Refrigerator mold? Like moldy food?

Not quite…but mold spores can linger from a loosely sealed container of out-of-date leftovers onto other spots inside the fridge.

It can happen folks—and it doesn’t just happen to abandoned fridges in the garage. Mold, particularly black mold, can wreak havoc on the health of your refrigerator and many people don’t realize that this is possible. While people often associate mold with a warm, muggy environment, many aren’t aware that the fungus can lurk in the cool, dark climate of your fridge.

What causes mold to grow in a refrigerator?

It is important to know that mold spreads through the air and through surface contact. It also needs moisture and a lack of air circulation to grow and flourish; and black mold actually thrives in the dark—making your refrigerator the perfect Petri dish.

Mold can begin to grow on inside refrigerator surfaces due to direct contact with moldy food or from spores that have circulated around due to moldy food not being contained properly. Once the food is thrown away and the mold is cleaned up, if it ends up returning, then you know there must be another issue going on.

The next step would be to check the humidity levels. According to Taste of Home, “As a general rule of thumb, use the low-humidity setting for anything that rots easily. That means apples, pears, avocados, melons, or stone fruits. The high-humidity drawer is great for anything that wilts – think thin-skinned vegetables like asparagus or leafy vegetables like greens and fresh herbs.”

If food or humidity are not to blame for the moldy situation, there most likely is an issue with the refrigerator itself. Check to see if there is a leak in the water line; you may need to hire an appliance repair person to come out.

How to rid your refrigerator of mold

You will want to unplug your fridge and take all items out. Take out the shelves and open up all drawers. Bleach or vinegar are the recommended cleaning solutions to use when ridding mold from a surface.

Don’t forget hard to reach spots as well as the door gasket and seals.

A writer at Hunker advises: “If you still notice a moldy smell, it’s probably coming from the ice or water dispenser. Clean all the tubes with vinegar and water, removing those you can and using a cotton swab to reach into orifices, such as the water dispenser faucet. If your refrigerator has an air filter, change it every three to six months to prevent it from adding to the mold problem.”

If you’d like a visual, watch this video on how to get rid of mold from the inside of a refrigerator!

Encountering mold in the place you store your food and drinks and a place where you would hope would be clean and sanitary, can be pretty gross and upsetting. Thankfully, there are only a few reasons for mold in the fridge and very simple steps to ridding yourself of that mold.

Professionals from Restoration Certified Specialists, Inc. will take care of you if you are in need of a mold restoration specialist! They have been proudly serving the Santa Rosa and North Bay areas since 1975.