Expert Advice: How To Clean And Organize Your Fridge For The Holidays

Each November 15th, National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day rolls around. The 'national holiday' is strategically placed on the calendar just before Thanksgiving Day and the start of the holiday season. The idea is simple. You're getting ready to buy a lot of food, cook a lot of food, and store a lot of food. Consequently, you should get that refrigerator of yours cleaned out, cleaned up, and in great working order.

I'll be honest. This year, I didn't even wait for National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day to roll around. I cleaned mine out last weekend. However, I didn't do it because I have big plans for the holidays. I did it because I am pretty sure there were jars of condiments in my fridge that should be in a hazardous waste wing of the Centers for Disease Control.

So, just how often are you supposed to clean out your refrigerator and what exactly does 'clean' mean? The folks at Tom's Guide recognize that we, as a general rule, aren't real good at it. They say, "According to experts, the fridge is the one appliance that should get more cleaning than we give it."

HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU CLEAN YOUR REFRIGERATOR?

According to a 2024 story by NBC News, the 'experts' suggest that you should clean out and scrub that fridge of yours every three to six months. Not only do they recommend throwing out anything and everything that's old (and potentially stinky), they suggest wiping down and disinfecting every single shelf, drawer and refrigerator wall. Really???

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Martha Stewart agrees. By the way, who's going to argue with her?

Martha's website suggests cleaning your refrigerator in three-month cycles, but says we all should be doing a 'routine cleaning' at least once a week. She even outlines a 9-step process for it.

But who has time to do that? Weekly?  Seriously?  Ain't nobody got time for that. In fact, come to think of it. I am not sure I have ever cleaned my refrigerator that thoroughly. EVER! Does it make me a gross human being if I've never wiped my entire fridge down??

I mean, look! If I spill something in the refrigerator, I am absolutely going to clean it up. Immediately. But, nearly everything I store in my refrigerator is housed in some sort of container- a bottle, a jug, a storage bag, a Tupperware container.  So, why am I wiping the walls down?

Am I the only here that agrees with the concept of National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day? Isn't once a year enough?

What about you?