Tag: Prevent Food from Spoiling

5 Ways to Prevent Mold in Your Fridge

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ways to prevent mold in your fridge

You’ve heard of mold showing up in your basement. You’re also aware that mold can show up in your kitchen and bathroom. However, mold in your fridge is something you might not have heard of, because it isn’t as common. But it is possible. Moisture build up, accidental spills and spoiled food can create the perfect combination for refrigerator mold.

While refrigerator mold can be very annoying to deal with, it is also very easy to avoid. With proper maintenance and cleanliness, you can ensure mold doesn’t even come near your fridge. To help you out, the team at RestoPros has created a list of ways to prevent mold in your fridge.

1. Consistently Clean It Out

About once every couple of months, do a thorough cleaning of your fridge. We’re talking turning it off and removing all its contents. Yes, it takes time, but you end up with a clean fridge that will perform well and will most likely be mold free. Here is a quick guide to thoroughly cleaning your fridge:

  • Remove Food from the Fridge

This is obvious. To do a thorough cleaning of your fridge, you will have to remove all the jars and containers. To avoid spoiling your food, it’s best to do this cleaning before your weekly shopping trip so you have lesser items in the fridge. Also, remember to have a cooler to store items that need to be kept cool.

  • Take Out All Removable Parts and Wash

Take out removable parts such as crisper bins and shelving and wash them with regular dish soap and warm water. Be sure to let them dry out completely. You don’t want any moisture left over because it’s a clear invitation for mold. Use baking soda to clean particularly stubborn stains.

  • Clean the Gasket

The gasket is the rubber-like seal on your fridge’s door that keeps cold air from escaping. Use a solution of ½ water and ½ white distilled vinegar and wipe down the gasket—then, pat it dry with a paper towel.

2. Immediately Clean Up Spills and Get Rid of Spoiled Food

The moment you spill something in the fridge, clean it up immediately. If the spill is recent, you can use a paper towel or a cloth to soak it up. Then, use regular wipes or diluted vinegar to sanitize the area. If it’s a heavy spill, you can remove the shelf and wash it like we mentioned before.

If you notice any spoiled food in your fridge, it’s important you get rid of it by putting it in a plastic bag and throwing it in the trash. It only takes a few minutes and its one of the easiest ways to prevent mold in the fridge.

 3. Always Keep Food in An Airtight Container

This also seems like a no-brainer but one of the ways you can prevent mold in your fridge is by sealing the containers you keep your food in. You can store food in well-sealed Ziploc bags or Tupperware containers. Keeping food sealed in airtight containers keeps it fresh and away from mold spores floating in the air.

4. Use Up Processed Meats Quickly

Processed, cured or smoked meats such as ham, salami, bologna and pastrami must be used up quickly. While it’s normal for some cured meats to have some surface mold on them (scrape the mold off the meat to remove it), they should not be showing other signs of mold growth. It’s best to be smart about how much meat you purchase so you don’t end up getting rid of most of it due to mold.

5. Prevent Excess Condensation

Excess moisture can build up in your fridge, even though your refrigerator is designed to remove and control moisture. This usually happens when the fridge is frequently opened and closed, leading to warm air entering the fridge. Avoid doing this, especially in humid and hot weather.

Moisture might also be accumulating because of open food containers, moisture laden foods or a deteriorated gasket.

See Mold? Call RestoPros!

If you can’t seem to get rid of the mold accumulated in your fridge, it’s time to call RestoPros! We offer a variety of services such as mold testing, mold remediation and water damage restoration. Call us today at 855-587-3786 or fill out a service request form on our website! 

Ways to Prevent Food from Spoiling

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Prevent Food from Spoiling

We’ve all done it, you come home from the grocery store and blindly toss everything in your fridge without rhyme or reason. Expired food and containers are pushed back or obscured by the new groceries, some of which have already expired. Some will expire soon – and simply won’t be seen in enough time to eat before spoiling. It’s hard to avoid in our busy lives, but there are ways to keep your fridge clean – and weed out the expired food without throwing it all away. There are also ways of helping the food in your refrigerator last longer. All it takes is a realistic system and perhaps a few upgrades.

The professionals at RestoPros want to help you rethink your food storage in the new year. Take a few minutes to look over these simple ways to prevent food from spoiling.

Check Fridge Thermometer

This is a problem many homeowners have experienced, and one that is easy to overlook. Make sure your refrigerator and freezer are set to the correct temperature. To avoid bacteria growth, you’ll need to set your freezer to 0 degrees Fahrenheit, and refrigerator to 38 degrees Fahrenheit (max). If the food in your refrigerator tends to spoil quickly, make sure to check (and reset if needed) both thermometers.

Item Placement

Every item placed in the refrigerator should have a specific designated area. Be consistent with where you place meat and fresh produce, this will help in easily locating food that will expire soon. Showcase the containers that will expire soon by creating a rotation system where newer items goes in the back, older ones in the front. Milk and dairy products belong on the top shelves toward the back since they need to be the coldest, and your crisper bins are for fruits and vegetables separately. In these bins you can often control the humidity levels (veggies should have higher humidity than fruits).

Special Treatment

All foods are not created equal. Many have specific storage needs that, if addressed, will keep them fresh longer. For example: When you bring bananas home, you should pull them apart to slow down the ripening process. Keep them isolated from other foods on your counter. Plus, they can be used for cooking even when they are brown. Another example would be your apples: You should be checking apples daily to remove any that are starting to spoil. Meat cuts that are not going to be eaten within a few days should be placed in the freezer. Containers of soup, bouillon or other packaged liquid food that is not refrigerated should be placed in the fridge after opening.

Make it Clean

Remove anything that has spoiled, and clean up the spot where it was sitting. Even if the food didn’t leave a mess, it can leave bacteria behind which can spread to the rest of your food. Always wipe down an area where food has spoiled. A clean fridge will help greatly with keeping food fresh longer.

Back-Up Generator

Power outages are usually not preventable. We recommend getting a back-up generator in case of a power outage to prevent food from spoiling. This is especially important if you keep an extra freezer of food. Back-up generators can be automatic or manual. Unless you’re using your generator for life-support or monitoring machines, you probably don’t need a heavy-duty generator. A manual one would be a great choice.

We can all understand the frustration of heading to the refrigerator for a snack or to prepare a meal only to find that the ingredients have gone bad. These easy steps on ways to prevent food from spoiling can prolong the life of your groceries and help maximize your shopping budget. At RestoPros we are happy to help with any issue related to mold. If you are having a problem with mold in your home, give us a call at 855-587-3786 today! Don’t let mold take hold in the new year!