Keeping Your Fridge Clean

[Worthog]

I've seen some crappy looking fridges in my time. What, with mould in the crevices, around the shelve slides, in the "meat keeper", on the shelf wires with crap stuck there.

Usually, we Brewers, are better than that; we seek out those ferment fouling bugs, mould and fungi, wherever we find them!

I simply, first off, clean out my dismantled fridge with a strong bleach. 

Then, given I help to promote mould by fermenting in my fridge at 18c, I spray it out with 20% bleach to water solution between brews.

How do you keep your fridge clean?

Cheers

[The Captain!!]

I bought mine new, one of the reasons was it being clean. 

About every second ferment I empty and clean with warm soapy water, dry it down and sanitise with starsan. 

[karlos_1984]

I just got a 2nd hand fridge that had never been cleaned. Was covered in remnants of food and or sauce, had grease buildup around the seal, had marks all over the outside from what I assume was splashback from dropped drinks or sauce, and had black fruit/veg matter buildup in the drain hole. 

I spent all day yesterday cleaning it getting it ready to use. 

I firstly took out all shelves, laster washing them in dish washing liquid. But for the inside of the fridge, wiped it all out with hot water, used bicarb n vinegar to remove stubborn marks. Wiped out again with vanilla essence, let dry. Then sprayed starsan all through it and wiped off excess with paper towel. Used bicarb and vinegar with a scourer on the outsides to sort of buff out the marks. Cleaned the seal with elbow grease n bicarb. Came up like new. For $20 fridge can't complain at having to put in a bit of effort. 

[Beer Baron]

My fridge is ummmmm clean. I’ll clean it on Monday!!!

[ChristinaS1]

Don't have much problem with mould since I got the initial mould cleaned up (second hand). I just wipe up condensation on the walls whenever I see it. In the summer I also fold up a paper towel and lay it in the corner where the condensation is worst, and change it when it becomes soaked.

I am not sure if maybe one reason I don't have trouble with mould is because my "brew fridge" is actually a chest freezer / horizontal, and warm air rises. Between me opening the lid periodically and the gaps in the seal around the electrical wires, there is some ventilation....The lack of mould doesn't make me think a chest freezer makes a good brew fridge though. It is bloody hard on the back. I usually ferment my brews at 18L, to save on weight, and then top up at bottling time. 

Cheers,

Christina.

 

[Hairy]

I don't clean my fridge often and I haven't noticed any mould, but this is a good reminder to do it again.

[Otto Von Blotto]

I don't do mine often either although it's probably due for it as there are small amounts of mould appearing. I'll have to get onto it after this brew is done. 

There's a puddle of water in the bottom of it at the moment courtesy of the dog pulling on the temp probe wire and opening the door when I first put the brew in there. It resulted in the freezer chest icing up so once the door was shut it melted since the fridge was off more than on. Surprised it got down to 20 degrees at all like that. I'll wipe that water up before the cold crash though.

[Beer Baron]

Mine isn’t mould it’s just old wort. I’m just lazy 

[jackgym]

You could eat your lunch out of my fridge. 

[Beer Baron]

3 hours ago, jackgym said:

You could eat your lunch out of my fridge. 

You can eat your lunch out of my fridge too.................But you might violently ill

[karlos_1984]

Those of you that have put wooden shelving in to support the weight of the FV, did you sand, paint or lacquer the wood to seal it and stop moisture ruining it?

[elLachlano]

1 hour ago, karlos_1984 said:

Those of you that have put wooden shelving in to support the weight of the FV, did you sand, paint or lacquer the wood to seal it and stop moisture ruining it?

Nah man. No treatment. Grunge shelves are the go!!!

[Otto Von Blotto]

2 hours ago, karlos_1984 said:

Those of you that have put wooden shelving in to support the weight of the FV, did you sand, paint or lacquer the wood to seal it and stop moisture ruining it?

I'll be getting some ply when I get my second fridge most likely. Gonna need something to make a "floor" over the compressor hump. Given it isn't that expensive to buy I doubt I'll do anything to it, just replace it when needed.

[karlos_1984]

I've got pieces of timber left over from when I made drawers and a fridge slide for my ute. Fits snugly in the shelving grooves so it'll do.  Have some leftover paint that I used on the young tacker's change table so might as well use it up.

[jackgym]

10 hours ago, Beer Baron said:

You can eat your lunch out of my fridge too.................But you might violently ill

[jackgym]

10 hours ago, karlos_1984 said:

Those of you that have put wooden shelving in to support the weight of the FV, did you sand, paint or lacquer the wood to seal it and stop moisture ruining it?

I bought a piece of 6mm stainless steel cut to size, but not without drama. 
I gave the measurements to the lad on a piece of paper and he cut it and I took it home.
It was cut too short. Went back and got the correct size cut. It's hard to get good help.

[karlos_1984]

54 minutes ago, jackgym said:

I bought a piece of 6mm stainless steel cut to size, but not without drama. 
I gave the measurements to the lad on a piece of paper and he cut it and I took it home.
It was cut too short. Went back and got the correct size cut. It's hard to get good help.

Isn't it. It's more common these days to expect people not get the job done properly on the first go.