Refrigerators

Smarter: 6 Things You Should Never Do to Your Fridge

By Pang-Chieh Ho

Updated October 13, 2022

This week I’m making sure your fridge stays intact and functional because boy, are fridges expensive to replace. Also in this issue: How to haggle for a better mattress deal, and are sardines good for you?

THE BIG STORY

I haven’t broken a fridge yet in my lifetime, but I’ve come close.

A few years ago, the fridge I shared with roommates started making loud, alarming sounds and was having trouble cooling. To make things worse, our landlord told us he wasn’t going to buy a new fridge, so whatever was going on was a mystery we had to solve. We had a fridge that seemed to be on its last legs, and we needed to figure out what was killing it. Fast.

The answer came later in the afternoon when one of us realized the back of the fridge had been pressed directly against a wall. The fridge was malfunctioning because it was unable to dissipate heat. We immediately cleared a gap, and afterward it miraculously roared back to life.

Since that incident, I’ve become more aware that even a large, formidable-looking appliance like a refrigerator can be affected by something as small as a gap. If you don’t want to risk your fridge breaking down, here are six things you should never do, according to our experts.

1. Don’t put hot items in the fridge right away.
If you put food on the glass shelves when it’s still piping hot, the shelves could break. The hot items might also raise the temperature inside your fridge. That could put a burden on the compressor because it has to run longer to bring the temperature down, says Larry Ciufo, a CR test engineer who has tested major appliances, including fridges, for over 20 years.

Just remember that if you leave food out at room temperature for too long, you might risk bacteria growing. So make sure you don’t leave food outside of the fridge for over 2 hours. And if the room temperature is above 90 °F, food should not be left outside for more than 1 hour, according to the Department of Agriculture.

To help food cool down quicker, you can divide it into smaller portions or put it in shallower containers before it’s put in the fridge.

2. Don’t block the vents inside your fridge.
The vents circulate air between the freezer and the fridge compartment and are critical to a fridge’s cooling functions. Blocked vents could lead to a host of issues, including your refrigerator freezing up or overheating and killing the motor, Larry says.

3. Don’t forget to vacuum the condenser coils.
Once every six months, vacuum the condenser coils, located on the underside or back of the fridge (or on the top of built-ins) with a soft-brush attachment, says Daniel Wroclawski, a CR home writer who has written about how to make your refrigerator last longer.

If you don’t clean the condenser coils, dust and grime can build up and limit a fridge’s ability to dissipate heat, which could eventually lead to a breakdown.

4. Don’t let your children—or anyone, really—hang off the handles.
You might break the handles or bend the hinges, which could cause your fridge door to become out of alignment. If that happens, cold air might escape from it and you’ll be forcing your fridge to work harder to keep the inside cool, Larry says.

5. Don’t use harsh materials to clean the gaskets.
The door gaskets are meant to prevent cold air from escaping, so it’s important to clean them periodically to prevent food bits and gunk from building up and breaking the seal.

But be careful to not use materials that are too harsh, which might damage the gaskets and lead to cold air leaking out, Larry says. Read here for tips on how to give every inch of your fridge a proper deep clean.

6. Don’t forget to leave a gap.
And of course, don’t forget my personal lesson: Always leave space between a fridge and its surroundings so that the hot air coming out of it has room to circulate and it doesn’t overheat.

Bonus reading: What’s the best way to store food in the fridge?

PUBLIC FORUM

When we asked in an Instagram poll whether anyone has broken a fridge before, around a quarter of the participants said yes. Many confessed to pulling the handle too hard. “I was 9, and the handle broke when I pulled it to pull myself up off the ground,” one user said.

Another said they damaged their fridge after they used undiluted bleach to treat the mildew in the drip pan. Straight bleach is too harsh for cleaning any part of a fridge and should be avoided, Larry says. Instead, try a diluted solution or a cleaner that contains bleach. And for stainless steel surfaces, clean with a mild soap solution because bleach cleaners could damage them.

QUIZ

Yes or no: Should you lease a used car?

(The answer’s at the end of the newsletter.)

NUMBERS GAME

It helps to haggle when you’re buying a mattress, which can cost thousands of dollars. According to CR’s survey of nearly 4,000 members who bought a mattress, the median discount was $245 for people who negotiated.

These are some of the most successful tactics for haggling, according to our members:

💵 Ask about special discounts. Check to see if the seller has discount policies and practices for teachers, seniors, students, or veterans, for example.

🛏️ Mention deals found on the mattress manufacturer’s website. If the price you saw online was lower, bring it up with the seller. Almost seven out of 10 members who used this tactic were successful.

Some retailers are also more open to price negotiations than others. Check out the top three places to haggle for your mattress.

THE GOOD STUFF

Can a bike lock hold up against a torch attack?

MUST-READS OF THE WEEK

💰 Best Home and Kitchen Deals from the Prime Early Access Sale
You can find some great savings on top-performing products in your home.

🐟 Are Sardines Good for You?
These small fish have a whole lot going for them.

🙅‍♀️ Marketers Are Using Facebook to Promote Dangerous and Illegal Supplements
Manufacturers claiming that their products treat diabetes or boost brainpower are targeting vulnerable users.

QUICK FACTS

Today I learned that you probably shouldn’t use “sports mode” when you’re watching sports on TV.

QUIZ ANSWER

The answer is no, it’s best not to lease a used car. It comes with significant financial risks because if the car needs repairs, you’ll end up paying big bucks to fix a vehicle you don’t even own.

If you, however, do lease a used car, try to get one still under factory warranty or purchase extended warranty coverage if there are not a lot of exclusions. And if you’re trying to buy a used car, here’s everything you need to look out for.

"Mind the gap."

Pang-Chieh Ho

Pang-Chieh Ho is a senior content creator at Consumer Reports who writes about the intersections of home products and health. She has been working in the media industry for almost 10 years. Books are her first love, but movies come a close second. You can send tips to her at pangchieh.ho@consumer.org.