Mid January - Refrigerator Rules

     Refrigeration has improved the health, safety and comfort of home life dramatically; it prolongs the shelf life of food so we do not have to live close to our food source, we can buy in bulk and refresh ourselves in summer with cool beverages. I lived for a year without a refrigerator and once I was in the habit of buying fresh every day, it wasn't so bad. In the winter, I kept a cooler outside the kitchen window preventing food from freezing. In the summer, I was without iced water and ice cream which many folks would not tolerate well. That experience really impressed upon me how easy it is to take for granted our conveniences. If you've ever been through a prolonged power outage, you probably feel the same way.  

     Keep perishable food within a few degrees of 34 F, which substantially slows the growth of the ever present bacteria that spoils our food. Even a well designed and properly maintained refrigerator will have warmer and cooler places inside and the fridge itself cycles many times a day, spiking the high and low temps. Use a fridge thermometer to accurately set the temperature control rather than depending on the printed settings. Shoot for 34 degrees. According to Cooks Illustrated, (whose research team I completely trust and admire) the warmer and cooler areas in the fridge are as follows...

     The warmer areas are the center shelf of the door and the front of the drawers in the bottom of the refrigerator compartment. These areas had temps as much as 43 degrees which is too warm to safely keep milk or eggs, which should be kept below 40 degrees. These drawers, often referred to as crispers or vegetable bins are great for the fruits and veggies that should not be anywhere near a freezing 32 degrees. The center shelf of the door is a good place for condiments since the sauces themselves will keep a more stable temp. The outsides of the jars and bottles which will collect a bit of condensation each time you open the door. The condensation will drip thanks to gravity and "clean" the outside of the bottles, leaving rings on the shelf. There is not much you can do about condensation and gravity, but you can wipe the jars off before you put them away so that when the condensation evaporates it does not leave the solids behind to get sticky.

     The coolest area is the meat and cheese drawer which is perfect for the meats and cheeses. I love good design. The back of the shelves and the bottom shelf of the door are relatively cooler than the average.

     There are a few rules to keep in mind when putting leftovers in the fridge. Never put a hot dish in the fridge. A hot dish could damage the cold shelving and will definitely make your fridge work harder than is necessary. Let it cool to room temperature, half an hour should do but don't let food set out for more than 2 hours. As food cools, it will release moisture so cover everything you put in the fridge to keep condensation to a minimum. It is far better to keep the moisture in the container than out in your fridge. 

If you cook several meals at once;
 * store serving size portions in shallow dishes, 
 * arrange the containers to allow air to flow around them and 
 * try not to overload your fridge on a regular basis, 
all of which will allow for more efficient cooling.   

     When putting away groceries, remove any extra packaging. The outer wrappers, boxes and bottles will be dirty from being handled and from sitting on the shelves at the store, the warehouse and in the back of the delivery truck. I've never wiped off a box of mac and cheese before putting it in the cabinet but my Grandma Jane (whom I completely trust and admire) always wiped off the top of every can before she put the can opener to it. "You know it must be yucky from little mousie footprints, etc." she would say. I do wipe can tops before I open them like she taught me to do. I suggest we wipe off the bottles of condiments that will spend a long time in the fridge. Cold temps dramatically slow the growth of bacteria but does not kill them.  

     Over the course of my professional cleaning career, I've used just about everything to clean a fridge. If at all possible don't use ammonia nor chlorine based cleaners. Those chemicals tends to linger in the air. Warm water with a touch of dish soap should be all you need to maintain a clean, healthy fridge. Wiping more often, with plain water is cheaper and takes less time overall. When you make your grocery list before heading out to shop, wipe the shelves in the fridge as you move your goods around to see what's in back.  

     The old trick of putting baking soda in the fridge to eliminate odors and some extra moisture is a good one, charcoal briquettes also work but do not use the easy to light ones. They are soaked in some very bad chemistry that you do not want in your fridge. Baking soda and charcoal only deodorize and absorb moisture for so long; remember to take them out and replace every 3 months. Use the baking soda to scrub the kitchen sink or freshen the kitchen drain.

     Wipe the seal around the door, keep under and behind the fridge clean. Keeping the coils and vents of your fridge dust free is necessary to keeping your fridge running efficiently and free from service calls. I've seen a lot of fridges that sit surrounded by cabinetry. Dust, dirt and pet fur still gets under and behind. If your fridge is built in, pull it out at least once a year to see if it needs cleaning. Better you do it occasionally than have the repair man do it after it has overheated or burned out because of dirty coils and clogged vents. 

      Like I said, we are really accustomed to having the fridge take care of us. It isn't magic, it's all math and science. You must maintain your equipment. This site gives a good description of how a refrigerator actually works if you're curious.  

http://www.explainthatstuff.com/refrigerator.html