So notorious is a smelly fridge resulting from the drip pan that people have described as smelling “ like a dead animal” or like fish even when there is none in the refrigerator. Update: I'm getting the best results yet simply by putting in those little chlorinater tabs for the pool floaties. Here is a quick easy remedy to this!Please show your support. Problem: When you noticed a funky odor in your fridge, you probably threw out your old vegetables, but did you scrub the bin? Problem: What is the inside of your fridge primarily made out of? As it started to fill I would suck it out with a large straw that I duct taped to my shop vac. (Check your manual, or find it online by searching for the brand and model number.) We purchased a sears kenmore elite french door refrigerator in 2014. now we have the same problem as all of the previous posts. The pan will be located under your fridge, and, depending on the model, you'll either access it from the front (behind a kick plate), or you'll have to pull out the fridge to access it from the back. Remove the vegetables bins and clean out the area underneath with the bleach solution and a dish cloth. The pan is not removable. Check the refrigerator’s manual to find where the drip pan is located. Here is a short blog that might be helpful to you. Removing Water Marks from Stainless Steel Dishwasher Front? If even after cleaning, the smell persists, then it may be time to make that dreaded service call. You'll be amazed at how well baking soda removes those odors. This is a "Non Removable" drip pan and I cannot seem to clean it without the kick plate or from removing the back panel. Don't worry. For over a month there has been a terrible smell coming from the refrigerator AND the freezer!!! We checked all the food, threw out … Pulled the roller out, squeezed the water out and kept re-rolling until the pan was dry. So you removed all the leftovers, but your fridge still stinks? For best results this process should be completed with an empty refrigerator… Kills all the odors and smells real clean. This is located at the bottom of your appliance just above the condenser coils. I then used a small thin paint roller with the long handle and used that to scrub it and soak up the water. The manual may also list if you can remove the drip pan or if you need to clean it while it’s still in your fridge. The drip pan is very likely the source of your smell situation. This is unlikely but possible. I have a bad smell coming from under the refrigerator where the fan blows the air out. The bad smell could be coming from the drip pan underneath the fridge. Pour any accumulated liquid in the pan down a sink drain. The GE refrigerator drip pan location for these older models is in the left front or middle of the appliance, and you can simply pull it out and empty it. A drip pan is a thin plastic tray which clips into place beneath the bottom of your refrigerator. This worked great, the paint roller got water but not the other stuff. Baking soda will soak up the bad odors and leave your fridge smelling clean after about three days. My refrigerator has a bad odor coming from the bottom drip pan. Only use this process if the above, "Basic Odor Removal", process did not work. I think I found a way to eliminate the weird smell from the back or bottom of my refrigerator. I pulled the fridge out removed the metal in the back and in the drip pan was this dried up horrible stuff. Get shopping advice from experts, friends and the community! Pick the drip pan from beneath the doors, softly pull it out and dump the contents. Refrigerator Condensor Coils. Take out the shelves, bins, crisper drawers, ice trays, and any other loose components and wash them in the sink with hot, soapy water. There's some simple reasons why your fridge probably stinks and they're very simple to fix. If you don't have the manual any more, many are online. is a medium-end Whirlpool w/top freezer, about 6-7 years old. Editor's note: This article was originally published on Nov 5, 2015, and has been updated. If your fridge does have a drip pan, unplug your fridge, take out all of the food and follow the manual's instructions for removing the pan. It typically can be accessed by removing the grill on the front of the refrigerator and sliding the pan forward. With my old refrigerator to clean the odor I would put baking powder all over the pan and the odor would be gone. Remove the tray and clean it thoroughly with a disinfectant or a mild bleach solution. such as the damper assemblies and air returns. Locate the drip pan on the back of the refrigerator, near the compressor. The images show the white plastic tray covered in thick mould. Look at the diagrams for your fridge inside the manual to find the drip pan. The drip pan on your refrigerator is a receptacle that catches condensation flowing from the defrost drain in your freezer to the outside of the refrigerator where it can evaporate. Take a look at the maintenance part of your owner's manual to find out. Solution: Just to be sure that your bins are clean, take them out and wash them with warm water and dish soap. So you've removed all of the moldy takeout containers and that wedge of fancy cheese, but your fridge still smells? The model number is 253.74192409. Be respectful, keep it civil and stay on topic. The pans need to be emptied once in a while or they start to smell really bad. The first sign of leaky refrigerator coolant can be an acrid smell, from pungent ammonia to sharp acetone, according to Reference. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. The first step is to take care of everything you can see. I have a GE Profile Side by Side refrigerator PSH23PGRAWW have had it since 2004, last week it started making a horrible smell similiar to poo, stronger when the fan is running. Place 1 cup ground coffee in a bowl or on a plate and leave it in the fridge for 24 to 48 hours. While commonly overlooked, the tray should be cleaned every three months. Mine had chunks of mold that were crusty. Thanks. I cleaned the refrigerator. If you have a model that predates 1987, you can access the drip pan by removing the front grille. How To Get Rid of Fridge Smell With Baking Soda. Need a faster solution? this is a serious health concern, since mold can build in the drip pan. Problem: Even if your veggie bins are spotless, they could be hiding a disgusting secret. Some weeks ago, we noticed a strong smell in the refrigerator section of the Samsung French Door we bought in Jan '10. Frig. © 2021 CNET, A RED VENTURES COMPANY. Solution: The smell may not be your fridge at all, but what's under it. Clear vegetable juices could be hiding in the crevasses of the bin, giving it that unpleasant odor. Excessive frost caused by a leaking door seal can also cause the defrost drain pan to overflow. Find out if yours has one by looking at the owner’s manual or looking it up online. Solution: First, you need to find out if your fridge has a drip pan. Solution: Cleaning can only help so much. The heat from the fan or motor underneath the refrigerator kept heating up the contents inside the pan causing it to bake. Drip pans are usually located in the front or rear of your fridge, but it may vary depending on the model you have. One of the best-known remedies for nasty smells permeating out of your refrigerator is to use the odor obliterating power of baking soda. I understand I need to clean the drip pan … Scrub the pan in circular motions with a nonabrasive brush to remove encrusted debris. That’s the odor I smelled. Sometimes a damaged or used up water filter can emit odors. The coffee will mask the odors while it absorbs them. Problem: Some refrigerators have pans that collect condensation produced by the unit while it cools. Depending on how strong the odor or smell is, it may take several weeks for the odor to be eliminated. Problem: You've tried everything and just can't find the culprit. The exact source of the smell is difficult to find because it's so pungent, but moving the fridge to the other side of the room seems to have also moved the smell, so I'm really only 80% sure the fridge is responsible. Beside above, does a Whirlpool refrigerator have a drip pan? Check underneath your refrigerator for a drip tray or refer to your owners manual. After removing the pan, the content inside the pan looked extremely melted and burnt. … The USDA suggests placing a cotton swab soaked with vanilla inside the refrigerator for around 24 hours to eliminate smells. I have a Kitchen Aid side by side refrigerator - model #KSRP22F. most of the moldy and musty smell will be on the evaporator coils in the freezer section behind your food. Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate, which works to neutralize odors by balancing pH by buffering acidic and alkaline substances in the air. The pan is not removable. My refrigerator has a bad odor coming from the bottom drip pan. Discuss: Leftovers aren't making your fridge stink, it's the fridge itself. Some refrigerators have a drip pan that collects condensation while the unit cools. To absorb the odors, place an open box of baking soda in your fridge (some suggest sprinkling baking soda on a plate to increase the surface area). Discussion threads can be closed at any time at our discretion. It's not those leftovers making your fridge stinky. Desperate! I soaked the moldy bottom of the tray under coils with spray bottle with just water. After it is all clean, wipe down the area with a clean damp cloth to remove any bleach smell. There's a guy named Jake there that even shares his appliance repair credentials and gave a couple of answers regarding this problem. Try coffee. Empty and Scrub the Fridge Interior. section. Then, continue to dip the sponge into the baking soda mixture and scrub all food stains off of the drip pan before reinstalling it. The appliance had a fishy odor. We delete comments that violate our policy, which we encourage you to read. Stubborn Odor Removal. okay , unfortunately the odor is in the insulation and the evaporator coils and various other places. Roll the fridge out and clean under it thoroughly. There have been some reports of mold growth on condenser coils leading to foul smells coming from a refrigerator. Here's why. Inside the fridge smells fine, this smell is external. Did the same with the freezer - where the smell, oddly enough, seems STRONGER! There has been some debate as to whether baking soda actually works to remove odors. Either way, you should find out if it's something major. A WOMAN who was struggling to trace the source of a foul smell in her kitchen was left horrified when she discovered the drip tray in her fridge was filled with mould. Start by … How do I eliminate the odor if the pan is not removable? Removing Bad Food and Smells Unplug your refrigerator from the wall before you begin cleaning it. How do I eliminate the odor if the pan is not removable? It's possible that some food rolled underneath and rotted. The drip pan is a container that collects condensation from the defrost drain, leading to a build up of water. Defrost condensate water collects in the drain pan at the bottom of the refrigerator so a cracked or overflowing drain pan can also cause water to drip on the floor behind the refrigerator. GE Appliances reports that, since 1987, the built-in drip pan has been designed to be difficult to access and isn't removable. Then, clean it with warm water and dish soap and reinstall it. How to Clean a Drip Pan for a Frigidaire Refrigerator Grasp the refrigerator on both sides and carefully slide it out to expose the back. there is a horrible odor coming from the refrigerator, the drip pan is not removable for cleaning. if its real bad you may not be able to clear this completely.however, there are some things you can do. Water and bits of food tends to accumulate underneath vegetable bins. Plastic, right? I took EVERY item out of the frig, smelled it (nothing) washed the entire frig. Simply crack open a fresh container of baking soda and leave it in your fridge for about three days. To absorb the odors, place an open box of baking soda in your fridge (some suggest sprinkling baking soda on a plate to increase the surface area). Solution: Fill a bucket with a gallon of warm water and a quarter cup of bleach. If you smell this type of bitter odor coming from the fridge, open the windows and doors to air out the area. Removing Burnt Popcorn Smell and Stains from a... Deodorizing a Non-Removable Refrigerator Drip Pan. It could even be a buildup inside the fridge's drainage system. These pans need to be emptied from time to time and cleaned, or else they smell awful and may even overflow. There is no room for my hands or arms to reach in. A refrigerator's drain pan is located on the bottom of the unit, near the floor. Is your refrigerator clean and strong odors still remain? With my old refrigerator to clean the odor I would put baking powder all over the pan and the odor would be gone. The drip pan on a fridge catches the condensation flowing from the defrost drain — but if it isn't regularly cleaned, it can store mould, germs and nasty bacteria and cause a bad smell. Just search the brand and model number for your fridge. I let it soak. As it turned out, the tray had some sort of liquid residue inside the pan. According to yourspares.co.uk, the leading cause of a smelly fridge is the drip pan. I couldn't remove my drip pan and it smelled. According to Consumer Reports, you can also mix 1 cup baking soda to a gallon of water and use it to wipe down the inside of the fridge. Don't put too many in though, because it is very strong. Well, plastic absorbs odors, so the whole problem may be the entirety of your fridge. Check the drip pan. I stuffed an old hand towel in there to soak up any water then I sprayed Lysol with bleach in the pan and added water with vinegar. These can spoil and mold, leaving a bad odor.