Smell out of refrigerator

Remove paper and clean with vinegar and water. Sprinkle fresh coffee grounds or baking soda loosely in a large, shallow container in the bottom of the refrigerator and freezer. Place a cotton swab soaked with vanilla inside the refrigerator and freezer. Close door for 24 hours.

The long and short answer is that bacteria and molds cause the foul odors coming from your fridge. These menacing microbes thrive in areas that have moisture. That moisture can come from spilled food, condensation from the fridge, and humidity from the outside.

Putting a box of baking soda in your refrigerator gives those smelly particles something other than your leftovers to bond with. The unique characteristics of sodium bicarbonate make it very attractive to both acidic and base particles, and once these particles bond with the baking soda, the odor is neutralized.

Place a minimum of one cup of baking powder into an open, shallow container. Alternatively, you can just fully open the box it came in. Put the container into the fridge, ideally as close to the source of the odor as possible. Leave for three months before replacing the baking soda, or sooner if the odor is returning.