How to Get Rid of a Fishy Odor from a Refrigerator

Fish odor can stick to a refrigerator's interior surface and other items in the appliance. The odor may take a long time to disappear, which means smelling it every time you open the refrigerator door. Instead of holding your nose each time you grab something from the refrigerator, you can remove the fishy aroma to make the appliance smell fresh again. Remove the odor as soon as possible for best results.

Cooler
Washcloth
Baking soda
White distilled vinegar
Towel
Crumpled black-and-white newspapers
Activated charcoal

Instructions

- 1
  Examine all the items in your refrigerator. Throw away food that has mold or expired sell-by dates. Place all the food that you wish to keep in a cooler so that it remains cool, or place it in a neighbor’s refrigerator.
- 2
  Dampen a washcloth with warm water. Sprinkle baking soda on the washcloth, and use the cloth to scrub the refrigerator's interior, including all drawers and shelves. Rinse the refrigerator's interior with white distilled vinegar, and dry it with a towel.
- 3
  Fill the refrigerator with crumpled black-and-white newspapers if the odor remains. Pack the newspapers into all areas of the refrigerator. Scatter activated charcoal over the top of the crumpled newspapers to help absorb the fish odor. Close the refrigerator doors for up to 48 hours.
- 4
  Unplug the refrigerator from its electrical outlet the odor continues. Open the appliance's doors to let it air out for two to three days.
- 5
  Return food to the refrigerator. Place an open box of baking soda in the appliance to absorb lingering fish odor that may have attached to the food.

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