Tips to rid your fridge of nasty odours

The refrigerator is a place to keep food fresh, so it's not ideal that it also traps some of the nasty odours of leftovers and produce that's gone off.  What do lemon, cat litter and potatoes have in common? They can all help you rid your fridge of unwanted smells.

A food that will absorb and fight food odours? Indeed! To diminish refrigerator smells, use a potato.

1. Peel a raw potato and cut it in half. Place each half on a small saucer.
2. Now place the potato halves on different shelves in the fridge.
3. When the cut surface of a potato turns black, trim the black part away and return the potato to the fridge with its absorbent powers restored.

If cat litter can absorb the really pungent odours in Fluffy's litter box, it can certainly soak up the lesser odours that so easily arise in your fridge. Keeping a small, uncovered bowl of natural clay cat litter on a shelf of the refrigerator will block odours before they take hold.

Mould and mildew can grab on to your refrigerator and not let go — and banishing the odours takes drastic action.

1. Squeeze a lemon into a cup of water and throw the peel in with the mixture.
2. Unplug the fridge and empty it. (We said it was drastic!) Put ice cream and other meltable items in a tub, sink, or ice chest filled with ice.
3. Microwave the lemon water to almost boiling and place it inside the empty refrigerator.
4. Close the door and let the deodourizer sit for half an hour. The citrus fumes will freshen the smell and soften any food accumulations.
5. Remove the bowl, wash the fridge's interior and restock it with your food and beverages.

You'll be happy you had these easy odour-killing remedies up your sleeve when a guest opens your fridge — and is greeted with a sweet, clean smell!