Storage is a great way to keep your valuable whitegoods in top condition while you’re moving, renovating, or away from home. Follow these simple steps for how to prepare a fridge for storage to avoid potential complications.
- Find a Storage Space
- Remove Everything
- Defrost
- Thorough Clean
- Drain Water
- Keep it Fresh
- Don’t Tape the Doors
Find A Storage Space
First things first, you’ll need to find a trustworthy storage space that meets your requirements.
Reviews are a great indicator of how reliable a storage space is, so do your research before you commit to one. At Falconer Removals, we have consistent 5* Google Reviews that are indicative of the excellent service we provide.
We also have a complete guide on What to Look for in a Storage Facility.
Remove Everything
Next, you need to remove everything from your fridge. This might seem like an obvious step, but it is crucial that you do this before proceeding as you can’t put food and drink in storage.
It’s a good idea to plan ahead before you remove your fridge’s contents, so you can find somewhere else to store your fresh food if needs be.
Defrost for 24 Hours
Once you’ve removed the contents of the refrigerator, unplug the appliance so it can defrost. We’d recommend arranging towels/cloths around the fridge so it can soak up the water that will drain out when the ice starts to melt.
Defrosting in advance of your fridge being picked up is essential; storage spaces will not be able to take your fridge if it’s not defrosted. Make sure you defrost for at least 24 hours beforehand.
If you need to speed up the defrosting process, you can remove pieces of ice as they break loose from your unit – but do this with care and don’t defrost the refrigerator using anything sharp as this can cause damage.
Thorough Clean
When the refrigerator is defrosted, give it a thorough clean using warm soapy water, or warm water with baking soda and vinegar. Removing the shelves and drawers to clean them on their own will make this part far easier.
Remember to clean the outside of your fridge too – warm soapy water or a cleaning solution will do the job! Wipe dry with a microfibre cloth when you are done.
It is important to get rid of all dirt, so don’t forget to clean the top of the fridge, the door handle, and other areas that are out of your immediate sight.
Drain Water
If your fridge has a drainage hole or water dispenser, you should also drain the water to prevent leakage.
It is best to refer to your manufacturer’s manual before doing this, as the safest method for each fridge will be different.
Keep it Fresh
There are lots of ways to keep your fridge fresh and free of unpleasant smells. The easiest is to leave a cup of baking soda in your fridge to absorb any strong odours – but make sure you remove this before it goes into storage.
No Tape
We recommend that you don’t tape up the fridge doors before it gets taken into storage. This will stop the tape leaving a sticky residue or causing other damage to your fridge.
At Falconer Removals, our methods for moving furniture have been passed down and perfected over the last 131 years, meaning that we can lift and move your refrigerator without the doors needing to be taped.
For more information on our purpose-built storage space and the removals services we provide, head to our website or contact us.
—
Written by Holly Charman, for Falconer Removals.
