How to keep your caravan/portable refrigerators clean and fresh.

When you and your family get back home after a camping weekend or holiday, you're all tired and want to unpack the car and caravan as fast as possible. After unpacking the car and caravan, you've most likely forgotten about the refrigerator in the caravan.

Keeping the refrigerator in your caravan clean and fresh is an easy enough task. An added bonus is that by keeping the refrigerator clean it will keep your caravan smelling fresh, too.

It is essential that you keep the refrigerator clean at all times. By cleaning it thoroughly as soon as possible after returning home, you will eliminate the need to clean mould and tough grime that has developed before you take on the next trip.

All you will need is:

A soft cloth.
Some paper towels.
A little bit of liquid soap/dishwashing liquid.

• When you or your family take anything out of the refrigerator and spill or mess anything in the refrigerator, remember to wipe it up immediately, or as soon as possible. When juice, milk or any liquid leaks or messes, take a soft cloth, wring it out in warm water and wipe up the spilled liquid right away. Then rinse the cloth in running water and wipe it over the surface in the refrigerator again.

• Make an extra effort to keep your refrigerator clean at all times during your camping holiday. Good advice is that every time you remove a bottle, tub or jar and use it, wipe it off with a paper towel before you put it back in the refrigerator. Pay special attention to liquid juice cartons, jams, honey, chutney or tomato sauce bottles, which more often than not have sticky liquid dripping down the side of the container.

• A good habit is to wipe off the outside surface of your refrigerator once a day during your camping trip. Use a soft, wet cloth to wipe off the front and sides of the refrigerator. Pay special attention to the handles and to any indentations where crumbs and liquids can get stuck. The rubber door seal of the refrigerator has a groove where dirt or grime loves to collect. Always pay special attention to this seal as mould or mildew is quick to collect here.

• Wash out your caravan refrigerator after every camping trip as soon as possible. Take out old, unused leftover food and discard it. Throw away rotten fruits, vegetables and dairy products that are past their expiration date. Take out all fresh, edible food produce and bring them into the refrigerator in your kitchen at home.

• Do not leave any foodstuffs in the refrigerator in your caravan whilst the van is stored away. Even if you do re-connect the electricity to the van, by all means, keep the refrigerator running, but with the door closed. If you do not connect to the electricity at home, a good idea is to leave the refrigerator door open.

• If you keep the refrigerator switched off in-between camping trips, a handy tip is to place an open box of baking soda on the bottom shelf in the back of the refrigerator to absorb any odours. Leave the box in the refrigerator only for about two to three months, and then discard it and replace it with a new box of baking soda.