# Smelly fridge



## tonyblake (Apr 4, 2008)

Anyway, here goes. Last year we had a smelly fridge (THETFORD) and you advised us that it was probably sooted up because the smell emanated from the outside grills. We had that done and everything was fine. However, this year we have an obnoxious smell when we open the door. 
Somewhere in my dim (probably) and distant past is a memory that the hole at the rear of the inside of the fridge has to be clear and the way to do it (this was a home domestic fridge) was to pour a small amount of boiling water into the hole to clear any blockage that may be giving rise to the smell. 
It is virtually impossible to get a jug with a spout near the hole (and lip) to do this...so am I on the right track with this. 
When I did it on a domestic fridge, it cleared a blockage and everything was sweet again. Looking at the rear of the fridge in the van, there is a bung in the tube and although there is a catch tray at the end of the tube, the bung would prevent anything coming out........so....any suggestions or is this a garage job? 
Thanks for your time in reading this and hopefully you know the answer and will also pass the answer on.... 
Thanks in anticipation. 

Tony


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

Make sure the tube is clear to let the condensation run out to the rear of the fridge.
Quite often this tube gets bunged up with fridge debris, e.g. crumbs.
This 'bung' in itself can cause the smell. If you can detach the tube use a straightened wire coat hanger to clear it.

My Missus always stores any 'crumbly' type food below the internal drain hole to prevent it getting blocked.


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## tonyblake (Apr 4, 2008)

Actually we thought about a wire hanger but haven't seen one for years. The hole is definately blocked as we have tried with smaller objects but non long enogh and water not draining but thank you.


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## wakk44 (Jun 15, 2006)

We have a similar problem,a smell when the fridge door is opened.It smells like some food that has gone off and started a couple of weeks ago when we were away for the week.

It can't be any food that has gone off as we keep all fresh food in sealed plastic containers,we have cleaned the inside of the fridge with bi-carb and different kitchen cleaners every day for the last week and still the smell persists :x 

The drain hole at the back is clear so we have now run out of ideas and don't want to buy a new fridge :roll: ideas anyone ?


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## LadyJ (May 9, 2005)

Hi Steve

Cut a lemon in half and leave it in the fridge that will clear the smell and remember to leave the fridge door open when not in use.


Jacquie


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Go to Boots or your local school science department and buy or beg a cheap disposable polythene dropping pipette. Boots have them in the aromatherapy department as they are used to mix and measure essential oils.

Fill full of warm soapy water or warm dilute sodium bicarb. solution and squirt through the bung hole ( bung removed!) a few times.

This removes blockages and cleans at the same time.

G


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## wakk44 (Jun 15, 2006)

*smelly fridge*

Grizzly, 
Thanks for the tip but I have already tried the warm bicarb solution using a syringe ------ still smelly 

Jacquie,
Thanks for the tip, lemons are now in situ ---- fingers crossed


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Hi Steve

Never tried this, but if everything else had failed for me I'd give it a go.

Blast the whole inside of the fridge with one of those patent "_Kills 99% of all living things :roll: _" sprays that are flavour of the month at the moment.

And squirt some down the little drain hole, and check behind the fridge to make sure it comes out of the tube.

In theory it should do the trick.

If it doesn't you have a dead rat under the fridge . . . or perhaps not, knowing your two mousehounds!! :wink: :lol: :lol:

Can't think of anything else. 

Dave


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## tonyblake (Apr 4, 2008)

I decided that I would have to experiment a little. The worst scenario was a new fridge or a repair so taking my time, I inserted a piece of wire (couldn't get wire coat hanger) into the drain hole and it was solid!
I pushed a bit harder and the wire went through something.
A bung!!!!
So once bung was out, I did the hot water down the drain hole and lo and behold...the smell has gone. No chemicals or smelly thingys, just water to clear. Replaced the bung but at least if there is a smell in future I know exactly what it is and how to clear it.
That is of course a completely different smell that the sooting gave off last year...and that was just a service and 'de-coke'.


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## wakk44 (Jun 15, 2006)

*smelly fridge*

Today I put lemons in the fridge,flushed more hot water down the drain hole and removed the vent at the back of the fridge to check that the water was going into the plastic box .
The box contained nothing nasty but I washed it anyway,syringed more water down the drain hole and had another sniff inside the fridge.
It still smells bad , masked slightly by lemons :evil:

Tommorrow I will start looking for dead rats 8O


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Could it be sour milk ? Sometimes, if you've spilled a little and it has dried up, you can get a really nasty smell but not be able to see anything as it is white. It might be dried up on the shelves or even under the front of the fridge.

I bet it doesn't smell as nasty as a packet of sausages left in a warm freezer compartment for a month.....  :wink: 

G


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## ceeaygee (May 17, 2010)

It might be worth looking to see if you can unroll your door seals. 

Some of them are simply plastic rolled up and can trap all sorts of gunk in there. Running a damp cloth around it can clear it. 

The worst part will be at the bottom so almost impossible to get at if the fridge is close to the floor. May mean taking the fridge out to do it.


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## wakk44 (Jun 15, 2006)

*smelly fridge*

Thanks to all of you who offered solutions to the smelly fridge problem, and apologies to tonyblake for hijacking his thread 

I tried all of the above solutions several times over a week long period, got really fed up with the bluddy thing and left it for a couple of days with a lemon cut in half in the freezer and another 2 lemon halves on the shelves.
Success  
I now have the cleanest sweetest smelling fridge on MHF :wink:


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