Refrigerator Cleaning and Care Tips. Some people think that the refrigerator is a magical place that keeps foods fresh forever - or at least until mold forms.
Others frantically toss things out after a day in the chill zone. Who's right?
It's a draw, actually, because essentially, no food benefits from storage. You want to eat everything as fresh as you can.
But since we can't all tromp out to the garden to harvest for each meal, here are some guidelines for making your fridge function at its best.
1 Cold and Colder.
Some parts of your fridge are colder than others. The meat compartment at the bottom is designed to store meat, for example - and it's the coldest place in the fridge. So put meat there.
Not only is this the coldest area, but if the package leaks, it won't contaminate other foods.
The door is the warmest part of the fridge. This is the best place for nonperishables (sodas), not perishables (eggs).
To keep food from spoiling throughout the fridge, the temperature needs to be between 34 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
You can't depend on the little gauge (1-5) in the fridge to accurately record temperatures inside, however. Consider You buying a fridge-specific thermometer.
2 Cleaning Your Fridge.
Essential daily care:
-- Wipe up any spills in your refrigerator immediately to keep bacteria from growing.
-- Wash first with warm, soapy water, then disinfect with a solution of 1 teaspoon bleach in one quart water.
3 Top Tips for Cooked Meals.
1 Don't put hot food in the chilly fridge.
Bring it to room temperature before refrigerating it. Hot food can cause fridge temps to drop.
2 On the other hand, don't leave food out too long, either.
Refrigerate prepared food within two hours of cooking (one hour in the summer).
3 Don't overload the refrigerator.
Parties are a dangerous time for your fridge food health because you can cram a whole lot of stuff in it and then you're continually opening the door. Turn the temperature down during these occasions.
4 Cover foods tightly.
This keeps an air-tight seal that will keep foods fresher longer, as well as keep out any bacteria in the air.
5 Leave meats in their original packaging to prevent spreading bacteria.
6 Don't store breads, cookies or most cakes in the fridge; they will become stale.
7 Tell the family not to stand gazing slack-jawed into the open fridge while they decide what to eat. There goes the fridge temp again...
8 If you lose power, don't open the fridge or freezer.
If the doors are kept closed, food can keep up to eight hours in the fridge; 48 hours in the freezer.
