Fridges seem like a pretty straightforward machine most of the time. After all, you put something inside and it gets cold; however, as simple as the refrigerator may be, many people still do things wrong with their refrigerator all the time.
- Overfilling
- Using fridge egg holders
- Not having a system
- Not cleaning often enough
- Not maintaining the right temperature
From overstocking to cleaning, there’s a lot of things that the average person just forgets about when it comes to the fridge. The rest of this article will walk you through the top five things everyone does wrong with their refrigerator.
Overfilling
Let’s be honest. We all love to pack our fridges full of food, snacks, yogurts—well, just about anything we plan to eat, but research suggests that overstocking your fridge could be costing you money.
Air circulation is one of the most important aspects of how a fridge works, and the more food you’ve got in there, the harder the fridge has to work to keep all that food nice and cool, potentially increasing your energy bill. The issue will be especially prevalent if you have food blocking the air vents.
You’re also increasing the risk of some temperature-sensitive food going cold and spoiling if your fridge is overtaxed. Moderately full is the best middle-ground to keep your fridge running optimally.
Using Fridge Egg Holders
This might seem counterintuitive. After all, what else are those little egg holder cartons for? Unfortunately, the egg holder is located in the worst spot of the fridge—the one that’s subject to the widest range of temperature fluctuations when you open and close the door.
As such, putting your eggs in the door can increase your risk of food poisoning since the eggs are more likely to spoil if they’re not kept cold enough.
Not Having a System
Order in the home is great for being able to find everything that you need, and a clean home has been statistically liked to improved happiness and relaxation. The same should apply to your fridge. Of course, it doesn’t have to be perfect, but try to put things in roughly the same place every time and make sure everything’s easily accessible.
Not Cleaning Often Enough
This is a good reminder to give your fridge a deep clean every once in a while. An unclean fridge can put you and the rest of your household at a much higher risk of food poisoning. After all, there’s a lot of traffic that goes in and out of your fridge—a lot of bacteria, too.
Keeping your fridge clean is the best way to avoid the risk of bacteria contamination in your foods.
Not Maintaining the Right Temperature
According to the Food and Drug Administration, a fridge should be kept at a chilly 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below. Check your thermostat regularly to make sure it’s reading the correct temperature. The purpose of a fridge is to kill bacteria and keep food safe to consume, so try to keep your fridge running a little cooler than 40 degrees.
