Things You'll Need
Sponge
Dish soap
Towels
Bucket
Rubber gloves
Bleach
Chair
Mold grows easily in dark, damp areas. This means that an unplugged refrigerator can provide a suitable habitat for mold growth. Mold growth will give the interior of a refrigerator an offensive odor and may leave stains that require a lot of effort to remove. It is easier to keep mold out of an unplugged refrigerator before it starts to grow than it is to clean it up after the mold has had a chance to grow.
Step 1
Clean the refrigerator with warm water and a soapy sponge. This is to remove any remaining particles of food that could provide extra fuel for mold growth. Rinse the surfaces afterward with a wet towel.
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Step 2
Put on rubber gloves and mix 1 cup of laundry bleach with 1 gallon of warm water in a bucket. Use a sponge to wipe down the interior surfaces with this bleach solution. This will kill any dormant mold spores that might begin to grow when the power is off and the refrigerator's interior warms.
Step 3
Prop the door open by wedging a chair or other heavy object in the way to keep it from closing. This provides air circulation and will further aid in preventing mold from growing in an unplugged refrigerator.
Warning
Do not store the refrigerator around children or pets. They may crawl into the space. If the door closes on them, they may not be able to get out, and could suffocate.
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