Frig smell

[Luckyducky]

I made a huge blunder. I pulled my refrigerator out to pull a cable and forgot to reset the circuit breaker back on. Consequently the bait in frig has fouled. I cleaned it out with soap and Clorox. Is there any way to save this frig.

 

[johnjen50]

Bleach Bleach Bleach........... What you're fighting is the bacteria. Amazing what a small amount of bacteria can do, and how hard it can be to get rid of. It will also help if you leave it open while you are disinfecting it. The air helps speed the process.

 

[rsmith]

If it leached down into the insulation your screwed. And if the bait was squid take it out and burn it!!! Lol

 

[DCMY #92]

I find tea tree oil works better than bleach to kill the source of odors. Buy a bottle (2 or 4 oz) at the drug store. Make up a solution (2 teaspoons tea tree oil to one cup water). Spray all surfaces, including enough to run down into any cracks were the foul stuff may have gone. Be sure to flush the freezer drain tube with the solution and clean the drip pan under the unit.

The tea tree oil smells strong but will dissipate in several hours or a day.

 

[DCMY #92]

Also, tea tree oil is not corrosive like bleach.

 

[Tinman]

Spray it with lemon juice. May take a couple of applications but it will remove the odor.

 

[1jparker]

Wipe it with vanilla extract

 

[PeterK]

Baking soda works wonders also.

 

[DCMY #92]

LuckyDucky

With all this advice - please tell us what worked!

 

[Luckyducky]

The bait smell is gone with tea tree oil, however I made the tea tree oil very strong. At this time I am using baking soda to absorb tree tea oil smell. It's a very slow process. Been trying to open the window to air out, but it's been raining for a week. All in all I believe the tree tea oil cut the smell better than the bleach. I'm going to try fresh cut lemons next.

 

[SeaEric]

Ground coffee is pretty good at absorbing odors in an enclosed space.

 

[Tinman]

The bait smell is gone with tea tree oil, however I made the tea tree oil very strong. At this time I am using baking soda to absorb tree tea oil smell. It's a very slow process. Been trying to open the window to air out, but it's been raining for a week. All in all I believe the tree tea oil cut the smell better than the bleach. I'm going to try fresh cut lemons next.

Spray all surfaces well with lemon juice(fresh or bottle) a couple times per day and leave sit. You want the juice to penetrate the cracks, drain and areas were the bait juice entered. May take a few days to remove all the odor. Went thru this process with my cockpit bait freezer this past spring and it was "baaad".

 

[Luckyducky]

Thanks for all the tricks. Finally got a few days to air out the salon. Next, break out the Lemmon

 

[magnawake]

I thought i responded but I didnt. I used a product called Odoban. Its a product that was used or still is in certain hospitals. It is a disinfectant that is used in Aids hospitals too if you read the back label. I used to get it at Sams Wholesale for about $9.00/gal. Its also great for bildge and holding tanks. It smells much better than bleach and works well. But it looks like the oil stuff works well too.

 

[Luckyducky]

Thanks for that tip, I'm going to try and track down some odoban, give it a shot.

 

[season]

Available at Home Depot. I use it in the bathrooms in the house. It works great. They also have solid product for placement in spaces that need deodorizing. I have one in the car under the seat and one behind the air filter intake in the house. Highly recommended.

 

[AV8]

If all else fails, try Natures Miracle from your pet store. I bought an aircraft on a farm, that was closed up in a barn for 7 years loaded with mice, grain, mold and feces piled up in multiple locations. After cleaning best I could, I soaked every nook and cranny and eliminated the funk. Natures Miracle is a bio-enzyme cleaner. It may work on your funk as well.

Phil