Keep Your Refrigerator Cool – Clean Coils Regularly

When you are cleaning house, you should also regularly clean refrigerator coils. They are something that’s often “out of sight and out of mind”, but clogged refrigerator coils can seriously impact the efficient operation of your refrigerator. It’s important to clean them at least once a year so they operate without interference from built-up dust and dirt.

Clean refrigerator coils are necessary for your refrigeration unit to work properly. Coils are normally located in one of two places. Coils in older refrigerators are located on the back. Most coils in new refrigerators are located at the bottom of the refrigerator behind a plastic cover.

Clean Refrigerator Coils

Coils are not convenient to clean either way, but it’s still something you should regularly do as a maintenance job with the changing of the seasons. The first caution is to be careful what you use to clean mesh coils. If you use something too hard the mesh can be dented which will affect operation. You’ll know if you have mesh coils as soon as you look at them.

The best way to clean refrigerator coils is by using a vacuum cleaner attachment and a dust rag. When you use a vacuum cleaner you can use the long tube attachment if the coils don’t have mesh. With the long tube attachment you can insert it into the coil area. The safest vacuum cleaner attachment to use on any refrigerator coils is the soft brush. The soft brush is meant to be used as a duster and works quite well to remove coil dust and dirt.

Clean refrigerator coils work most efficiently because the air flow around the coils is adequately maintained. If you allow too much dust to collect, air flow gets blocked and it affects the refrigerator’s ability to maintain proper temperature.

Many people clean house at least once a week and if you have the time, cleaning refrigerator coils can be included in the weekly chores. It doesn’t take long to do and will keep your refrigerator working the way it was meant to work. This will also save energy cost, because your refrigerator won’t have to labor to maintain thermostatic temperature control.