L.W. asks from Birmingham, MI on November 06, 2008
Eliminating Odor in Chest Freezer
We recently moved to a "new" house and inherited a chest freezer. Unfortunately the former owner apparently stored fish in it. I have not been able to rid the freezer of the odor despite draining it, cleaning it with household cleaners, airing it out and sprinkling baking soda all over the inside. Does anyone have any advice to get rid of this? I am afraid to put other food in there for fear it will pick up the smell/taste. Thanks!
So What Happened?™
Thanks everyone for the great ideas! Other than throwing it out, the general consensus seems to be a bleach cleaning solution and some form of odor-soaking-up substance like coffee grounds, charcoal briquets, etc. I am very grateful for the advice and hope to be fish-free very soon. L.
Featured Answers
M.S. answers from Detroit on November 07, 2008
I have a small chest freezer that we had unplugged by accident and it was full. Everything in it spoiled and I thought I'd never get the smell out. I sprayed it with a bleach cleaner (Clorox cleanup) and left it overnight. I haven't had a problem since.
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C.J. answers from Lansing on November 07, 2008
L.,
The show "Food Detectives" - on the Food Network - used activated charcoal from the pet store to negate the smell of rotting food. I used it when my dogs were skunked while we were away and brought the smell into the house through the dog door. It took about three days for the charcoal to soak up the smell.
Good luck with your freezer.
-C..
1 mom found this helpful
J.C. answers from Detroit on November 07, 2008
S.B. answers from Detroit on November 07, 2008
defrost it, then place bowls of coffee grounds or charcoal briquettes...then clear that out and stuff with newspapers....alot of steps, but that should do it...heck, you may not need to use the paper! Good luck!
1 mom found this helpful
A.S. answers from Detroit on November 07, 2008
HI L.
You may have already tried this but how about turning the freezer off and leaving it open to get rid of the smell - good luck - Alison
M.S. answers from Detroit on November 06, 2008
Hi L.,
Best bet is to clean it very well and then put charcoal inside it for a few day to absorb the odor. Charcoal works also coffee grounds and also kitty litter will absort odors.
If that doesn't work maybe you could call the company that makes it and get their ideas.
Good Luck.
M.
N.M. answers from Kalamazoo on November 08, 2008
Sorry for the late reply, after cleaning it with bleach water, and making sure it's rinsed really well, try spraying some lemon juice on the sides and bottom and letting it sit for about a half an hour and then just wipe down.
A.H. answers from Grand Rapids on November 07, 2008
My husband tipped ours on the side (took the top off) and cleaned it with bleach, tipped it back up, left the top off and I just sold it. It smelled fine to me. Also vinegar is suppose to be one of the best cleaners.
T.A. answers from Grand Rapids on November 06, 2008
L.,
I have used fresh coffee grounds to de-odorize a refrigerator in a rental unit we have that was unplugged and left with food in it, it was bad! I first cleaned it thououghly, scooped the coffee grounds into a bowl directly from the coffee can and put them in the fridge (I put several bowls in there at one time), plugged it in and left it for a couple of days. It did smell like coffee afterward, but that beats the smell of rotten food!
I have also read that if you put fresh cut grass on cookie sheets and put one on each shelf the chlyphorll in the grass will deodorize a fridge. I have never tried it, and its also the wrong time of year too. I have also read that bowls of vinegar will deodorize and also to completely fill the fridge/freezer with crumpled newspaper and leave it for a couple of days helps. Although I have not tried any of these other things, I thought I would mention them anyway. Good luck!
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