Clean out your fridge day

Let's get straight to it: there are no visible warning signs for food poisoning. You can't see it, smell it or taste it, making cleaning out your fridge absolutely critical.

Regardless of the cleanliness of the rest of your kitchen, commercial refrigerators can be loaded with harmful mould, bacteria and debris that can compromise the food. Besides complying with health and safety regulations, you should be performing a comprehensive clean at least once per week to prevent bacterial growth, prolong your fridge's lifespan and even minimise electricity costs.

Did you know that the growth of bacteria, mould and mildew hinder your fridge's ability to operate at an optimal level and will consume more electricity for less production, resulting in wasted energy and can cause your bill to increase? Here's a step-by-step rundown of how to clean and organise your refrigerator:

Turn off, unplug and empty everything in every compartment from the fridge to the freezer. This step is vital for preventing work injuries and allows you to rotate your stock and identify any containers that need replacing.

Empty each shelf in both the fridge and freezer until it's completely empty and throw away any mouldy and spoiled foods/ingredients. Keep an eye out for anything you haven't used in a while, and open cans and jars dispose of these accordingly.

Refrigerators should be cleaned thoroughly with a detergent and then sanitised. This not only helps prevent mould and mildew,

• In most cases, the only product type you'll need to give the door seals an effective clean is a manual dishwashing liquid.
• For scrubbing down the inside, fill up a bucket of soapy, lukewarm water and your choice of sponge.
• Absorbent Microfibre Cloths will help you tackle the accumulated messes - for best results, use the cloth damp.
  
• For cleaning the exterior, ensure you use a Stainless Steel spray and a paper towel or clean cloth for a streak free finish.

Most Commercial fridges have a drainage hole at the bottom of the fridge cavity, this area can quickly breed bacteria so it's extremely important to sanitise the surface with a spray of surface sanitiser for a quick and hygienic finish. Once you've completed these steps, use a Food Safe Sanitiser to disinfect the surfaces.

When you've taken care of the inside, it's time to turn your attention towards the condenser filter at the bottom of the fridge. Vacuum out filters according to your machine's instructions. Once complete, reinstall the grill component.

It's absolutely critical that you don't let your fridge air dry. If water is left on the seals, they can rot - opening up an easy entry way for bacteria to multiply. Simply wipe the whole area down with a Microfibre Cloth or a paper towel and make sure everything is dry before you re-load the fridge.

Once the interior and exterior have been cleaned and sanitised, it's time to plug the appliance back in and re-load the fridge/freezer, making sure that you follow First-In First-Out Food Method.

Protect your customers, your employees and yourself by creating a fridge cleaning routine.