What bothers me most about an unclean refrigerator is the odor caused by foods left too long and spills that have not been wiped away. Doing a little bit of maintenance on a fairly constant basis helps a lot. Eliminate outdated food items in order to make room for fresh foods. Check dates on condiments, as well as other foods like cottage cheese, yogurt and hot dogs, to make sure they are still fresh. Throw away any ice still in trays or in the ice cube bin.
Ice takes on airborne refrigerator or freezer scents, as air circulates between both.
The crisper is the best place to keep fresh goods. Wash all vegetables in cold water and trim bruised spots before putting them in, and leave fruits unwashed in perforated plastic bags. Meat drawers are engineered to be the coldest part of the refrigerator, so make sure yours holds meat only. Also, never refrigerate thawed meats longer than two days. Cleaning out the refrigerator Be sure to unplug the refrigerator when doing major cleaning.