Last year we had planned a trip a weekend apart so I had left some food items in the fridge. There ended up being a thunderstorm which shut off the power to the fridge while it was in my driveway and it all spoiled. I cleaned it and it was mold free for the rest of the summer.When I opened it this spring, the fridge was absolutely gross. It had lots of mold and mostly in the same places from last summer (the lower shelf in the door and the freezer). It had spread a bit more though.I have cleaned it again and have the doors propped open to keep the air flowing. But the rubber seal around the freezer is stained and no matter how I scrub it didn't come clean. I'm using a thyme oil cleaner which is a natural mildew killer. Why I'm posting is two reasons:#1. Any suggestions on what type of cleaner I should use to remove the stains in the rubber seal.#2. What could I keep in the fridge and freezer to keep it from molding up again other than keeping the doors open. Would baking soda work? That's more about smell I thought? A cup of salt?Thank you

Use bleach. When the fridge is not on, the doors must be left open a little. It is as simple as that.

robsouth wrote:Use bleach. When the fridge is not on, the doors must be left open a little. It is as simple as that.X 2

Forget the thyme, you need the bring on the big guns. We had this happen to our home fridge when we moved. I first cleaned it with soap and water to get the gunk off everything. Then I made a bleach solution with a cup of bleach and a gallon of water. On a few spots I had to use straight bleach but I got that baby clean as a whistle (wipe it down with clear water after bleaching.) We used the fridge another 8 years so I must have done something right.

Doors have to be left open when not in use. Condensation forms inside as it warms after being shut off and the mold forms. Clean it with a bleach solution and don't forget the seals too. Bottom of the door seal too. I clean mine with a mild bleach solution after defrosting a couple times per year even though I do not have any mold. Bleach is an approved disinfectant that can be used even on dishes.

I'll have to go pick up a jug, I've been using the thyme oil on everything and don't even have any in the house.Thanks for the tip!

Moldy Refridgerator | Good Sam Community

robsouth
Explorer II
Jun 26, 2013
Use bleach. When the fridge is not on, the doors must be left open a little. It is as simple as that.
Oaklevel
Explorer
Jun 26, 2013
robsouth wrote:
Use bleach. When the fridge is not on, the doors must be left open a little. It is as simple as that.

X 2
Chock_Full_o__N
Explorer
Jun 26, 2013
Forget the thyme, you need the bring on the big guns. We had this happen to our home fridge when we moved. I first cleaned it with soap and water to get the gunk off everything. Then I made a bleach solution with a cup of bleach and a gallon of water. On a few spots I had to use straight bleach but I got that baby clean as a whistle (wipe it down with clear water after bleaching.) We used the fridge another 8 years so I must have done something right.
doxiemom11
Explorer II
Jun 26, 2013
Doors have to be left open when not in use. Condensation forms inside as it warms after being shut off and the mold forms. Clean it with a bleach solution and don't forget the seals too. Bottom of the door seal too. I clean mine with a mild bleach solution after defrosting a couple times per year even though I do not have any mold. Bleach is an approved disinfectant that can be used even on dishes.
vthoms
Explorer
Jun 26, 2013
I'll have to go pick up a jug, I've been using the thyme oil on everything and don't even have any in the house.

Thanks for the tip!
fla-gypsy
Explorer
Jun 26, 2013
Oaklevel wrote:
robsouth wrote:
Use bleach. When the fridge is not on, the doors must be left open a little. It is as simple as that.

X 2

X3
JC2
Explorer
Jun 26, 2013
vthoms wrote:
Last year we had planned a trip a weekend apart so I had left some food items in the fridge. There ended up being a thunderstorm which shut off the power to the fridge while it was in my driveway and it all spoiled. I cleaned it and it was mold free for the rest of the summer.

When I opened it this spring, the fridge was absolutely gross. It had lots of mold and mostly in the same places from last summer (the lower shelf in the door and the freezer). It had spread a bit more though.

I have cleaned it again and have the doors propped open to keep the air flowing. But the rubber seal around the freezer is stained and no matter how I scrub it didn't come clean.

I'm using a thyme oil cleaner which is a natural mildew killer.

Why I'm posting is two reasons:

#1. Any suggestions on what type of cleaner I should use to remove the stains in the rubber seal.

#2. What could I keep in the fridge and freezer to keep it from molding up again other than keeping the doors open. Would baking soda work? That's more about smell I thought? A cup of salt?

Thank you

If you had the fridge controls set on AUTO, then it should have switched to lp gas when the power went out. You did have it on AUTO mode right? Wiping the inside of a fridge clean then using clorox wipes will usually take care of any mold problems. Each door should also be cracked open to allow air circulation.
2012Coleman
Explorer II
Jun 26, 2013
If you had the fridge controls set on AUTO, then it should have switched to lp gas when the power went out. You did have it on AUTO mode right?
Good point...

You would also have had to have the valve open on the propane tank...

Same thing happened to me while staging for a trip, but I was prepared for it.

Use Clorox cleanup in a spray bottle and leave the doors open. Most now have a storage position lock - little grey tab on each door that you push out that keeps the door cracked open, but still secured. Me? - I just leave them open while stored.
eabc5454
Explorer
Jun 26, 2013
We also use natural cleaners in the house. We have eight parrots, and we have to be very careful about what we use in the house, as many cleaners, bleach included, can kill them.

However, the birds don't go camping with us! We use bleach disinfectant wipes to wipe out the refrigerator after each trip, and then prop the door open.

BTW, we also use the bleach wipes on the hose bib for the fresh water connection, saturating the bib and letting it air dry. You never know what happened on that bib before you got there!

Happy camping,
Elizabeth
Gene_Ginny
Explorer
Jun 27, 2013
In addition to all the good advice above, look at the door seals. I was always a fanatic about keeping the fridge and seals clean with a Clorox whipedown and one day looked UP at the underside of the door seal. YUK!!! I thought I was keeping it clean but that little groove on the underside was black. Now I make sure I look at the underside and particularly that groove that gets exposed when you pull on the door seal a little.

I use the Clorox Kitchen Cleanup with bleach and my wife hates the smell and doesn't want me to use it. I told her she doesn't have a choice and the smell does go away in a few hours so just stay out of the trailer when I clean.

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