Keeping the Fridge Freshy Fresh and Science Project Free.

Spills don’t vanish just because you ignore them. Actually, they just get hard and mean. Wipe them up when they happen to avoid an inevitable upper body workout down the road. It also helps to wipe off drips and globs on containers before placing items in the fridge.

Once a Week : 5-10 Minutes.
Pick a day right before your food store trip (or better yet, the night before trash pickup) for a search and destroy.

Wilted, shriveled up or moldy fruits and vegetables, toss.
Expired or moldy processed meats and dairy products, toss.
Even pickles have a self-life, scan the condiments for relics and toss.
Leftovers are only good for a few days, so it’s safe to toss what’s behind tub number three.
Sprinkle a warm wet cloth with baking soda and wipe down.

Monthly in place of Once a Week : 15-20 Minutes.

Search and destroy.
Empty the fridge of all remaining food.
Place the racks and drawers in a sink of warm soapy water.
Sprinkle the fridge with baking soda and wipe down with a warm cloth of water and vinegar.
Wash and dry the racks and drawers and return them to their rightful spots.
Grab a clean warm cloth of water and vinegar and wipe down the jars and containers before you return them to the fridge.
When putting stuff away, good organizational rules apply. Keep like things together. Veggies with veggies. Fruits with fruits. Cheese with Cheese. You know the drill. Makes finding stuff a whole lot easier.
Now on to the freezer. Empty the freezer of all food. Toss any freezer burnt or unrecognizable frozen bricks.
If you have to defrost, place all food in a cooler and start the defrosting. Otherwise just do a warm cloth wash down.
Replace your frozen stash using the same organizational rule; keep like things together.
Enjoy your organized icebox.

Energy Efficiency Tips from Flex Your Power.

Clean the condenser coils at least once a year. Dirt and dust can accumulate on the condenser coils. Unplug the unit and brush or vacuum the coils to maximize performance.
Keep cool air inside by opening the door as infrequently and as briefly as possible.
Check the temperature to ensure that the refrigerator operates between 36°F; and 40°F and the freezer between 0°F and 5°F. Use a thermometer to check the temperature; adjust the settings if necessary. Your refrigerator may use 25% more energy if it is kept at 10°F colder than recommended.
Check the location to ensure that the unit is not located in direct sunlight or near heat-producing appliances, such as ovens and dishwashers. Maximize air circulation around the condenser coils by making sure there is a space between the unit and the wall or cabinets.
Defrost manual defrost freezers regularly. Ice build-up on the coils will make the compressor run longer, wasting energy.
Keep door seal clean and in good repair. Test the seal by closing a piece of paper or dollar bill half way in the refrigerator door. If you can pull the paper out easily, the latch may need adjustment or the seal may need replacing.

How about some food safety tips…