The Refrigerator Smells Moldy Inside

Causes

• The culprit for that moldy smell in your refrigerator is food that has been left in there too long and is starting to decompose. Some foods are more susceptible to mold than others -- foods such as fruit, jams and cured salty meats are quick to mold, according to the University of Minnesota Food Safety Education and Research. Even in your refrigerator's cold climate, mold can develop in such foods if they are pushed to the back of the fridge and left to rot.

Risks

• While the smell might be your motivation to eliminate the mold from your refrigerator, you have bigger concerns. Moldy food carries invisible bacteria that can make you or your family sick. Some people are even at risk of developing respiratory problems due to the mold. Moreover, mold from one food can spread throughout the refrigerator's surface to other foods, putting otherwise OK-to-eat foods at risk of a mold invasion.

Elimination

• Once you detect the moldy odor in your refrigerator, it's time to eliminate it. First, take all of the food out of the refrigerator, and inspect each item for mold. Sugary and salty foods attract mold most often. Toss out the moldy food. Then, rinse the inside of your refrigerator with a warm, soapy water mixture. You want to eliminate any mold spores that might have spread to the shelves of your fridge.

Prevention

• Prevent that musty, moldy smell by keeping your refrigerator well organized. If you can see all of the food in it, old food is less likely to get pushed to the back and start to mold. Clean out your refrigerator once a month to get rid of any quickly aging food. Rinse the refrigerator with that warm, soapy water mixture at the same time.