Keeping constant humidity in a refrigerator can be tricky, but knowing how to control humidity in a refrigerator has a lot of benefits including keeping your food fresh for longer as well as keeping the fridge cleaner.
The best ways to regulate humidity include keeping the fridge door closed as much as possible, as well as making use of the fridge’s humidity settings if applicable. You can also keep air vents free from blockages, and use crisp drawers to regulate humidity.
Let’s take a look at some of the problems that incorrect fridge humidity can cause and how you can control them using 4 easy methods. Let’s jump right into it.
What Problems Can Incorrect Fridge Humidity Cause?
If your fridge has the wrong level of humidity it can cause some pretty serious problems with the food inside it.
Mold
If the humidity is too high there will be an excess of moisture on the surfaces within the fridge, which includes any food that is present.
This can become a breeding ground for mold very quickly, and cause food to go off much quicker than expected. The most susceptible types of food for this are soft fruits and vegetables, but cheeses can also be particularly bad for growing mold quickly as well.
Food Drying Out Quickly
Lower humidity can cause food to lose moisture quickly, causing it to dry out.
Foods that are prone to this include raw meat, as well as herbs. You can counteract this by keeping raw meat sealed, and you can cover herbs with a damp cloth to keep them fresher for longer.
Difficult To Clean
In cases where the humidity is too high, you will find that it is much more work to keep your fridge clean.
When the shelves and surfaces become covered in moisture food spills and stains will spread over larger areas, and mold is likely to grow as previously mentioned. This combination makes it more work to keep the fridge clean.
How To Tell That Your Fridge Has Incorrect Humidity
If you’ve noticed any of the problems above then the odds are that your fridge is operating at the wrong humidity.
The other telltale sign is a build-up of moisture around drawers and on flipper mullions, which is the seal found on the inside edge of the door. If you run your hands over these areas and notice a large amount of surface moisture then it is likely the humidity is too high.
Humidity Gauge
If you want a more scientific approach consider buying a humidity gauge to measure the humidity accurately. A lot of more modern fridges these days will have a humidity sensor built-in, but it is still very rare.
The ideal level of humidity in a fridge should be around 30% and 50%, so you can use the gauge to ensure that the humidity is within the right limit. Dehumidifiers are not a very practical option as the best ones are operated with electricity, although they have lots of other applications around the house.
How To Control Humidity In A Refrigerator: 4 Easy Methods
Let’s take a look at 4 easy methods you can use today to control the humidity in your refrigerator.
1. Keep The Door Closes As Much As You Can
This one might seem too simple, but the fact of the matter is that when you open your fridge door it allows the air from outside to enter.
If the humidity outside is higher than that in the fridge, which is usually the case in more humid climates or seasons, then this will affect the humidity in the fridge when air enters it.
To combat this, keep a mental note to keep your fridge door shut when possible. It can be easy to forget about this, especially when putting groceries away or cooking a new recipe, but it can have a big impact on the environment inside the fridge.
2. Use The Humidity Setting
Some modern fridges have a humidity setting that is usually labelled as ‘moisture control’ or something along those lines.
Pressing the button will activate a setting that lowers the humidity within the fridge, but keep in mind that not all fridges are the same so you should always look at the manufacturer guidelines before you turn the setting off.
If your fridge does have one of these buttons then learning how to use it effectively can allow you to easily control the humidity levels within the fridge,
3. Keep Air Vents Unblocked
If you look around in your fridge you will notice air vents that are used to circulate air within the fridge.
Air circulation is crucial for humidity and temperature levels to be regulated, so keeping these air vents unblocked is crucial to the operation of your fridge. Keep any large containers out of the way, and wipe down the vents with a dishcloth and warm water if there is anything blocking them.
4. Use Crisper Drawers Properly To Regulate Humidity
The primary function of crisper drawers is to maintain the humidity for different types of fruits and vegetables, so you need to use the correct settings depending on the types of food that you are storing.
If you use the wrong setting, you can cause the drawers to become full of moisture which can lead to rotting as well as excess pools of water forming on the bottom.
Research what type of humidity your food requires to maintain the humidity. This will ensure the humidity within the fridge is regulated as well as keep the food fresh.
Final Thoughts
We hope you have a good understanding of how to control humidity in a refrigerator after reading this article. Don’t forget that it is much easier to keep the humidity controlled in the first place than to deal with the consequences afterwards.
If you have any other methods that you have tried, don’t hesitate to get in touch and let us know.