An open box of baking soda is a familiar sight inside refrigerators, usually placed on a shelf to help control food odors. But absorbing smells and removing the residue that causes them are different jobs. Baking soda can also be dissolved in water and used to wipe the shelves, drawers, and interior walls where food spills accumulate.
The cleaning method, highlighted in guidance attributed to Cleveland Clinic, uses one tablespoon of baking soda mixed with one quart of water. The solution provides a mild cleaning option for refrigerator surfaces without leaving a strong fragrance behind.
Food residue can remain inside a refrigerator even when the shelves appear clean. Spilled sauces, leaking containers, and moisture around drawers create places where unwanted microorganisms can grow, making regular cleaning more useful than relying on odor control alone.
One tablespoon of baking soda goes into a quart of water
Dissolve one tablespoon of baking soda in one quart (approximately 950 milliliters) of water.
Remove food from the area being cleaned, then use a clean cloth or sponge to wipe the refrigerator’s interior surfaces.
Pay attention to shelf edges, drawer corners, and places where containers have leaked. These areas can collect residue that a quick wipe across the middle of a shelf may miss.
After applying the solution, wipe the surfaces again with clean water to remove remaining baking soda.
Finish with a dry cloth before replacing the food.
The mixture is intended for routine cleaning rather than disinfection. If the refrigerator has been contaminated by raw meat juices or other potentially hazardous material, follow appropriate food-safety and appliance-manufacturer guidance.
The open box cannot remove food residue
Baking soda can help neutralize certain odor-causing compounds, which explains its long-standing use inside refrigerators.
But an open container cannot scrub away a spill, remove mold, or clean residue beneath a drawer.
Those materials remain until the affected surfaces are cleaned.
Food spills deserve attention because moisture and organic residue can support microbial growth, even inside a refrigerated environment.
Remove spoiled food, keep containers covered, and wipe up leaks when they occur rather than waiting for the next full cleaning.
A clean refrigerator needs more than odor control
The source recommends cleaning the refrigerator interior every few months, with additional attention whenever spills or visible buildup appear.
Removable shelves and drawers can be taken out for cleaning according to the appliance instructions. Avoid sudden temperature changes when washing cold glass components.
Baking soda and water provide a mild option for routine surface cleaning, but the mixture doesn’t replace a suitable disinfectant when one is required.
The distinction is what the baking soda is being asked to do. Sitting in an open box, it may help with some odors. Dissolved in water and applied with a cloth, it becomes part of a cleaning process that removes the residue left on refrigerator surfaces.
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