Removing spoiled food funk from icebox

[1stTimeCaller]

I had my trailer parked for 8 days inbetween jobs. I was under the impression that the fridge and freezer would run off of propane in the meantime. I was wrong as 2 boys ****ing. There was chicken, hamburger meat, a half-gallon of milk which exploded, eggs, cheese, yogurt, you get the idea.

I opened my trailer and knew I was in trouble. I then opened the fridge and saw huge chunks of milk over everything. The chicken smell was the worst.

I had the baking soada dealios in there but they were overpowered. I have thrown everything out and wiped it down with Chlorox wet wipes. I threw away the baking soda things and aired out the fridge overnight. The smell is still horrendous.

What else can I do to make that funk go away?

[OSUAggie]

It won't.

[1stTimeCaller]

Oh no, it will.
;)

[OSUAggie]

Well.... good luck, I guess. Might just **** on it to get a new smell in there.

[whatsername]

I've heard that you could put newspapers in there and they will absorb the smell.

But whatever you do, it's not going to go away overnight. Give it time. Buy a big box of Arm & Hammer, spread it out on a tray and change it often.

Eventually it will smell better as long as it's running, but the smell will come back if it's off and closed up.

[sooner_born_1960]

Did you run out of propane?

[Preservation Parcels]

That sounds miserable; sorry you had to go through it.


Take out any removable parts of the refrigerator and clean them separately.

Mix 1/4 c. chlorine bleach with 1/2 gallon of water and apply to all surfaces.

Mix together 2 tbsp. baking soda with a quart of warm water. Wipe down the inside surfaces of the refrigerator with this solution. Rinse with water and dry.

Then, make a solution of 1/2 c. vinegar and 1 gallon of water, if the odor remains. Once again, rinse and dry all surfaces before applying this solution.

Leave the door open and allow the refrigerator to air out.

Don't mix solutions; use them one at a time, rinsing and drying all surfaces between applications.

Activated charcoal soaks up persistent odors. Spread about three ounces of fine powdered charcoal on a sheet of aluminum foil or in a shallow pan. Place this on a shelf in the refrigerator or freezer. Foods can remain in the refrigerator with the charcoal. After six to eight hours, put the pan in a moderate oven (350 degrees) for 20 minutes. This reactivates the charcoal, so it can be re-used many times. Put the charcoal back in the unit and repeat the process until the odor disappears. Chlorophyll kitty litter also absorbs odors.

Try leaving a bowl of cat litter or activated charcoal briquettes inside to absorb odors. Keep an open package of baking soda or coffee grounds in the refrigerator for long-term odor removal.

If the odor is in the refrigerator insulation, it will be more difficult get rid of it. It will take longer, or the insulation may have to be replaced.

Chew some peppermint gum while you're working on it, and it will help you a little with a stinky job.

Good luck with that.

[1stTimeCaller]

Thanks!

I didn't run out of propane. My best guess is that the battery died and has something to do with cooling the fridge and freezer when running on propane. Color me confused or retarded.

[sooner_born_1960]

I didn't think it needed any electricity. Oh well, sorry about your dilemma.

[Hamhock]

wrong as 2 boys ****ing.

that's pretty wrong.

[SoonerBorn68]

Hey 1TC, the fridge on the trailer they brought me didn't work so they ended up bringing one that had set out in a warehouse for several weeks. It had a piece of meat in a zip lock bag still in it & it smelled like death. I was super ****ed. My wife suggested the following & it worked in about 3 hours.

Get a small bowl & fill it about half full with baking soda. Put several cotton balls on top of the baking soda--enough to fill the bowl. Liberally pour immitation vanilla extract on the cotton balls. Put into fridge. Presto, smell gone.

[Mjcpr]

I don't see how that didn't work either, 1TC. You those giant, stainless steel, propane-powered super cooler's in people's back yards all the freakin' time.

It's a mystery.

[sanantoniosooner]

I know how it didn't work, but I ain't telling.

[12]

One time the wife and I went on vacation for two weeks. We returned to find our freezer had ceased operations. There was a good 10 lbs. of walleye letting us know it had been thawing for quite some time. It drained down into the fridge.

We bought a new fridge.

[frankensooner]

I am sure there is a joke in here about peeing in the fridge, but I won't touch that. ;)

[sooner_born_1960]

Did you keep your trailer level while it was parked?

[StuIsTheMan]

Then, make a solution of 1/2 c. vinegar and 1 gallon of water, if the odor remains. Once again, rinse and dry all surfaces before applying this solution.


That's why this is also a old ******...just sayin

[StoopTroup]

Set your trailer ablaze and call the insurance company.

Poof! New trailer and fridge.

YWIA :D

[OU4LIFE]

just FYI, the whole thing about baking soda absorbing odor...yeah, it's a myth.

seriously.

[OU4LIFE]

oh, and you're an idot. and not the smart kind.

[rufnek05]

you mean those fridge packs don't work? would a company purposly mislead customers? surely not

[Petro-Sooner]

just FYI, the whole thing about baking soda absorbing odor...yeah, it's a myth.

seriously.


You serious Clark?

[OU4LIFE]

look it up people. it's about as real as a whole bunch of other stuff that's not real.

[OU4LIFE]

A box of baking soda in the fridge or freezer absorbs odors
kitchen myth cooking urban legend

This is a very clever and successful marketing ploy by the baking soda people, but the fact is that baking soda is very poor at absorbing odors. It seems to make sense, however, so lots of people have spent untold billions of dollars to put boxes of baking soda in their fridge or freezer to no effect. Activated charcoal would work much better but is expensive. Better to wrap your food and clean the fridge once in a while.

Source: http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/chem00/chem00388.htm

[Preservation Parcels]

just FYI, the whole thing about baking soda absorbing odor...yeah, it's a myth.

seriously.

It works better as a mild, non-abrasive cleanser than as an odor-absorber. The charcoal, newspapers, and vanilla all work better to eliminate odors.

[1stTimeCaller]

The trailer was not level. That was probably my problem. Well, one of them at least.

Hairy, the box of baking soda I threw out smelled like death warmed over.

Pat, the fridge is made to run off of propane when not plugged into electricity.

[Mjcpr]

Sure it is, Mr Jetson.

[MamaMia]

1TC, I would do a Yahoo search on How to remove refrigerator odors, print it out and try it.

[OU4LIFE]

Hairy, the box of baking soda I threw out smelled like death warmed over.



so would a sock, what's your point?

if it "absorbs" odor, then why would it stink? Wouldn't that negate the whole point?

"Hey, I'm going to put this box of powder in my fridge to capture all those stinky odors, that way all the odors will be coming from one central storage area"

Seems to me that if it did it's job, it'd be odorless when you removed it.

[Scott D]

Just put it in a box and give it to Andy as a housewarming present, act like it's brand new. ;)

[1stTimeCaller]

Hairy, could you trim a little arm hair and put it in a pantyhose? I'd like to try that as an odor absorber.

[SoonerBorn68]

Do the vanilla/baking soda/cotton ball thing already. It works. I also hit it with some Lysol.

[Frozen Sooner]

Solution of lemon juice and water.

[OU4LIFE]

Hairy, could you trim a little arm hair and put it in a pantyhose? I'd like to try that as an odor absorber.

i'll just sweep my bathroom floor.

coming your way!

[Jimminy Crimson]

I was wrong as 2 boys ****ing.

Hey, enough about the previous owners of Andy's house! :texan:

[TUSooner]

That sounds miserable; sorry you had to go through it.


Take out any removable parts of the refrigerator and clean them separately.

Mix 1/4 c. chlorine bleach with 1/2 gallon of water and apply to all surfaces.

Mix together 2 tbsp. baking soda with a quart of warm water. Wipe down the inside surfaces of the refrigerator with this solution. Rinse with water and dry.

Then, make a solution of 1/2 c. vinegar and 1 gallon of water, if the odor remains. Once again, rinse and dry all surfaces before applying this solution.

Leave the door open and allow the refrigerator to air out.

Don't mix solutions; use them one at a time, rinsing and drying all surfaces between applications.

Activated charcoal soaks up persistent odors. Spread about three ounces of fine powdered charcoal on a sheet of aluminum foil or in a shallow pan. Place this on a shelf in the refrigerator or freezer. Foods can remain in the refrigerator with the charcoal. After six to eight hours, put the pan in a moderate oven (350 degrees) for 20 minutes. This reactivates the charcoal, so it can be re-used many times. Put the charcoal back in the unit and repeat the process until the odor disappears. Chlorophyll kitty litter also absorbs odors.

Try leaving a bowl of cat litter or activated charcoal briquettes inside to absorb odors. Keep an open package of baking soda or coffee grounds in the refrigerator for long-term odor removal.

If the odor is in the refrigerator insulation, it will be more difficult get rid of it. It will take longer, or the insulation may have to be replaced.

Chew some peppermint gum while you're working on it, and it will help you a little with a stinky job.

Good luck with that.
THEN BUY A NEW FRIDGE!!

[12]

You know, if you have the scratch, go with TU's suggestion... buy a new fridge. After all, in a work trailer, it can't be that big of an expense. Otherwise, your Raisin Bran is going to taste like rotten flesh for a year or so.

[OUDoc]

Rub some dirt on it.

[OU4LIFE]

mmmmm rotten flesh bran....

[olevetonahill]

Next time remember to turn the propane ON .

[1stTimeCaller]

You know, if you have the scratch, go with TU's suggestion... buy a new fridge. After all, in a work trailer, it can't be that big of an expense. Otherwise, your Raisin Bran is going to taste like rotten flesh for a year or so.

these little dorm sized RV fridges are about $900. :mad:

I'm going to clean that biotch until the Virgin Mary herself would be happy to eat off of it.

[OU4LIFE]

she's deed ya know.

[olevetonahill]

she's deed ya know.
Sos you saying she wont mind the smell ?

[OU4LIFE]

pretty much

[1stTimeCaller]

there's a joke there.

[sanantoniosooner]

there's a joke there.
I'm not looking for it.

[skycat]

I've had my own refridgerator emergency. As mentioned it is important to disassemble the thing as much as possible and clean all of the pieces as best you can.