Knowing how to store a refrigerator properly is vital if you’re going to keep it safe, and free from damage and mould and mildew. Follow this step-by-step process and you’ll learn how to store a fridge securely:
Step 1: Switch off refrigerator the night before you plan on storing it
Step 2: Clean and disinfect every surface, inside and out
Step 3: Ensure the refrigerator is completely dry
Step 4: Move the refrigerator carefully
Step 5: Keep the refrigerator upright at all times
Step 6: Properly store the refrigerator in a purpose-built storage facility
Step 1: Switch Off Refrigerator the Night Before You Plan On Storing It
This step is vital. You can’t move or begin storing a fridge until it has cooled to room temperature and the freezer compartment has completely defrosted. Turning off your fridge the night before you plan to store it will also allow the liquids and oils inside its mechanisms to settle, preventing damage during transit.
Step 2: Clean and Disinfect Every Surface, Inside and Out
After you’ve switched off your fridge, you need to remove all food. Once this job is complete, it’s time to clean and disinfect every surface, both inside and out. If you wait too long to clean your fridge, your run the risk of it starting to warm up. Once this occurs, it’s highly likely that your fridge will begin to emit an unpleasant odour, caused by remnants of food inside. You need to work hard during the cleaning and disinfecting stage. The best way to ensure you clean every surface is to work form the top down, from the inside and outside.
When it comes to storing a refrigerator, keep in mind that even the tiniest morsel of food can attract vermin and create mould, which can quickly spread and ruin your belongings.
Step 3: Ensure the Refrigerator is Completely Dry
This step is absolutely essential when knowing how to store a refrigerator. Turning off your fridge a day before you store it will help, but you also need to make sure that you have completely dried the fridge after you’ve cleaned it. The tiniest bit of water in a clean fridge can have a devastating impact. You don’t want to pick up your fridge from storage to find that it is filled with mould and mildew.
Step 4: Move the Refrigerator Carefully
The best way to move a fridge is to carefully wrap it in protective moving blankets, place it on a moving trolley, and strap it to the trolley to prevent it slipping and sliding. If you want to avoid scratching your floors, you can slide a sheet underneath your fridge before you start to shuffle it out of its space. Make sure you have someone to help you tip the fridge onto the trolley, as doing it on your own can be very dangerous.
Step 5: Keep the Refrigerator Upright at All Times
When transporting and storing a refrigerator it needs to remain upright at all times. Laying a fridge on its side for even a small amount of time can damage the internal mechanisms and make it completely unusable. As such, once you’ve got your fridge wrapped and manoeuvred onto your moving trolley, make sure you’re loading it onto a moving truck, and into a storage facility that is tall enough to accommodate its height.
Step 6: Properly Store the Refrigerator in A Purpose-Built Storage Facility
Again, the most important part of storing a fridge is keeping it clean and dry. So, obviously, the best way to store a refrigerator is in a clean and dry environment. That means you should never store your fridge in a humid space or anywhere that collects moisture. You also need to make sure that you are storing it in a space that isn’t dusty or dirty. Inevitably, best place for storing a refrigerator is in a purpose-built storage facility, designed to control humidity and protect your fridge not only from dust and moisture, but also from pests, vermin, fire and theft.
The doors of your fridge need to be kept open the entire time is it in storage to prevent smells and moisture building up. The best way to do this is to use a piece of cardboard or some cloth to prop the doors open. Don’t use anything with a sharp end as it can cause a dent.
These fridge storage tips provide you with everything you need to know on the best way to store a refrigerator. Follow them and your fridge will be as good as new when you retrieve it from storage.