I opened my fridge last month and something smelled. Not like rotten food exactly — more like a subtle, creeping funk that had been building for weeks. I had been doing the surface-level clean — wipe the shelves, toss the old spinach — but I had not actually deep cleaned in over a year.

Set a timer for thirty minutes and got it done. Here is the order that makes it possible.

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Empty First, Sort Second

Take everything out. Yes, everything. Put perishables in a cooler or a sink filled with ice so nothing goes bad while you work. As you pull things out, make two piles: keep and toss. Check dates. That jar of salsa from three Super Bowls ago? Let it go.

This is the step people skip because it feels wasteful to empty a full fridge. But you cannot actually clean around bottles and containers. You just cannot. Every time I tried the “clean around things” method, I missed the spills hiding behind the milk jug.

Shelves and Drawers Soak

Most fridge shelves and drawers are removable and dishwasher safe. Pull them out and let them soak in hot soapy water in the sink or bathtub while you clean the interior. Cold glass shelves into hot water will crack — start with warm and work up.

For stuck-on spills on shelves, a paste of baking soda and water left for five minutes loosens everything. No scrubbing needed. I used to attack dried ketchup with a scrub brush and pure frustration. The baking soda paste dissolves it while I work on other things.

The Interior Wipe-Down

Mix equal parts white vinegar and warm water in a spray bottle. Spray the walls, wipe top to bottom. Vinegar kills mold spores and neutralizes odors. Pay attention to the rubber door gasket — that groove collects crumbs, hair, and mystery liquids. Use an old toothbrush or a butter knife wrapped in a cloth to get into the folds.

The drip pan under the fridge sometimes has a drain hole that clogs. If your fridge smells but looks clean, check the drip pan. I found one once that had half an inch of slime water in it. That was the smell. That was the smell the whole time.

Put Back With Purpose

Before putting food back, wipe down jars and bottles. Condiments leak around the caps. Group similar items together — drinks on one shelf, leftovers on another, condiments in the door. Put the oldest stuff at the front. This is not about being organized for the sake of it. It means you actually see what you have and use it before it expires.