My fridge smells bad, what do I do?
One of the most common reasons for a bad smell in the refrigerator is that food or drinks are not stored in a sealed package or container.
Sometimes the smell can also come from food frozen in the back wall and then running down the drain hole, in which case the container at the back of the cabinet and the drainage hole inside the cabinet need to be cleaned. Read more about this in the refrigerator's manual under the section "Cleaning and maintenance".
Food that comes into contact with the back wall may freeze to the wall. When the defrost cycle starts, the ice melts and runs down the outlet, and can take food residue with it. The food residues are then heated in the container on top of the compressor and begin to emit odors.
Did you find this useful?
Thank you for your feedback!
What particular parts of our articles do you find unsatisfactory or unhelpful?
The text is confusing to understand
The text is not relevant to my question
The text is relevant but not helpful
The text is too long or too short
The text is confusing to understand
The text is not relevant to my question
The text is relevant but not helpful
The text is too long or too short
Thank you for your feedback!
Was the article not helpful? Try one of the related articles below.
With the holiday function, you can keep the fridge running with low energy consumption for a longer period of time.
Read moreFridge and freezers can sometimes make different noises, usually normal operating noises that ensure the product is working properly. Sometimes, however, the sound may indicate that the freezer needs a manual defrost.
Read moreTo find out what your fridge or freezer error message means, you can check the product's user manual. You can also enlarge this answer to see the most common error messages and what the solution to them is.
Read moreOn many modern refrigerators, the condenser, which releases heat, is built into the side walls rather than located at the back. When the refrigerator is operating, heat is transferred from the inside through the pipes in the walls, causing the exterior to become warm. It is therefore completely normal for the sides of your refrigerator/freezer to feel warmer than other parts of the appliance.
Read moreDepending on the material and how the product is packaged and because we all perceive scents differently, some items may have a distinct smell when they are new. This is normal, and the smell usually disappears within 3-4 days once the product has been aired out.
Read moreDishwashers can emit a faint, harmless odor when they are new and hasn't been run as many times. If the smell coming from the machine is foul, such as sewer or mold, it often means that there is a blockage somewhere in the machine, in an external water trap or that dirty dishes with old food residues have been left inside the machine for a long time.
Read more