods in containers with tight lids. Just in case, keep a plate of soda on the bottom shelf; it will absorb all the odors. Change it every three months. Do not throw away the used baking soda; it can clean the sink or bathtub.
Adapted and translated by Wiki Avenue Staff
Sources: Life hacker
