Keeping your refrigerator clean doesn’t have to be rocket science, but it can be tricky to know what cleaning agent to use given all the information around the topic online – so, can you use Lysol to clean a refrigerator or should you stick to other products?
It’s generally advised to avoid using bleach products on the inside of refrigerators as they can cause damage to plastic and leave behind a film that can contaminate food. Lysol falls under this category, but there are points for each side of the argument, so it really comes down to a personal decision about whether you should use it on your refrigerator or not.
In the rest of this article, we’ll dive into the arguments for each side so you can make your own informed decision about whether you should use it or not.
Let’s get straight into it.
Why You Should Avoid Using Lysol On The Inside Refrigerator
The easiest way to know whether you should use Lysol is to see what problems it can cause if it is used.
Plastic Damage
Bleach can cause damage to the plastic found inside refrigerators, especially with repeated usage.
However, in Lysol products the bleach is diluted with a variety of other chemicals, so the effect will be much less severe than if you were using pure bleach for example. It is still something to consider, especially if you have used bleach previously on your fridge and noticed damage from it.
Food Contamination
Another reason you should be careful using Lysol is the chemicals it can leave behind on the fridge’s surface.
The last thing you want is for your fresh food to be placed on surfaces that have a thin layer of bleach and other chemicals on them. Always rinse the surfaces with clean water afterwards if you decide to use Lysol cleaning products inside your fridge.
What About The Outside Of The Refrigerator?
It’s recommended to avoid using Lysol for the inside of your refrigerator simply due to the number of chemicals and bleach that it contains.
Even if you wipe it down afterwards with water, there is still a good chance that some of them will remain on the surface and end up on your food. The outside of the refrigerator, however, does not pose this risk.
In fact, some Lysol products such as the disinfecting wipes and spray list that they are suitable for refrigerators, and specifically the exterior in the case of the spray. So, you can probably get away with using them on the outside without much trouble.
What Is Recommended To Clean The Inside Of Refrigerators, Then?
Funnily enough, the best option for cleaning refrigerators is also one of the simplest – all you need is a mixture of dish soap and warm water.
To apply this solution, simply mix a few drops of dish soap with warm water and apply it to the inside of your refrigerator with a dishcloth or non-abrasive scrubber. Rinse regularly and once done wipe the surfaces with a fresh dishcloth soaked in water to remove any soap residue.
Can’t Soap Contaminate Food As Well?
You may be wondering why fridge manufacturers recommend using soap instead of bleach when both are capable of leaving behind a residue that can affect food, but it is likely due to the strength difference between the two products.
Dish soap also doesn’t damage the plastic inside the fridge either, which is probably another thing that went into consideration.
What About Distilled White Vinegar?
Distilled white vinegar is another cleaning product that is commonly suggested for cleaning the fridge, and one that we have previously recommended ourselves for specifically targeting mold on refrigerator door seals.
Distilled white vinegar is similar to soap in that it isn’t as harmful if a small amount is left behind on the shelves of your fridge, but it can cause damage to the plastic if used repeatedly like bleach.
Final Thoughts
Figuring out whether you can use Lysol to clean a refrigerator or not is quite difficult, but it comes down to personal choice at the end of the day. There are pros and cons for using it, but there is a reason why most major online publications like Home Depot still recommend using products that contain bleach.
If you take the points mentioned in this article into consideration you should be in a good position to make the right choice for your circumstances.