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A fridge is an appliance found in almost all households and they are meant to keep our food fresh and safe from harmful bacteria for longer periods of time. However, a shocking revelation from recent research carried out by food hygiene experts at the High Speed Training platform of the UK has unveiled a rather unpleasant truth – some parts of our fridges are up to three times dirtier than a toilet seat.
In this article, we will discuss the findings of this study and explore why your fridge might be a breeding ground for an enormous amount of bacteria.
Why your fridge is a bacterial heaven?
High Speed Training, UK, recently conducted a research in which swabs were taken from different parts of domestic fridges and analyzed for bacterial growth. The results sent shockwaves to everyone who heard about it.
It revealed that the fridge door is the most bacterially contaminated part of the refrigerator, even surpassing the dreaded toilet seats. The cleanest part of the fridge was the vegetable drawer, followed by the fridge shelf.
Natasha Blythe, a learning designer and food hygiene expert at High Speed Training, explained the reason behind this in a statement and said:
"Firstly, a correctly functioning refrigerator door is usually the warmest part of the fridge. Typically, bacteria thrive and grow in warmer temperatures, making it a perfect breeding ground for germs.”
Can a dirty refrigerator make you sick?
A dirty fridge can induce more health problems than you can ever imagine. Almost all the food, drinks, and water go through the fridge, and the contamination of the refrigerator’s environment with harmful bacteria leads to contamination of everything present in the fridge.
On keeping the fridge unclean, the growth of bacteria and molds speeds up. This causes spoilage of food items and dairy products.
Consumption of such food can lead to stomach issues like diarrhoea, food poisoning, nausea, and vomiting. Along with this, the spores released by moulds when inhaled, can lead to respiratory issues and allergies.
Best ways to clean the fridge
To prevent turning your fridge into a bacterial hazard, Natasha Blythe recommends deep cleaning the fridge at least three times a year. Also, storage of food items in designated sections can also help minimize their spoilage.
Here we have enlisted some essential steps to keep in mind while deep cleaning your fridge.
1. Empty Your Fridge
Remove all the food items from your fridge first. Also, remove the drawers, sliders, and shelves to be able to access all areas of the fridge properly.
2. Use Soapy Water
You don’t have to buy any expensive cleaners to clean the fridge, as soapy water does the best job. Using soapy water to clean the walls and other parts of the fridge instead of harsh chemicals can ensure that these chemicals don’t linger around in the fridge after cleaning.
3. Wash Shelves and Drawers
The removable parts of the fridge like shelves and drawers accumulate food debris over time, which can lead to bacterial growth. Clean them with hot soapy water to remove food stains and germs from them.
4. Thorough Drying
Moisture is bacteria's best buddy. So, drying off excess moisture from all the surfaces is an essential step after cleaning.
5. Cleaning the Exterior
After internal cleaning, wash the fridge from the outside as well, like the surface and the handles. Also, removing the fridge from its position to clean the underneath floor and the wall behind it is also important.
In conclusion, home appliances that are used daily, like the fridge, can accumulate a huge amount of bacteria if proper cleaning is not done from time to time. The proof of this comes out to be the recent study conducted by High Speed Training, UK, that certain parts of fridges are almost three times more contaminated with bacteria than the toilet seat.
Therefore, regular deep cleaning of the fridge is an essential step to take towards maintaining a hygienic environment in the home.
