How to Clean Refrigerator Coils

Refrigerator is the most widely used electronic appliance in any kitchen. It is very helpful in storing food for a longer time. Though refrigerators need very little care, it does not mean that they should not be cleaned at all. It also needs proper and timely cleaning. Cleaning helps in increasing the life of your refrigerator. Most people clean only inner side or the external wall of their refrigerators. They don’t even bother to take care of its coils. These are the coils that do the cooling work. Maintaining coils is not a difficult task. This guide will help you in cleaning the coils. Read on.

Complexity Level: Basic

Time Required: 15-20 minutes

Resources Required:

  1. Vacuum pump with long narrow hose attachment
  2. Bottle Brush or a dryer brush
  3. A clean piece of cloth

Instructions:

1. Disconnect the refrigerator: First of all, remove the plug of the refrigerator. Slide the refrigerator away from wall and remove the water supply lines. Removing these lines is very important. If not, they may get damaged or crushed when the refrigerator is moved from its place. Similar attention is required for wires too.

2. Locate the condenser coil: You must be knowing these are condensers where the actual cooling is done. They are vital for the cooling operation so they should be regularly cleaned. But before going for cleaning, you must know where they are located in your refrigerator.

  • Older refrigerators have the condenser coil on the back side.
  • Newer refrigerators have the condenser coil at the bottom. In this case, there may be a fan too. You may use the flashlight that assists locating the coil and fan if needed.

3. Remove the cover of the coil: As you came to know about the coil, remove any cover it may have.

  • For older refrigerators, remove the cover, that is on the back side. But before doing that, make enough space on the back side to work. It is again recommended to remove any supply lines or cords that may act as hindrance in your work.
  • For newer models, remove the panel at the bottom. At the bottom, you may find a tray. This tray may be containing water. Remove it cautiously to avoid any water spill.

4. Vacuum the coil: Now, the actual cleaning process starts. Carefully, vacuum all the dirt and dust from the coils. Here extensive care is needed to see that you do not damage the coils. If damaged, refrigerant may escape and will result in an expensive repair. So, be cautious.

5. Vacuum the fan: Proper cleaning of fan will surely prevent it from dirt and dust. It has been seen that in most of the refrigerators, dirt is accumulated on the fan blades. It decreases airflow, resulting in early failure of the compressor. So, fan also needs timely cleaning.

6. Brush away the dirt: Use a long brush to gently remove dirt and dust from the coil and fan. Sometimes, even after vacuum some dirt remains stuck to the corners. Brush will help you in removing such dirt.

7. Slide the refrigerator back into its place: Your cleaning task is over now. So, place the refrigerator back into its place. Put the water supply lines and power cords back into their position.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Does cleaning refrigerator coils save energy?

Many people do ask a question like why to clean coils when they are not visible. Actually cleaning coils will increase the efficiency of your refrigerator. The clean and efficient coils will guzzle lesser energy as compared to those that are not regularly cleaned.

Quick Tips:

  • Go for more frequent cleanings, especially if your refrigerator is located at some place which is more exposed to dirt.
  • Always remove the cords and supply line otherwise they might be damaged at the time you are moving the refrigerator away from the wall.

Things To Watch Out For:

  • See that the plug is disconnected at the time you are about to clean the coil and fan.
  • Proper care should be given to water supply line, so that it is not damaged at the time of cleaning.

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