Are you curious about how to use baking soda to remove odor from the fridge? Almost everyone has heard of baking soda in many cleaning hacks, but did you know you can use baking soda for a fridge smell, too? In addition to being a powerful natural cleaner, baking soda is an efficient deodorizer.
This food-grade powder is perfect for soaking up the scent of spicy foods such as curry or garlic or the stale smell in your fridge. It’s embarrassing to open your fridge in front of company only to be greeted by a stench. Worse still, a stale, moldy smell could indicate mold spores floating around your food.
When you use baking soda as a refrigerator deodorizer, it takes in odorous molecules for disposal later. No matter how often you deep clean, food odor accumulates in the confined space of your refrigerator in a matter of days. Follow step-by-step instructions and let baking soda keep your fridge fresh.

Exciting Ways to Use Baking Soda for a Fridge Smell
Discover how to use baking soda to remove odor from the fridge effortlessly. Nobody wants to waste their weekends deep cleaning their fridge and freezer.
There are several painless ways to use baking soda as a refrigerator deodorizer. Save time using baking soda boxed, plated, in a cleaning spray, as a paste, or in the crisper drawer to keep odor at bay.
What Causes Fridge Odor?
At some time or another, we are all confronted with a stinky fridge. The refrigerator has poor ventilation; food particles become trapped with nowhere to go, creating a lingering odor. Even if you deep clean your fridge and freezer as part of regular house cleaning, food odor or a smell like sour milk builds up.
Food particles in your fridge eventually sink into your meals, causing odors or a strange taste. Onions, garlic, and other strongly scented foods are common culprits if not kept in an airtight container. Worse, if something molds, these moldy particles, and their associated smell linger in the fridge with your food.
Why Try Baking Soda for a Fridge Smell?
Baking soda’s scientific name is sodium bicarbonate – a weak alkali. Putting a package of baking soda in your refrigerator provides stinky particles something to bond with aside from your leftovers.
Because of the peculiar properties of sodium bicarbonate, it attracts both acidic and basic particles. When these particles link with the baking soda, the stench is neutralized.
While baking soda is called for in many recipes, baking soda used to eliminate odors should not be used when cooking. Baking soda absorbs food particles as part of the neutralization process, which changes the taste of the baking soda. Reusing baking soda after it absorbs an unpleasant smell leads to undesirable results.
How to Use Baking Soda to Remove Odor From the Fridge
One quick and easy technique for eliminating odor in your fridge is to sprinkle a few tablespoons of baking soda onto a small plate and set it uncovered on a shelf. The baking soda soaks up any odorous molecules from foods like onions or vanilla essence to keep your fridge free of bad smells.
Mix equal parts baking soda powder and hot water for stubborn acidic odors caused by a spill. Apply the baking powder paste to the stain, let it sit for ten minutes, and wipe it away with a damp cloth to remove the stain and the accompanying smell.
Boxed Baking Soda as a Refrigerator Deodorizer
The simplest way to keep your fridge or freezer smelling clean is by storing an open box of baking soda inside. Some brands even make special fridge-friendly boxes with a peel-off cardboard flat and a built-in filter on the side to increase air exchange.
Change the box at least every three months or sooner if you notice the bad odor coming back. Use a Sharpie and write the date you set the box of baking soda out on the side of it as a reminder.
Create a Baking Soda Cleaner
Sometimes a good cleaning takes care of unpleasant odors. Combine baking soda’s deodorizing ability with dish soap’s cleaning power in this basic spray cleaner.
Shake the ingredients in the sprayer and spray the fridge interior, including the shelves and drip pan. Wipe the plastic clean with a damp cloth, and follow with a towel to dry.
Sprinkle Baking Soda in Your Crisper Drawer
If you’re tired of dealing with a smelly fridge but don’t like the idea of a plate of baking soda taking up room, there are other options. Sprinkle baking soda in the crisper drawer or on a fridge door shelf, cover the powder layer with a paper towel, and restock the fridge.
The baking soda eliminates any strong odor as the particles pass through the paper towel so it can absorb them without taking up space. Try this idea to eradicate a nasty smell from a full fridge or freezer.
Other DIY Ideas for Refrigerator Odor
If you notice a bad smell in your fridge but have no baking soda in the pantry, don’t worry. Try a different home remedy to destroy foul odor. Set activated charcoal or coffee grounds on a plate inside the refrigerator to take in foul odor.
Mix ten drops of vanilla extract with a cup of water and use this as a natural food-safe air freshener, or make a quick deodorizer and disinfectant spray with equal parts white vinegar and hot water, with a squeeze of lemon juice. Alternatively, head to the local grocery store and purchase a cheap box of baking soda from the baking section.
After reading this article, are you ready to try baking soda for a fridge smell? A stinky fridge makes it hard to want to eat the food inside and could even pose a health hazard. Don’t let fridge odor catch you off guard. Choose a budget-friendly baking soda hack and make sure your fridge always smells clean without spending a fortune.

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