Fridge smell - help me!

11 replies

Besta · 31/01/2015 19:22

At my wits end with this one. I noticed a smell in my fridge at end November, sort of slightly off food/slightly fishy.
I washed out the fridge, but the smell returned.
Since then I have washed the fridge with white vinegar, bicarb, various cleaners etc.
I can not get rid of the smell - sometimes it's overwhelmingly strong, others it's quite mild. I can't get to the bottom of it.
(There's nothing under/behind the fridge). I can't see any drip tray/similar that could be blocked either.
Any ideas? It's driving me mad.

OP posts:

poppyseedbagel · 31/01/2015 19:24

This happened with us when our fridge was broken. We had noticed that liquid/bottles of juice ect never seemed to get very cold. Have you got a fridge/freezer themometer you could use to see if it is working at optimum temp?

Quitelikely · 31/01/2015 19:25

Is the smell inside your fridge? As in when you open the door or can you smell it near the fridge ?

Quitelikely · 31/01/2015 19:25

When the door is closed

Original poster

Besta · 31/01/2015 19:28

Fridge is definitely ok temp wise, I've checked. Milk in the door is kept cold and nothing is going off.

Sometimes the smell is only in the fridge, and can only be smelt once the door is opened, but very occasionally I've smelt it as I approach the fridge (fridge is in the utility which is small so if it was stinking all of the time, I'd be able to smell it). Other times there's no smell in the fridge.

OP posts:

westcountrywoman · 01/02/2015 01:17

I've had this kind of smell from light bulbs before. No idea why, but changing the bulb did the trick. Could it be either the light in the fridge or the utility room?

BertieBotts · 01/02/2015 01:34

Is it a fishy smell? Fishy can be dodgy electrics (and is a fire risk ie switch off immediately kind of risk). Try sniffing the plug.

Brightideas · 01/02/2015 01:42

Ours pings when liquid has been accidentally poured/ has leaked into the fridge tray. Needs to be lifted off freezer base and cleaned out. Ghastly job and very heavy.

BertieBotts · 01/02/2015 01:44

Oh sorry just seen in your OP that it is a fishy smell. Yes lightbulbs get it when they are about to die - it's caused by electrical arcing/overheating wires.

If you have any friends/family who have done electrical work they'd recognise it immediately. I expect you've gone to bed now, but check this immediately, and if you isolate it to something electrical, turn it off. It's a huge fire risk and a wonder you haven't had one already if it's been happening since November.

OrangeRhinoInTraining · 01/02/2015 02:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

shovetheholly · 02/02/2015 13:50

If it's not an electrical issue, try cleaning the draining hole at the back with a pipecleaner, and emptying/cleaning the tray at the back...

Oldraver · 06/02/2015 23:12

I was going to say clean the drain hole as this happened with our before Christmas but...

If its a fishy smell do get the electrics checked out. Our dishwasher is plugged into a socket mounted in the cupboard next to it (builders did this) and for ages everytime the dishwasher was on we got a fishy smell from this cupboard and when opening the drawer. OH was convinced the dishwasher needed cleaning. I had heard about the fishy electric smell on MN but didnt think much of it.

The dishwasher then tripped the RCD and when we looked the socket was all black and had cracked. OH says on the socket connection the insulation had been nipped and was causing it to short out

No more fishy smell

Flip