Our freezers do their best to maintain and preserve our frozen frozen fish. Unfortunately, power outages, misfunctions and accidental unplugs can lead to thawing and rotting of fish. When this happens, an over powering stench can develop that can last long after the fishy remains have been cleared and clean from within.
Though the stench of rotten fish is extremely difficult to treat, there exist a range of household solutions for deodorizing a freezer after an unlucky accident. By using the tips and tricks outlined below, you can be sure that the rotten fishy funk will be eliminate to leave the freezer smelling fresh.
Rotten Fish Smell Removal Solutions for Freezer
1 White Vinegar Wipe Down
This household acid is a great preliminary solution for striping away any remaining fish residues. Mix one part white vinegar with five parts water within a large bowl. Proceed to dunk a sponge within the solution and proceed to scrub down the interior of the freezer to clean away any smelly residues. Once completed, closed the door and allow the vinegar to deodorize over the course
2 Sprinkle Baking Soda
The use of this deodorizing powder can work as a great solution for absorbing rotten fish juice odors from the inside of a a freezer. After cleaning out all fish juices with a soapy solution and and dish towel, you can sprinkle heavy quantities of baking soda over the floor space of the freezer. Proceed to close the door and allow the baking soda to slowly absorb fishy aromas for the subsequent two days. ONce completed, you can finish by opening the freshened freezer and sweeping out the baking soda.
3 Coffee Grounds Tray
The use of coffee grounds work in a similar function to baking soda and can be extremely successful in absorbing freezer odors. To apply, begin by pouring coffee grounds on a flat tray. Next, spread the coffee ground out on tray and place the tray within the empty freezer. Allow the coffee grounds tray to absorb odors for two to three days before removing the tray from the deodorized freezer.
4 Vanilla & Newspaper Wads
The use of vanilla extract and crumpled newspaper together can work well at absorbing rotten fish odor and replacing it with a pleasurable scent. Begin by filling a small saucer with vanilla extract and water in equal parts. Crumple up enough newspaper wads to fill the freezer and proceed to lightly dip them within this mixture and then place within the freezer. Once the entire freezer has been filled, close the door and allow the contents to deodorize the freezer’s interior for the following 2-4 days.
5 Lemon Juice Spray & Wipe
As a fast and natural solution, the use of lemon juice can be effective in combating rotten fish related odors in the freezer. Begin by mixing a solution of one part lemon juice with two parts warm water within a generic spray bottle. Proceed to spray down the freezer’s interior and close the door for 6-8 hours. After this time has passed, return to wipe down the freezer walls to lift away any freezer residues.
6 Bleach Floor & Walls
As a final solution, the use of bleach is almost always effective at eliminating rotten fish odor. Fill a bowl with a solution of one part bleach to three parts water. Proceed to dip a paper towel within the solution and lay it out along the bottom of the freezers floor. Continue this procedure until the floor is completely covered with paper towels. Using an old towel, wipe down the walls and chilling of the freezer and close the door for 24-48 hours. After this time period, remove the bleach soaked paper towels from the freezer’s floor and wash down the interior with a wet rag.
Once the rotten juices make their way deep inside the freezers interior walls, there is often no choice but to buy a new one. When this becomes a necessity, you can use this guide for installing a new freezer.
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As your first step, you will want to clean all of the contaminants from the freezer with a mixture of hot water and dish soap. Before you begin, you will want to unplug the freezer to liquify any ice remnants which may be harboring the odor. Next, mix two teaspoons of dish detergent with three cups of warm water and proceed dunk a dish rag within the mixture and wipe down the entire interior of the freezer. Make sure that no fish contaminants are left within the freezer before moving on.
The act of boiling apple cider vinegar and placing it within a freezer may sound strange. However, this household acid works well at combating fish odors within enclosed spaces. Fill a pot with one part apple cider vinegar and three parts water and bring it to a boil. Once the pot has reached a boiling point, pour the steaming contents within an large heat resistant bowl and quickly place within the freezer, making certain to close the door. After 4-6 hours return to remove the bowl and wipe down the vinegar stream from the walls of the freezer.
Covering the flooring of the fish ridden freezer with activated charcoal briquettes can do much to absorb the unwelcome smells. Selected 10-12 charcoal briquettes and place them strategically throughout the bottom of the freezer floor. Close the door and provide 5-7 days for the actives charcoal to absorb any remaining fish related organic odors. Once a week has passed, open the freezer door and simply remove the activated charcoal briquettes.
If placing the freezer outside is an option, doing so will do much in deodorizing the enclosed space. The open space, fresh air and even ultra violet rays of the sun have the effect of neutralizing organic fish related odors and freshening enclosed space. To apply this method, flip freezer face up outside, and open the door so that ultraviolet rays can make their way within. So long as the days remain sunny, leave the freezer like this for 2-3 days before returning to bring the freezer back within the house. As a note of precaution, place a tarp under the freezer while it is outside to prevent dirt and other material from making it’s way within the coils and working parts of the appliance.
Mix a solution of dish soap or baking soda with warm water. Using a soft sponge, perform a thorough wipe down of the walls and floor of the freezer, leaving no areas untouched. If the stench is still present after preforming these steps, please move forward with the following solutions.
Sprinkle fresh cat litter in into a large cookie sheet and place it within the freezer. Close the freezer door and allow for the absorbent granules to sit overnight. Continue this process nightly until the cat litter has absorbed the odors and has left your freezer smelling fresh.
Buy activated hardware pellets from the hardware store. Place these pellets on a cookie sheet and proceed to place the sheet inside the freezer. Keep freezer closed overnight while the pellets slowly absorb the stench of rotten food odors. Remove sheet in the morning and consider repeating this method for a second or third night if any odor remains.
Pour imitation vanilla into a small sauce bowl and dip 10-20 crumpled paper towels within the ingredient. Place the vanilla dipped paper towels within the freezer and close the door to sit over night. By morning, the vanilla will have masked the residual stench and left a soft and welcoming aroma inside the freezer.
If smell remains after trying all of the above methods, it may be an indication that the odor’s source is located in other parts of the appliance. Often, when the meat decomposes, it’s juices can drip down into the coils and into the freezer’s base. To check for this, flip the appliance on to it’s face and scrub down the coils and base with a bleach mixture if odorous residues are found.