Does your fridge have a strange smell? If it smells like chemicals, it could be from new plastic parts, food spills, cleaning products, or even an electrical issue inside the unit. Finding the source is the first step to making your fridge smell fresh again.
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Deciphering the Chemical Smell
A weird chemical smell in your fridge can be alarming. Your fridge keeps food safe, so any bad smell feels wrong. A fridge chemical smell source can be many things. It might be something simple you can fix yourself. Or it could mean a bigger problem. Let’s look at what might be causing that smell.
Common Reasons for Fridge Smells
A fridge is a closed box. Smells stay trapped inside. Food smells are common. But a chemical smell is different. It’s not just old onions. It smells like chemicals used in homes or factories. What could it be?
Fresh Appliance Odors
When you get a new fridge, it can have a smell. This is often a refrigerator smells like plastic kind of smell. It comes from new parts inside. The plastic parts, insulation, and glues used to build the fridge give off gasses. These gasses smell like chemicals. This smell usually goes away after a few days. It helps to clean the inside before you use it.
H4 Addressing New Fridge Smells
- Wipe down the inside with a mix of baking soda and water.
- Leave the fridge door open for a few hours before plugging it in.
- Place an open box of baking soda inside once it’s running.
- Put activated charcoal inside the fridge. It soaks up smells.
- Put vanilla extract on cotton balls and leave them inside.
This new plastic smell is not usually harmful. It’s just unpleasant. It should fade quickly.
Spilled Liquids or Old Food
Sometimes, spills can smell chemical. Milk that has gone bad smells very sour. Some spoiled foods make weird smells. A refrigerator strange odor could be from food you forgot about. Or it could be from a spill in a hard-to-reach spot.
H4 Cleaning Up Spills
Clean spills right away. Even small spills can smell bad later. Take everything out of the fridge. Look everywhere. Check under shelves. Check in drawers. Check the bottom of the fridge liner. Use warm, soapy water to clean. Rinse well. Dry everything.
Cleaning Product Leftovers
Did you clean your fridge lately? Maybe you used a strong cleaner. Bleach or ammonia cleaners can leave a strong smell. This smell can stay in the fridge walls. It can even get into your food. Always use food-safe cleaners in your fridge. Baking soda and water is a great choice. Vinegar and water works too.
H4 Removing Cleaner Smells
- If you used a strong cleaner, air out the fridge. Leave the door open for several hours.
- Wipe down the inside again with plain water. Or use a baking soda paste.
- Put baking soda or activated charcoal inside to soak up leftover smells.
- Do not put food back in until the smell is gone.
Investigating More Serious Smells
Some chemical smells mean you need to check your fridge parts. These smells can be a sign of a problem. Don’t ignore them.
Smells Like Something is Burning
A burnt smell coming from fridge is serious. This smell usually means an electrical part is overheating or burning. It could be a wire. It could be the motor. Or it could be another electrical part like a fan or light bulb.
H4 Pinpointing Electrical Odors
If you smell burning:
- Unplug the fridge right away.
- Do not plug it back in.
- Look for signs of burning or melting plastic. Check around the back of the fridge. Check near the compressor (the big black tank at the bottom back).
- If you see anything burnt or melted, call a repair person.
- A fridge electrical smell needs quick attention. It can be a fire risk.
Sometimes a light bulb cover melts. Or ice builds up and hits the fan blade, causing friction and a hot smell. But any burning smell from an appliance is a warning sign.
Smells Like Ammonia
Many people worry about an ammonia smell in refrigerator. Ammonia was once used as a coolant in some older fridges. But most home fridges today use different chemicals (called HFCs). These modern coolants do not smell like ammonia.
So, if your modern fridge smells like ammonia, it’s likely not a refrigerant leak.
H4 What Else Smells Like Ammonia?
- Old Food: Very rotten food, especially meat or vegetables, can sometimes produce gasses that smell like ammonia.
- Cleaning Products: If you or someone else used an ammonia-based cleaner near or in the fridge and didn’t rinse well, the smell can stay.
- Spills: Certain spilled chemicals stored nearby could evaporate and get into the fridge.
- Nearby Sources: Check if the smell is coming from something near the fridge, not inside it. Maybe trash cans, cleaning supplies, or pet accidents nearby.
If your fridge is very old (many decades) and smells like ammonia, it could be a leak. But for most fridges made in the last 20-30 years, an ammonia smell points to something else.
Refrigerant Leak Smell
Modern fridges use coolants like R134a or R600a. These are Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) or Hydrocarbons (HCs). They usually have little or no smell. Some might smell slightly sweet or like chemicals. But they do not smell like ammonia.
A refrigerant leak smell fridge is rare in home fridges. The cooling system is sealed. Leaks happen, but not often. If you do have a leak, your fridge will stop cooling well. You might hear a hissing sound. You might see an oily residue near a pipe or the compressor.
H4 Recognizing a Coolant Leak
Symptoms of a refrigerant leak:
- Fridge not getting cold enough.
- Freezer not freezing well.
- Unusual sweet or chemical smell (not ammonia).
- Hissing or bubbling sounds from the back of the fridge.
- Oily spots on the floor near the fridge or on pipes in the back.
If you suspect a coolant leak:
- Unplug the fridge.
- Do not try to fix it yourself.
- Call a trained appliance repair person. Refrigerant is a chemical. It needs to be handled safely.
A chemical smell from a modern fridge is much more likely to be something inside the box (food, spills, cleaning products) than a coolant leak. But it’s good to know the signs.
Grasping Fridge Smell Troubleshooting
When your fridge smells bad, you need to find the cause. Follow these steps to troubleshoot.
Step 1: Unplug the Fridge (if suspected electrical issue or leak)
If you smell burning or suspect a coolant leak (rare, but possible), unplug the fridge first. Safety is most important. If it’s just a chemical smell like plastic or cleaner, you can leave it plugged in while you check.
Step 2: Empty Everything
Take everything out of the fridge and freezer. Put items that need to stay cold in a cooler with ice. This lets you see all surfaces. Check expiration dates. Throw away any old or spoiled food.
Step 3: Look for Spills and Sources
With the fridge empty, look closely.
- Check shelves, walls, door shelves, drawers.
- Look under drawers and shelves.
- Check the bottom inside the fridge.
- Look at the back wall near the vents.
- Is there anything sticky? Any colored liquid? Any forgotten food hidden away?
- Check food containers you took out. Is a lid loose? Did something leak?
Step 4: Smell Items and Surfaces
Carefully smell suspicious areas or items. Does the smell come from a specific shelf? A specific drawer? Does it smell stronger near the back wall? This helps narrow down the fridge chemical smell source.
Step 5: Check the Drip Pan
Most fridges have a drip pan at the bottom, outside the fridge box (usually behind a panel near the floor or back). This pan collects water from the defrost cycle. Sometimes, mold or bacteria can grow in this pan. This can cause bad smells.
H5 Cleaning the Drip Pan
- Locate the drip pan (check your fridge manual).
- Carefully remove it (it might slide out).
- Clean it with warm, soapy water and a little bleach if needed (rinse very well).
- Dry it completely before putting it back.
Step 6: Inspect the Evaporator Coil Area
Inside the freezer (usually behind a panel on the back wall), there’s a coil called the evaporator. Sometimes, food bits or other things can fall onto this coil. When the coil heats up during defrost cycles, these items can burn or smell.
H5 Checking the Evaporator
This step is harder and might require tools. If you’re not comfortable, skip this or call a repair person.
- Unplug the fridge.
- Remove the panel covering the evaporator coil in the freezer (usually held by screws).
- Look for anything on the coil or in the tray below it.
- Carefully clean any debris (make sure the coil is not hot from a recent defrost cycle).
Step 7: Consider Electrical Parts
If you suspected a burnt smell coming from fridge, look at the compressor area (back bottom) and fan motors (one near compressor, one in freezer). Look for dark marks, melted plastic, or frayed wires. Only do this if the fridge is unplugged. If you see any of this, do not plug it back in. Call a technician.
Cleaning Chemical Smell Refrigerator
Once you think you’ve found the source, cleaning is key. Even if you didn’t find a clear source, a deep clean is the best way how to get chemical smell out of fridge.
Step 1: Basic Cleaning
- With everything out, wipe down all inside surfaces. Use warm water mixed with baking soda (a few tablespoons per quart of water). Baking soda is great at absorbing odors.
- Clean shelves, drawers, and door bins separately in the sink.
- Rinse everything well with clean water.
- Dry the inside walls and shelves thoroughly with a clean cloth.
Step 2: Deodorizing stubborn smells
If the smell stays after cleaning, use deodorizers.
- Baking Soda: Place an open box or bowl of dry baking soda on a shelf. It will soak up smells over time. Stirring it or replacing it every few months helps.
- Activated Charcoal: This works even better than baking soda. You can buy activated charcoal made for fridges or fish tanks (ensure it’s 100% activated charcoal). Place it in a container with holes.
- White Vinegar: Wipe down the inside with a cloth dipped in white vinegar. The vinegar smell is strong at first but goes away, taking other smells with it. You can also leave a bowl of vinegar inside.
- Coffee Grounds: Spread dry, unused coffee grounds on trays or plates inside the fridge. Close the door for a few days. This can absorb smells but might leave a coffee smell.
- Vanilla Extract: Put vanilla extract on cotton balls and place them in small dishes around the fridge.
You might need to use several methods at once. Or repeat them. For very strong smells, you might need to leave the deodorizers in the empty fridge for a few days with the door closed (if it’s safe to have it off for that long).
Step 3: Clean the Outside and Coils
Dust and grime on the condenser coils (usually on the back or underneath the fridge) can cause a hot, chemical, or burning-like smell. This isn’t always inside the fridge, but the smell can drift.
H5 Cleaning Condenser Coils
- Unplug the fridge.
- Locate the coils (check your manual). They look like metal fins or a grid.
- Use a coil brush or a vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment to gently remove dust and dirt.
- Be careful not to bend the fins.
- Plug the fridge back in.
Cleaning the outside, including the back and underneath, can also help remove dust and potential odor sources.
Preventing Future Strange Odors
Once your fridge smells fresh again, take steps to keep it that way. Preventing a refrigerator strange odor is easier than removing one.
- Clean Spills Right Away: Don’t let spills sit. Wipe them up immediately.
- Store Food Properly: Use airtight containers for food. This keeps food fresh longer and stops smells from spreading.
- Check Food Regularly: Go through your fridge often. Throw away old food before it spoils and creates smells.
- Use Baking Soda: Keep an open box of baking soda in the fridge all the time. Change it every 3-6 months.
- Clean Regularly: Plan a quick wipe-down each week. Do a deeper clean every few months.
- Check the Drip Pan: Clean the drip pan a couple of times a year.
- Keep Coils Clean: Clean the condenser coils once or twice a year.
These simple habits go a long way in keeping your fridge smelling clean and fresh.
Interpreting Persistent or Returning Smells
What if you clean everything, use deodorizers, and the smell comes back or doesn’t go away? This could mean the fridge chemical smell source is not just food or spills. It could be something harder to find.
- Hidden Mold: Mold can grow in unseen spots. Check the door seals/gaskets. Clean them well with a mild cleaner and an old toothbrush. Look for mold in the defrost drain hole (usually on the back inside wall of the fridge or freezer). This drain can get clogged.
- Clogged Defrost Drain: If the drain is clogged, water backs up. This standing water can grow mold and bacteria. Use a small pipe cleaner or wire to gently clear the drain hole. Pour a little hot water (not boiling) down the drain to help clear it.
- Smell Trapped in Plastic: Sometimes, strong smells (like onions or chemicals) can soak into the plastic walls or parts of the fridge. This is especially true if the smell was there for a long time. This smell can be very hard to remove completely. You might need to leave baking soda or charcoal in for weeks.
- Internal Part Issue: If you ruled out food, spills, cleaning products, and the easy-to-reach parts, the smell might be coming from a part inside the fridge body. This could be insulation that got wet and molded, or a plastic part near a motor that’s heating up slightly. These issues often require a repair person.
If you have a refrigerator strange odor that you can’t find or remove, it might be time to call a professional appliance technician. Describe the smell carefully. Tell them everything you’ve tried.
When to Call a Technician
You should call a fridge repair expert if:
- You smell burning or see melted parts (fridge electrical smell).
- You suspect a refrigerant leak (rare ammonia smell in very old fridge, or cooling problems with sweet/chemical smell).
- The fridge is not cooling well along with the smell.
- You’ve cleaned everything thoroughly, used deodorizers, and the strong chemical smell won’t go away or keeps coming back.
- You find the smell is coming from a part you can’t access or are not comfortable checking (like behind panels or near motors).
- You hear strange noises along with the smell.
A technician can check internal components, the cooling system, and electrical parts safely. They can find sources you might miss.
Table: Possible Chemical Smells and Causes
| Smell Description | Common Causes | What to Check | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| New plastic, synthetic | New fridge/parts | Inside surfaces, drawers, seals | Clean, air out, use baking soda/charcoal |
| Ammonia-like (modern fridge) | Spoiled food, cleaning product residue, nearby source | Food inside, cleaning history, area around fridge | Discard food, clean thoroughly, check surroundings, ventilate |
| Ammonia-like (very old fridge) | Possible refrigerant leak | Cooling performance, hissing sounds, oily residue (rare in homes) | Unplug, call technician immediately |
| Sweet or slightly chemical (mild) | Possible minor refrigerant leak (rare), stored chemicals | Cooling performance, back of fridge, nearby stored items | Monitor cooling, unplug if bad, call technician if suspected |
| Burning plastic, electrical | Overheating electrical part, melting wire/plastic | Back of fridge (compressor, fan), inside (light, fan), wires | Unplug immediately, do not plug in, call technician |
| Moldy, musty, slightly chemical | Mold, mildew, clogged drain pan, clogged defrost drain | Door seals, inside walls, drain hole, drip pan | Clean seals/walls, clear drain, clean drip pan |
| Unknown chemical, lingering | Trapped smells, hidden source, insulation issue | All surfaces, hidden spots, food containers, check for past strong smells | Deep clean, use strong deodorizers (charcoal), call tech if persistent |
This table helps link the smell you notice to potential causes and actions. Remember, a fridge smell troubleshooting approach helps you narrow down the possibilities.
FAQs About Fridge Smells
Here are common questions people ask about chemical smells in their fridges.
H4 Is a chemical smell from a new fridge normal?
Yes, a new fridge often has a smell like plastic or chemicals. This comes from the materials used to build it. It usually goes away after a few days once the fridge is cleaned and running.
H4 Can food make my fridge smell like chemicals?
Yes, some spoiled foods can create very strong, unpleasant smells that might seem chemical-like. For example, very old meat or certain fermented items can produce harsh odors.
H4 My fridge smells like ammonia. Is it leaking coolant?
In most modern home fridges (made in the last 20-30 years), the coolant does not smell like ammonia. If your fridge smells like ammonia, it is much more likely to be spoiled food or leftover cleaning product. Ammonia leaks are very rare in current home refrigerators. Older fridges did sometimes use ammonia. If you have a very old unit and smell ammonia, unplug it and call a professional.
H4 How long does it take to get a chemical smell out of a fridge?
It depends on the source and how strong the smell is. Simple smells from new plastic might go away in a few days. Strong smells from spoiled food or cleaning products can take a week or more of cleaning and deodorizing. Smells trapped in plastic can be very hard to remove completely and might take longer.
H4 What is the best thing to absorb chemical smells in a fridge?
Activated charcoal is generally considered the most effective odor absorber for fridges. Baking soda is also very good and widely available.
H4 Can I use bleach to clean a chemical smell?
It’s generally not recommended to use strong chemicals like bleach inside your fridge because the smell can linger and get into food. Also, mixing bleach with certain residues (like ammonia from spoiled food or cleaners) can create dangerous fumes. Stick to baking soda, vinegar, or mild dish soap for cleaning inside.
H4 My fridge smells burnt. What should I do?
Unplug the fridge immediately. A burnt smell means an electrical part is likely overheating or burning, which is a fire hazard. Do not plug it back in. Look for obvious signs of burning if you feel comfortable, but call a qualified appliance technician to diagnose and fix the problem.
H4 Can a clogged drain cause a chemical smell?
Yes, a clogged defrost drain or a dirty drip pan can cause mold and bacteria to grow, leading to musty, unpleasant, sometimes chemical-like smells that can spread into the fridge.
Dealing with a chemical smell in your fridge can be frustrating. By carefully checking potential sources, cleaning thoroughly, and using the right deodorizers, you can often get your fridge smelling fresh again. Remember to prioritize safety, especially if you suspect electrical issues or rare coolant leaks. When in doubt, a professional can help find the fridge chemical smell source and fix the problem safely.