Keeping Mold & Bacteria Out of Your Refrigerator

Have you ever opened your refrigerator only to find a strange fuzzy mass growing all over your leftovers? Yeah, it happens to us all. Bacteria and nasty mold can be found in your fridge from time to time. For as long as time can tell, the kitchen, and especially your fridge, is an open house for all types of bacteria and mold.

But why do mold and bacteria grow in your refrigerator? And how can you prevent it?

Why Do Mold & Bacteria Grow in Your Fridge?

Generally, mold and bacteria like to grow best in warm and humid climates. However, there’s a “Danger Zone” that may circulate in your refrigerator if you are not making sure the right temperature is in use. The FDA considers the “Danger Zone” to be between 40 °F to 140 °F and is the ideal temperature where bacteria can begin to grow in as little as twenty minutes. In some cases, bacteria can even double in their growing size in your refrigerator for being in the “Danger Zone”.

However, even though the “Danger Zone” is the ideal temperature for mold and bacteria, they can also grow in cold temperatures. So, if food is used and kept inside a fridge for longer than its expected date, it can eventually grow mold and bacteria. Since it seems like they will grow in any given conditions, what can you do to prevent them from growing on your food? The simple answer, keep your refrigerator clean!

Maintaining Your Food & Refrigerator

Unfortunately, there’s no real cheat to keep mold and bacteria out of your fridge. The best way to keep them out is to keep your food and fridge nice and clean. Luckily, there are set standards made by the FDA to keep food at ideal temperatures and fresher for longer.

For starters, hot food should be kept at or above 140 °F and on warming trays or steam tables. Cold food should be kept at 40 °F or below. If hot stays hot, and cold stays cold, then the food should be fine. There are also times for how long food should stay outside, such as leftovers, which should be placed into a shallow container and refrigerated at 40 °F within two hours.

Keeping your refrigerator clean is the most important thing to keep mold and bacteria out. When it comes to mold, most of them can grow inside the fridge, on utensils, leftovers, and cloths. At a minimum, you should clean your fridge once every month with a quart of water and a tablespoon of baking soda. You can also use bleach for tougher mold such as black mold. Finally, when it comes to food or other items that you can’t clean, such as sponges, towels, and mops, it’s recommended you throw them away.

If you feel your refrigerator may be too far gone to save or clean, then it’s in your best interest to head on over to Airport Home Appliance where you can find the largest selection of in-stock refrigerators. No matter what style, model, color, or brand, you’ll always be able to find your next home appliance with us!