Mold in a Refrigerator.
Are you worried due to the continuous growth of mold in your refrigerator, or do you want to get rid of the smelly mold? Well, mold in a refrigerator can be removed easily at home without any extra effort.
Mold in a refrigerator can be black, white, or green in color. Mostly black mold is found in our refrigerators.
A mold in a refrigerator is formed due to rotting food, water leakage, and any other mechanical problem. You can remove the mold by deep cleaning the fridge and discarding the rotten food. Moreover, a cleaning solution or white vinegar is used to clean and kill the mold in the refrigerator.
Black mold in a fridge is dangerous for health. Let’s discuss the causes of mold , cleaning the mold, and ways to prevent mold growth in your refrigerator.
What causes black mold in a refrigerator?
Various reasons can cause black mold in a refrigerator. A few are discussed below:
- Rotting food
Rotten or spoiled foods are the primary causes of mold production. If you keep cheese, rotten fruits, and vegetables in your fridge for extended periods of time. It will start bacterial growth and mold spores.
The mold spores due to the air circulation will transfer to the refrigerator’s other foods, shelves, or drawers. Excessive mold and dirt will result in high refrigerator wattage usage.
- Leaky ice maker or water dispenser of the fridge
Mold grows in humid and dark places. The refrigerators have high moisture content and provide the most favourable environment for mold production.
So, any water leakage in the fridge, either due to the ice maker or waterline or pooling water left uncleaned, will lead to mold growth. Besides this, any other mechanical problem can be a reason for mold formation in your fridge.
- Switching off the refrigerator for long hours
If you switch off your fridge for extended hours or it gets off due to a fault in electricity. The refrigerator does not cool, which leads to mold formation.
Ever thought about why your refrigerator is making a knocking noise? Well, it is due to accumulated mold and grime in your fridge.
Best way to clean mold in a refrigerator
Refrigerators are more prone to mold formation due to high mixture content. The mold grows on the interior walls, shelves, drawers, food, and rubber gasket of the fridge.
Cleaning the mold is an easy task. But, before any cleaning process, unplug the switch from the main socket or fridge extension cord to avoid any incident. Following are a few of the ways to clean the mold in your refrigerator:
- Use baking soda
You can use baking soda mixed with warm water to clean the fridge. Take off all the removable parts, soak them in soapy water, wash them, and air dry.
Apply the baking soda paste to the walls and other parts. Let it rest for a few minutes and clean with a clean damp cloth. Repeat if required.
Make sure to remove the mold from all the crevices and drawers thoroughly.
- White Vinegar
Vinegar is also known as a cleaning solution. You can use distilled vinegar to clean mold in your refrigerator.
Add the vinegar to a spray bottle and spritz on all the parts where mold is present. Rest it for a few minutes, and then clean the fridge with a clean cloth or paper towel.
- Chlorine bleach & water solution
Bleach is considered one of the best cleaning agents for killing mold, dirt, and grime. You can mix 2 tablespoons of bleach in water. Apply the bleach mixture to the shelves, walls, and rubber gasket. Do not forget to wear gloves. The toxic compounds can harm your skin.
Let the solution rest for 5 minutes, and then clean with a wet cloth to remove all the bleach. Again clean with a damp cloth to remove the bleach residues and smell.
How to prevent mold in a refrigerator?
To prevent mold in your refrigerator, you must follow the tips mentioned below;
- Always cover the food with foil, plastic wrap, or a sealed container before placing it in the refrigerator.
- Discard the leftover foods on time if you do not want them.
- Remove the rotten vegetables and fruits immediately.
- Clean any pooled water or leaked water before the mold formation.
- Regularly deep clean your fridge by taking off the removable parts.
- Thoroughly clean the rubber gasket, as mold grows deep inside the seal, which becomes difficult to clean after a long time.
Can fridge mold make you sick?
Yes, a fridge mold can cause serious health issues. Mold contains myotoxins, which are dangerous for health. Consuming moldy food or inhaling mold can result in many allergic reactions./
The most common diseases due to the mold are sinus, congestion, asthma attacks, rashes, coughing, and irritated eyes. People with compromised immune systems, children, elderly people, and pregnant women are more prone to these diseases due to the mold.
Can a moldy fridge be saved?
Yes, you can save your moldy fridge. For this purpose, you need to deep clean the refrigerator with the cleaning solution, white vinegar, or bleach.
If the mold grows again after cleaning, there must be a mechanical fault. Call a technician to check if the coils have accumulated mold inside them or if any leakage in the waterline is causing mold.
White mold in a fridge
White mold is different from black mold. White mold is not pigmented. It is like a silk layer or cotton. White mold in refrigerators also grows because of the humidity and temperatures.
White mold is harmless, and you can clean it with a damp cloth. But, the prolonged presence of white mold can damage the refrigerator.
How fast does a mold growth in a fridge?
Mold spreads quickly whenever the food is placed in the fridge for too long mold starts growing. After growth, with the help of air circulation, it spreads on the shelves or inner walls of the fridge.
Moreover, any water left uncleaned on the inner surface of the fridge quickly gets mold. So, the whole process takes place within 24-48 hours.
Mold in a refrigerator FAQs
How do you know if you have mold in your refrigerator?
If you see black pigmented spores or black spots on the inner wall, shelves, and on rubber seal, it will be named the black mold.
What kind of mold grows in a refrigerator?
Black mold is most commonly found in refrigerators. On the other hand, other molds like grey, white or green can also be found on the food or in other places in the house.
Is refrigerator mold toxic?
Yes, black mold in a refrigerator is toxic. It produces myotoxins and other toxic compounds dangerous to health. Black mold leads to various severe and even deadly problems in immuno-compromised patients, old people, and children.
Conclusion
Mold in a fridge is a common household problem. Especially black mold, which is toxic to health. Mold usually spreads due to decayed food and leaked water. You can clean the mold with white vinegar, bleach and baking soda.
Hope you understand everything about mold growth in your refrigerator from the above article.