Food Safety Information

United States Department of Agriculture

Food Safety and Inspection Service

USDA Meat & Poultry Hotline

1-888-MPHotline

(1-888-674-6854)

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is the public health agency 

in the U.S. Department of Agriculture responsible for ensuring that the nation’s commercial supply of meat, poultry, and egg products is safe, wholesome, and correctly labeled and packaged.

USDA Photo

Food Safety: Removing Odors

from Refrigerators & Freezers

Refrigerators and freezers are two of the most important pieces of equipment in the kitchen for keeping food safe. We are instantly reminded of their importance when the power goes off, flooding occurs, or the unit fails, 

causing food to become unsafe and spoil. The odors that develop when food spoils can be difficult to remove. Use 

this information to learn how to remove odors from units or how to safely discard an affected unit. 

If food has spoiled in a refrigerator or freezer and odors 

from the food remain, they may be difficult to remove. 

The following procedures may help but may have to be 

repeated several times. 

•	 Dispose of any spoiled or questionable food. 

•	 Remove shelves, crispers, and ice trays. Wash 

them thoroughly with hot water and detergent. 

Then rinse with a sanitizing solution (1 

tablespoon unscented, liquid chlorine bleach per 

gallon of water). 

•	 Wash the interior of the refrigerator and freezer, 

including the door and gasket, with hot water 

and baking soda. Rinse with sanitizing solution 

as above. 

•	 Leave the door open for about 15 minutes to 

allow free air circulation. 

If odors remain, try any or all of the 

following: 

•	 Wipe inside of unit with equal parts vinegar and 

water. Vinegar provides acid which destroys 

mildew. 

•	 Leave the door open and allow to air out for 

several days. 

•	 Stuff both the refrigerator and freezer with 

rolled newspapers. Close the door and leave 

for several days. Remove paper and clean with 

vinegar and water. 

•	 Sprinkle fresh coffee grounds or baking soda 

loosely in a large, shallow container in the 

bottom of the refrigerator and freezer. 

•	 Place a cotton swab soaked with vanilla inside 

the refrigerator and freezer. Close door for 24 

hours. Check for odors. 

•	 Use a commercial product available at 

hardware and housewares stores. Follow the 

manufacturer’s instructions. 

To Remove Odors from Refrigerators and Freezers
Food Safety Questions?

Removing Odors from Refrigerators 

The USDA is an equal opportunity

 provider and employer.

Revised August 2011

Call the USDA Meat & Poultry Hotline

FSIS encourages the reprint and distribution of this publication for food safety 

education purposes. However, USDA symbols or logos may not be used separately to 

imply endorsement of a commercial product or service. 

If Odors Cannot Be Removed

If odors cannot be removed, then the refrigerator 

or freezer may need to be discarded. If you need to 

discard the refrigerator or freezer, discard it in a safe 

manner: 

•	 “Childproof” old refrigerators or freezers so 

children do not get trapped inside. The surest 

way is to take the door off. 

•	 If the door will not come off, chain and padlock 

the door permanently and close tightly, or 

remove or disable the latch completely so the 

door will no longer lock when closed. 

It is unlawful in many jurisdictions to discard old 

refrigerators or freezers without first removing the door.

Depending on where you live, your appliance will be 

picked up by your solid waste provider, a recycler, a 

retailer (if you buy a new unit), or program sponsored 

by local or regional utilities.

Send e-mail questions to MPHotline.fsis@usda.gov

Ask Karen!

FSIS’ automated response 

system can provide food safety 

information 

24/7 

and a live 

chat

during 

Hotline 

hours.

If you have a question 

about meat, poultry, or egg 

products, call the USDA 

Meat and Poultry Hotline 

toll free at 

1-888-MPHotline

(1-888-674-6854)

The hotline is open

year-round

 Monday through Friday from 

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET (English or 

Spanish).

Recorded food safety 

messages are available 24 hours a day. 

Check out the 

FSIS Web site at

 

www.fsis.usda.gov. AskKaren.gov

PregunteleaKaren.gov