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Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,758
Registered: ‎03-12-2010

Have you cleaned under the fridge lately?

OMG!  My freezer wasn't quite cold enough for me, so I thought I would clean the coil.  I knew there would be dust and cat fur but wow it sure collected this summer.  I was down there on the floor trying to use my new Shark vac's under appliance brush, but that wasn't happening, so I got my brushes that I got in a kit of brushes for various purposes at Big Lots. I ran the vac and ran the brush between the coils that are under the fridge.  I thought I'd check the filter down there and caught the light just right.  There is a tray under my freezer section (side by side fridge) that was full to the brim with water and JUNK! 

 

I had to get some wrenches but I got the filter part off without spilling the junky water or the water line to the ice maker.  Out came the wet/dry vac, but I couldn't find the hose part.  My BIL borrowed it and didn't return that bit, so I was at a loss.  I then remembered the hose attachment to my carpet cleaner.  I used that bad boy to suck up the gallon+ tray of junk, then removed it and bleached the tar out of it and the underside of the freezer bit there along with the dust.  The dust and fur were wet so it didn't fly around.  I'm exhausted as scrubbing under a fridge with a two foot long brush on my side with one hand and holding the vac with the other is not easy!  I've done it before loads but somehow this time it was dirtier and had so much fur.  I vacuumed another couple of cats out of there.  I too and long bath and allergy pill.

 

Why can't they make these things easier to clean?  I Googled it.  The new ones may have the NeverClean condensers, or so some companies advertise.  That may totally be worth upgrading my fridge for.  There is just no dignified way to clean that thing unless you have someone else do it.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,109
Registered: ‎03-11-2010

Re: Have you cleaned under the fridge lately?

LOL!  I'm scared of what I will find!

Honored Contributor
Posts: 20,019
Registered: ‎08-08-2010

Re: Have you cleaned under the fridge lately?

I clean under my fridge and pull it completely out every couple of months and boy howdy, I find another cat under there sometimes too (although most of it is dust bunnies type stuff). I clean my kitchen floor every single day of my life, so I honestly don't know how all that junk gets under there, but it does!

 

I don't have the water tray thingy going on that you do, maybe because we don't have an ice maker? but that sounds like it was definitely enough work for one day! 

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,758
Registered: ‎03-12-2010

Re: Have you cleaned under the fridge lately?

I do mine every three months or so, but this summer has just been extra hairy or something. Maybe because it has been so hot down here and still is in the 90s plus heat index due to humidity. The whole water tray thing, is just freaking me out. I've had this fringe 10 years or so and never saw it before because it was hiding behind the large filter unit. I'm still in shock. It is an older fridge so I pray I won't have to replace it anytime soon like with the new ones, but the news ones do have some perks. I'd love a sensor light, like your oil change light, to remind me when it gets to a certain fuzzy state. That would be way better than any of the fancy digital things, camera, door in door in door things. I also hate having to get in the floor, a clean floor mind you, but still your face is squished down there to see up under there and juggle the light. I also plan on inventing a square flashlight that won't roll all over the darned place while you are trying to work in tight places!!
Honored Contributor
Posts: 12,514
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Have you cleaned under the fridge lately?

My spouse pulls out the fridge & stove once a month.  We always find kitty "mouses" and dust!  

 

He does my dryer vent every 3 months...

 

although, he just told me "he's getting to old"  to go up the

pull down steps in the garage to the attic (too steep)...so now I'm getting worried because that means I'll really have to downsize all my seasonal decor😬☹️.  That's going to be a BIG job or I'm going to have to find someone to go up there!

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,951
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Have you cleaned under the fridge lately?

Yes, and it wasn't pretty!  Woman LOL

Honored Contributor
Posts: 12,702
Registered: ‎08-22-2013

Re: Have you cleaned under the fridge lately?

We have 2 fridges and 1 chest freezer, why at this stage of life, I don't know. Anyway , my husband cleans behind and under the fridges twice a year and I clean the chest freezer once a year. Years ago, I smelled something odd behind the fridge in my galley kitchen upstairs, I pulled the fridge out to look behind it there was a dead mouse.Yuck.

Valued Contributor
Posts: 838
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Have you cleaned under the fridge lately?

OMG can I relate!  Did ours 2 weeks ago and I was shocked!  No water tray that I've ever been able to see under there but wow the cat fur!  Won't let it go so long next time.  We were catless until my daughter "gifted" us one of her cats that wasn't playing so nice with the other two she had.  I forget how much fur one cat can accumulate under things.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,926
Registered: ‎02-20-2016

Re: Have you cleaned under the fridge lately?

Or ever?

Honored Contributor
Posts: 14,000
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Have you cleaned under the fridge lately?

I quit using my ice maker soon after buying this frig, we just never use ice.  So I'm hoping its OK under there, I must confess I've never moved it.  The old one wasn't really that bad.