I made the mistake of thawing a plateful of frozen squid[1] uncovered
in the refrigerator a few days ago and now the inside smells of fish.
Apparently strongly enough that my wife's coworkers noticed the smell
on the Tupperware containers she brought in with her lunch.

So, I've Googled the 'net and absorbed the "wisdom" contained
therein. Seems like mostly old wives' tales: "I put FOO in my fridge
to absorb the odors and in a week they were gone!" (Gee, ya think a
week's worth of opening the doors several times a day might have
something to do with it?)

Anyway, I'm looking for your opinion. Minimal effort solution
preferred, of course. My current plan: Heat a plateful of charcoal
briquettes in the oven to dry them out thoroughly (and drive out any
aromatics they might have collected while sitting in the garage), then
put the plate in the fridge. In a week, I hope the odor will be
gone! :-)

[1] for Rhode Island style "spicy and greasy" calamari, along the
lines of this:
http://www.loulies.com/rhode_island_...y_crisp_greasy.
except my version is not as greasy and uses a variety of peppers to
limit the heat and add more color. Plus some fried onion rings. Over
buttered fettucini. Mmmmm.

On Wed, 16 Sep 2009 11:25:56 -0700 (PDT), Silvar Beitel
> wrote:

-->I made the mistake of thawing a plateful of frozen squid[1] uncovered
-->in the refrigerator a few days ago and now the inside smells of fish.
-->Apparently strongly enough that my wife's coworkers noticed the smell
-->on the Tupperware containers she brought in with her lunch.
-->
-->So, I've Googled the 'net and absorbed the "wisdom" contained
-->therein. Seems like mostly old wives' tales: "I put FOO in my fridge
-->to absorb the odors and in a week they were gone!" (Gee, ya think a
-->week's worth of opening the doors several times a day might have
-->something to do with it?)


Large bowl of vinegar, leave in fridge overnight

In article
>,
Silvar Beitel > wrote:

> Anyway, I'm looking for your opinion. Minimal effort solution
> preferred, of course. My current plan: Heat a plateful of charcoal
> briquettes in the oven to dry them out thoroughly (and drive out any
> aromatics they might have collected while sitting in the garage), then
> put the plate in the fridge. In a week, I hope the odor will be
> gone! :-)

Try a few sheets of newspaper in the bottom of the 'frige.
--
Peace! Om

"Human nature seems to be to control other people until they put their foot down."
--Steve Rothstein


Subscribe:

"Silvar Beitel" > wrote in message
...
>I made the mistake of thawing a plateful of frozen squid[1] uncovered
> in the refrigerator a few days ago and now the inside smells of fish.
> Apparently strongly enough that my wife's coworkers noticed the smell
> on the Tupperware containers she brought in with her lunch.
>
> So, I've Googled the 'net and absorbed the "wisdom" contained
> therein. Seems like mostly old wives' tales: "I put FOO in my fridge
> to absorb the odors and in a week they were gone!" (Gee, ya think a
> week's worth of opening the doors several times a day might have
> something to do with it?)
>
> Anyway, I'm looking for your opinion. Minimal effort solution
> preferred, of course. My current plan: Heat a plateful of charcoal
> briquettes in the oven to dry them out thoroughly (and drive out any
> aromatics they might have collected while sitting in the garage), then
> put the plate in the fridge. In a week, I hope the odor will be
> gone! :-)
>
> [1] for Rhode Island style "spicy and greasy" calamari, along the
> lines of this:
> http://www.loulies.com/rhode_island_...y_crisp_greasy.
> except my version is not as greasy and uses a variety of peppers to
> limit the heat and add more color. Plus some fried onion rings. Over
> buttered fettucini. Mmmmm.

Take all perishables and put them into a cooler.
Turn the fridge to OFF.
Place a FAN blowing into the fridge and wipe off and clean all surfaces.

Smell comes from odor particulates the only way to get rid of them is to
dilute the number of particulates. Like smoke trapped in drapes after a
fire.

Dimitri

Dimitri wrote:
>

>
> Take all perishables and put them into a cooler.
> Turn the fridge to OFF.
> Place a FAN blowing into the fridge and wipe off and clean all surfaces.
>
> Smell comes from odor particulates the only way to get rid of them is to
> dilute the number of particulates. Like smoke trapped in drapes after a
> fire.
>
> Dimitri
>
>

What Dimitri said, but I would wipe/wash all the interior surfaces
with a baking soda and water solution. It would help to wipe off
all the items that go back into the fridge also because they will
carry the smell, too. Throw away any ice cubes and wipe the bin or
trays well. They absorb odors, too.

And make sure you remember to turn the fridge on again. That's my worst
blunder.

gloria p

"Gloria P" > wrote in message
...
> Dimitri wrote:
>>
>
>>
>> Take all perishables and put them into a cooler.
>> Turn the fridge to OFF.
>> Place a FAN blowing into the fridge and wipe off and clean all surfaces.
>>
>> Smell comes from odor particulates the only way to get rid of them is to
>> dilute the number of particulates. Like smoke trapped in drapes after a
>> fire.
>>
>> Dimitri
>>
>>
>
> What Dimitri said, but I would wipe/wash all the interior surfaces
> with a baking soda and water solution. It would help to wipe off
> all the items that go back into the fridge also because they will
> carry the smell, too. Throw away any ice cubes and wipe the bin or
> trays well. They absorb odors, too.
>
> And make sure you remember to turn the fridge on again. That's my worst
> blunder.
>
> gloria p

Yep that too.

Dimitri

Fishy smell is caused by alkaline organic compounds called amines. They
can be neutralized with acid, so try wiping down all the surfaces with
vinegar-water and a little detergent. Then let it air-out. (the smell
is probably in the plastic surfaces, and plastics don't wet very easily,
so the air-out part is probably more important than the vinegar)

Bob


Silvar Beitel wrote:
> I made the mistake of thawing a plateful of frozen squid[1] uncovered
> in the refrigerator a few days ago and now the inside smells of fish.
> Apparently strongly enough that my wife's coworkers noticed the smell
> on the Tupperware containers she brought in with her lunch.
>
> So, I've Googled the 'net and absorbed the "wisdom" contained
> therein. Seems like mostly old wives' tales: "I put FOO in my fridge
> to absorb the odors and in a week they were gone!" (Gee, ya think a
> week's worth of opening the doors several times a day might have
> something to do with it?)
>
> Anyway, I'm looking for your opinion. Minimal effort solution
> preferred, of course. My current plan: Heat a plateful of charcoal
> briquettes in the oven to dry them out thoroughly (and drive out any
> aromatics they might have collected while sitting in the garage), then
> put the plate in the fridge. In a week, I hope the odor will be
> gone! :-)
>
> [1] for Rhode Island style "spicy and greasy" calamari, along the
> lines of this:
> http://www.loulies.com/rhode_island_...y_crisp_greasy.
> except my version is not as greasy and uses a variety of peppers to
> limit the heat and add more color. Plus some fried onion rings. Over
> buttered fettucini. Mmmmm.

On Sep 16, 3:42*pm, zxcvbob > wrote:
> Fishy smell is caused by alkaline organic compounds called amines. *They
> can be neutralized with acid, so try wiping down all the surfaces with
> vinegar-water and a little detergent. *Then let it air-out. *(the smell
> is probably in the plastic surfaces, and plastics don't wet very easily,
> so the air-out part is probably more important than the vinegar)

All true, but if you spend the extra money for citric acid instead of
using vinegar, then you avoid replacing one stink with another.
>
> Bob
>

--Bryan

On Wed, 16 Sep 2009 15:05:30 -0700 (PDT), Bobo Bonobo®
> wrote:

>On Sep 16, 3:42*pm, zxcvbob > wrote:
>> Fishy smell is caused by alkaline organic compounds called amines. *They
>> can be neutralized with acid, so try wiping down all the surfaces with
>> vinegar-water and a little detergent. *Then let it air-out. *(the smell
>> is probably in the plastic surfaces, and plastics don't wet very easily,
>> so the air-out part is probably more important than the vinegar)
>
>All true, but if you spend the extra money for citric acid instead of
>using vinegar, then you avoid replacing one stink with another.
>>
>> Bob
>>
>
>--Bryan

I recently cleaned my icebox after a few months of grand children
here. Mixed baking soda and water to wipe everything down, rinsing
sponge after every application, and then I got some of those Clorox
wipes to give everything the once over. It is sparkly.

aloha,
Cea

Silvar Beitel wrote:
>
> Anyway, I'm looking for your opinion. Minimal effort solution
> preferred, of course. My current plan: Heat a plateful of charcoal
> briquettes in the oven to dry them out thoroughly (and drive out any
> aromatics they might have collected while sitting in the garage), then
> put the plate in the fridge. In a week, I hope the odor will be
> gone! :-)

I doubt that would be effective. Ordinary charcoal is
not activated charcoal.

I'd think ammonia might be effective in destroying the smell.

On 2009-09-17, Mark Thorson > wrote:

> I'd think ammonia might be effective in destroying the smell.

At the very least, replacing it.

nb

In article >,
Mark Thorson > wrote:

> Silvar Beitel wrote:
> >
> > Anyway, I'm looking for your opinion. Minimal effort solution
> > preferred, of course. My current plan: Heat a plateful of charcoal
> > briquettes in the oven to dry them out thoroughly (and drive out any
> > aromatics they might have collected while sitting in the garage), then
> > put the plate in the fridge. In a week, I hope the odor will be
> > gone! :-)
>
> I doubt that would be effective. Ordinary charcoal is
> not activated charcoal.
>
> I'd think ammonia might be effective in destroying the smell.

Oh NO!!! NEVER try to kill organic smells using ammonia!
It will only make it worse.

The only thing ammonia is good for is for cutting grease/oil.

When I worked (briefly) for JITB, they used ammonia to clean the pan
under the french fry draining area.

Nasty job, that. And since I was the newbie, guess who got to do it? :-p

Made me almost never want to eat there again...
--
Peace! Om

"Human nature seems to be to control other people until they put their foot down."
--Steve Rothstein


Subscribe:

Silvar Beitel > wrote in news:4188f461-245f-
:

> I made the mistake of thawing a plateful of frozen squid[1] uncovered
> in the refrigerator a few days ago and now the inside smells of fish.
> Apparently strongly enough that my wife's coworkers noticed the smell
> on the Tupperware containers she brought in with her lunch.
>
> So, I've Googled the 'net and absorbed the "wisdom" contained
> therein. Seems like mostly old wives' tales: "I put FOO in my fridge
> to absorb the odors and in a week they were gone!" (Gee, ya think a
> week's worth of opening the doors several times a day might have
> something to do with it?)
>
> Anyway, I'm looking for your opinion. Minimal effort solution
> preferred, of course. My current plan: Heat a plateful of charcoal
> briquettes in the oven to dry them out thoroughly (and drive out any
> aromatics they might have collected while sitting in the garage), then
> put the plate in the fridge. In a week, I hope the odor will be
> gone! :-)
>
> [1] for Rhode Island style "spicy and greasy" calamari, along the
> lines of this:
> http://www.loulies.com/rhode_island_...y_crisp_greasy.
> except my version is not as greasy and uses a variety of peppers to
> limit the heat and add more color. Plus some fried onion rings. Over
> buttered fettucini. Mmmmm.



Keep an opened box of baking soda in the fridge, or.........

http://www.wikihow.com/Get-Rid-of-Ba...in-Your-Fridge

or wash it out with a solution of warm water and vanilla essence.



--
Peter Lucas
Brisbane
Australia


If we are not meant to eat animals,
why are they made of meat?

Silvar Beitel > wrote:
>So, I've Googled the 'net and absorbed the "wisdom" contained
>therein. Seems like mostly old wives' tales: "I put FOO in my fridge
>to absorb the odors and in a week they were gone!" (Gee, ya think a
>week's worth of opening the doors several times a day might have
>something to do with it?)
>
>Anyway, I'm looking for your opinion. Minimal effort solution
>preferred, of course. My current plan: Heat a plateful of charcoal
>briquettes in the oven to dry them out thoroughly (and drive out any
>aromatics they might have collected while sitting in the garage), then
>put the plate in the fridge. In a week, I hope the odor will be
>gone! :-)

I was in a similar situation several months ago. I first left them
with doors open to air out for several weeks but no difference. Then
I swabbed all surfaces with a bleach solution - several times. It
reduced the smell some what but still not enough. I figured the
interior surfaces of the freezer ducting was coated with "aromatics".
So I poured undiluted bleach in glass trays, placed one each in the
fridge and freezer and closed the doors for several days. Still no
joy.

So I put a layer of charcoal briquettes on some cardboard flats - one
for the fridge and one for the freezer. After about a week there was
a noticeable improvement and after two weeks I was pretty happy.

I was very sceptical about the charcoal method, it being a passive
removal whereas as I thought the bleach vapor attack was an active/
dynamic oxidation. And I didn't "reform" or "activate" my briquettes
before I used them.

jj wrote:
> Silvar Beitel > wrote:
>> So, I've Googled the 'net and absorbed the "wisdom" contained
>> therein. Seems like mostly old wives' tales: "I put FOO in my fridge
>> to absorb the odors and in a week they were gone!" (Gee, ya think a
>> week's worth of opening the doors several times a day might have
>> something to do with it?)
>>
>> Anyway, I'm looking for your opinion. Minimal effort solution
>> preferred, of course. My current plan: Heat a plateful of charcoal
>> briquettes in the oven to dry them out thoroughly (and drive out any
>> aromatics they might have collected while sitting in the garage), then
>> put the plate in the fridge. In a week, I hope the odor will be
>> gone! :-)
>
> I was in a similar situation several months ago. I first left them
> with doors open to air out for several weeks but no difference. Then
> I swabbed all surfaces with a bleach solution - several times. It
> reduced the smell some what but still not enough. I figured the
> interior surfaces of the freezer ducting was coated with "aromatics".
> So I poured undiluted bleach in glass trays, placed one each in the
> fridge and freezer and closed the doors for several days. Still no
> joy.
>
> So I put a layer of charcoal briquettes on some cardboard flats - one
> for the fridge and one for the freezer. After about a week there was
> a noticeable improvement and after two weeks I was pretty happy.
>
> I was very sceptical about the charcoal method, it being a passive
> removal whereas as I thought the bleach vapor attack was an active/
> dynamic oxidation. And I didn't "reform" or "activate" my briquettes
> before I used them.
warm soapy water then air dried then a good wipe with vanilla extract
will cure it. wedge the door open in future if unused

(jj) wrote in on Sep Thu
2009 03:28 am

> So I put a layer of charcoal briquettes on some cardboard flats

Visit a pet store, get some activated charcoal, the stuff used in fish aquarium filters. Activated
charcoal is made from bone and nut shells and is completely charcoal, unlike BBQ charcoal briquettes
which contain coal and other impurities.

--
Is that your nose, or are you eatting a banana? -Jimmy Durante

"hahabogus" > wrote in message
47...
> (jj) wrote in
> on Sep Thu
> 2009 03:28 am
>
>> So I put a layer of charcoal briquettes on some cardboard flats
>
> Visit a pet store, get some activated charcoal, the stuff used in fish
> aquarium filters. Activated
> charcoal is made from bone and nut shells and is completely charcoal,
> unlike BBQ charcoal briquettes
> which contain coal and other impurities.
>
If I could not get my fridge clean enough not to smell, I think I would have
to get a new one. Ugh.

cybercat wrote:
> "hahabogus" > wrote in message
> 47...
>> (jj) wrote in
>> on Sep Thu
>> 2009 03:28 am
>>
>>> So I put a layer of charcoal briquettes on some cardboard flats
>>
>> Visit a pet store, get some activated charcoal, the stuff used in
>> fish aquarium filters. Activated
>> charcoal is made from bone and nut shells and is completely charcoal,
>> unlike BBQ charcoal briquettes
>> which contain coal and other impurities.
>>
> If I could not get my fridge clean enough not to smell, I think I
> would have to get a new one. Ugh.

I must admit I was mystified by this thread! I can't ever remember my
fridge smelling bad. I suppose it could happen if you forget to throw
something away, but I don't have undcovered food in there. It is all in
boxes or plastic bags so it won't dry out.

"Ophelia" > wrote
> I must admit I was mystified by this thread! I can't ever remember my
> fridge smelling bad. I suppose it could happen if you forget to throw
> something away, but I don't have undcovered food in there. It is all in
> boxes or plastic bags so it won't dry out.

Me too. I keep flour in a sealed rubbermaid canister because it gets bugs in
NC if you don't. Leftovers are not in the fridge more than four days. I get
the heebie jeebies just thinking about stuff molding and such in the fridge,
so I don't let it. (In my book, if you have to ask "is this still good,"
through it AWAY.

I HATE when tea (what we call Iced Tea here in NC) tastes like refrigerator,
at my MIL's it always does, she leaves it uncovered. Her ice cubes too, ugh.
I just but a piece of film on the glass pitcher. I imagine refrigerators can
get smelly because plastic absorbs odors and so many have a lot of plastic.
Glass shelves help, I think. I am a clutter person, not a rot, mold, type.

Ophelia wrote:

> I must admit I was mystified by this thread! I can't ever remember my
> fridge smelling bad. I suppose it could happen if you forget to throw
> something away, but I don't have undcovered food in there. It is all
> in boxes or plastic bags so it won't dry out.


Cleanliness is next to Godliness for me, Ms. O, so I make sure that my
fridge does not display a heathenish demeanour...

:-)


--
Best
Greg

cybercat wrote:

> "hahabogus" > wrote in message
> 47...
>> (jj) wrote in
>> on Sep Thu
>> 2009 03:28 am
>>
>>> So I put a layer of charcoal briquettes on some cardboard flats
>>
>> Visit a pet store, get some activated charcoal, the stuff used in
>> fish aquarium filters. Activated
>> charcoal is made from bone and nut shells and is completely charcoal,
>> unlike BBQ charcoal briquettes
>> which contain coal and other impurities.
>>
> If I could not get my fridge clean enough not to smell, I think I
> would have to get a new one. Ugh.


You should be getting some pretty handy douching tips in this here thread,
cyberkittie...

:-D

--
Best
Gregory Morrow

hahabogus > wrote:

(jj) wrote on Sep Thu
>2009 03:28 am
>
>> So I put a layer of charcoal briquettes on some cardboard flats
>
>Visit a pet store, get some activated charcoal, the stuff used in fish aquarium filters. Activated
>charcoal is made from bone and nut shells and is completely charcoal, unlike BBQ charcoal briquettes
>which contain coal and other impurities.

Sorry but why should I pay ripoff prices at a pet store when I already
solved my problem with the briquettes that I already had around the
house and then used to grill some carne afterwards.

On a side note, if anyone out there uses a diatomaceous earth filter
in their aquariums, consider using swimming pool grade, it is WAY
cheaper.

To reiterate, two days ago I wrote:
> I made the mistake of thawing a plateful of frozen squid uncovered
> in the refrigerator a few days ago and now the inside smells of fish.
> Apparently strongly enough that my wife's coworkers noticed the smell
> on the Tupperware containers she brought in with her lunch.

> My current plan: Heat a plateful of charcoal
> briquettes in the oven to dry them out thoroughly (and drive out any
> aromatics they might have collected while sitting in the garage), then
> put the plate in the fridge. In a week, I hope the odor will be
> gone! :-)

I'm amazed. After only 1.5 days with the charcoal sitting the fridge,
the smell is gone. (But I wouldn't bet that it isn't simply from the
normal opening and closing of the doors in regular use over the past
few days.)

Thank you all for your inputs.

--
Silvar Beitel

Silvar Beitel > wrote:
>I'm amazed. After only 1.5 days with the charcoal sitting the fridge,
>the smell is gone. (But I wouldn't bet that it isn't simply from the
>normal opening and closing of the doors in regular use over the past
>few days.)
>Thank you all for your inputs.

Well I left my door open for about a week and the smell did not go
away so I'm inclined to think it was the charcoal.

Congrats on the quick resolution - mine was a multi-cycle iteration.

On Fri, 18 Sep 2009 08:01:37 -0700 (PDT), Silvar Beitel
> wrote:

>To reiterate, two days ago I wrote:
>> I made the mistake of thawing a plateful of frozen squid uncovered
>> in the refrigerator a few days ago and now the inside smells of fish.
>> Apparently strongly enough that my wife's coworkers noticed the smell
>> on the Tupperware containers she brought in with her lunch.
>
>> My current plan: Heat a plateful of charcoal
>> briquettes in the oven to dry them out thoroughly (and drive out any
>> aromatics they might have collected while sitting in the garage), then
>> put the plate in the fridge. In a week, I hope the odor will be
>> gone! :-)
>
>I'm amazed. After only 1.5 days with the charcoal sitting the fridge,
>the smell is gone. (But I wouldn't bet that it isn't simply from the
>normal opening and closing of the doors in regular use over the past
>few days.)
>
>Thank you all for your inputs.

Actually the circulation fan motors produce ozone, and since the
interior of a fridge is an enclosed space containing those motors once
the offending source is removed lingering odors are dealt with surely
and swiftly. Placing substances like charcoal and baking soda
*inside* the fridge exascerbate the odor problem by absorbing,
_concentrating_, and maintaining odors *inside* the fridge. Modern
frost free refrigeration units deodorize themselves, but only when the
item producing the offensive odor is removed. Placing a box of Arm
and Hammer inside your fridge does two thing and two things only,
makes Arm and Hammer richer and makes you poorer.

I didn't see this solution in the responses, but it probably is, since
it is the cheapest.

First, my "bona fides". We had a rental house-the people left without
telling us and the refrigerator was off, but full of food, for about
3-4 weeks. We did empty it and clean it out (should have seen me with
a cowboy bandana over my nose-smeared with vicks Vaporub).
I didn't want to submit the delivery people carting it off to the
repulsive smell.

On a smaller, but much more common level, when Hurricane Ike hit
Houston our power was out for a little over 2 weeks. Of course I had
emptied out my fridge, but it still had a musty-moldy smell.

The way I took care of both of these is I completly emptied the frigs,
pulled out all racks and drawers and any loose parts, such as the ice
maker.

I washed the whole inside of the fridge-freezer with a very
concentrated baking soda solution (you should have baking soda sitting
on the bottom of the bowl. I let this dry with the doors open,
overnight.

The next day I repeated the process.

The following day I rinsed out the whole fridge-freezer to get rid of
dried on Baking Soda.

I did the same with all the racks, drawers and ice machine parts.

Any plastic containers (including things like mustard or ketchuip
bottles) were tossed out or run through the dishwasher several times
on HOT.

No odor problem in our "Ike" fridge and a much improved situration
with our rental house frig.