7
Storing Food in Your Fridge
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Pack and store cooked and fresh food separately.
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Wrap raw or defrosting meats and poultry in polythene or foil and ensure they are stored below any
cooked meats to avoid contamination from any juices that may drip.
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Empty left over tinned food into plastic containers. Do not store food in tins in the fridge.
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Position food in the fridge to allow cold air to circulate freely, making sure that nothing touches the back
wall of the fridge.
Defrosting
After a period of time, frost will build up in the ice box. Regular defrosting will therefore be necessary to
maintain the efficiency of the refrigerator. Defrosting should be carried out if the frost build up begins to
interfere with the food storage. The best time to defrost your freezer is when the amount stored in the freezer
is low, for example before you go shopping. To defrost the ice box follow the steps below:
1. Take out the frozen food, turn the refrigerator off at the mains supply and leave the door open. Ideally
the frozen food should be put into another freezer or refrigerator. To speed up the defrosting process,
bowls of hot water can be placed inside the refrigerator to raise the temperature.
2. Remove the ice with an ice scrapper. Do not use pointed or sharp edged objects such as knives, forks or
screw drivers to remove the ice.
3. When all traces of ice have been removed and defrosting is completed, clean away any water and wipe
your refrigerator dry.
4. Clean your refrigerator as described below, plug in and switch the refrigerator back on. Allow enough
time for the temperature to fall to the correct level before putting the food back in to the refrigerator.
Cleaning and Maintenance
Switch off the electrical supply and remove the plug from the socket before cleaning.
Interior
1. Remove all food from the fridge and cover to help keep it cool.
2. Remove the shelf and the salad bin from the fridge and wash in warm soapy water with a soft cloth and
dry thoroughly. Never put wet shelves into the fridge.
3. Wipe the interior of the fridge with a damp clean cloth. For extra cleaning use a solution of one teaspoon
of bicarbonate of soda to one pint of water.
4. Dry the interior thoroughly with a clean cloth and replace the shelf.
5. Plug in and switch back on and allow the temperature in the fridge to drop to the correct temperature.
6. Replace the food in the fridge.
Exterior
Use a clean, damp soft cloth to wipe the exterior surface of the fridge and dry thoroughly.
WARNING: Do not use abrasive powder, household cleaner, bleach or wax polish to clean the fridge as
these can leave a smell in the fridge and can damage the exterior.
Use a vacuum cleaner to remove dust from underneath the fridge and from around the compressor situated
at the back of the fridge. Use caution not to damage the coolant system.
Door Seal
Use a clean, damp soft cloth to wipe the door seal and in between the creases of it. Take care not to
damage the seal and do not use sharp objects to clean it. Ensure that the seal is dried thoroughly before
using the fridge. Do not use detergent on the seal as it will cause damage to it.