Spring is officially here and for many people that means spring planting and spring cleaning.  Have you ever thought about spring cleaning your refrigerator?  Your refrigerator is an important appliance.  Make it the focus of your spring cleaning.  Take steps to clean and sanitize refrigerator surfaces:

• First, throw away perishable foods in your refrigerator that should no longer be eaten.  Refer to the cold storage chart which can be found at http://www.fightbac.org.
• Remove refrigerator drawers and clean them with hot water and soap in the kitchen sink.
• Clean other interior refrigerator surfaces with hot water and soap, and then rinse with water.  Wipe dry with a clean cloth.
• After cleaning, use a diluted bleach and water solution (1 Tablespoon liquid bleach to 1 gallon water).
• Clean the refrigerator’s condenser coil with a brush or vacuum cleaner to remove dirt and lint.  This can help your refrigerator operate more efficiently.

After the cleaning is done, it’s time to give bacteria the cold shoulder by making sure the temperature in your refrigerator is at 40^? F or below.  Microorganisms grow more rapidly at warmer temperatures, and research shows that keeping a constant refrigerator temperature of 40^? F or below helps slow growth of these harmful microbes.

The best way to make sure your refrigerator is maintaining the recommended temperature of 40^? F or below is to check it with a refrigerator thermometer.  This type of thermometer is usually a separate tool that stays in the refrigerator and displays the actual temperature.  It is not a numbered dial that helps you adjust temperature.  Refrigerator thermometers are available at grocery, discount and hardware stores and are recommended for all home refrigerators.

When using a refrigerator thermometer, follow these important tips:

• Always follow thermometer manufacturer instructions for placement of the thermometer inside the refrigerator.
• Make sure your refrigerator thermometer reads 40^? F or below.  Keep in mind there are normal events that might cause your refrigerator thermometer to temporarily read higher than 40^? F.  These include:
• Initial placement of the thermometer inside the refrigerator.  The best place to put your thermometer is in the warmest area of the refrigerator, usually near the door.  This will give you the most accurate reading.
• A refrigerator door opened for an extended period of time.
• Hot foods recently placed in the refrigerator.
• The refrigerator’s automatic defrost cycle.
• Your refrigerator cycles on an off.  According to NSF International (www.nsf.org), you should check the thermometer at the time your refrigerator compressor just turns on.  This is when your refrigerator is at its highest temperature.  If the thermometer reads above 40^? F, adjust the control dial consistent with the refrigerator manufacturer’s instructions.

For more information, please contact Kim Miles, County Extension Agent – FCS at 325-646-0386.