Prevent mould

• When you decide to store your household items in a self storage unit, storing your fridge or freezer can be one of the biggest concerns.
• The last thing you want is for your fridge or freezer to get mouldy while in storage.
• Would you like to know how to avoid this?
• At Easy Storage Rockingham we have 4 easy to follow tips for you, to prevent mould in your fridge or freezer while it is in your storage unit.

Tip 1 – Defrost your fridge or freezer

• Before cleaning your fridge or freezer, be sure ALL food and food scraps are removed from it.
• We recommend that you defrost the fridge and/or freezer at least a week before putting it in a storage unit.
• This will ensure it will dry properly before storage.

Tip 2 – Clean meticulously

• Before allowing your fridge/freezer to dry out, you should clean thoroughly in all the corners and edges, ensuring that you don’t leave any food behind.
• The smallest amount of food in a fridge or freezer, can attract pests and rodents – not the company you want to invite to your storage unit!
• They can cause irreparable damage to your fridge’s electrics.
• Mould can grow even without any food left behind, as moisture in a clean fridge can also cause mould.
• Wash all drawers and glass trays in the fridge with warm soapy water, not with any strong cleaning products as this can discolour your fridge and leave strong odours.

Tip 3 – Keep it dry

• After your fridge or freezer is defrosted and thoroughly cleaned, it is important to ensure it is completely dry before putting it into your storage unit.
• Mould and mildew loves moisture and will cause offensive smells in your fridge or freezer if it’s allowed to grow.
• To help prevent moisture remaining, you can leave the fridge or freezer door slightly ajar when keeping it in your storage unit. Add a little wooden block or something similar to prevent the doors from closing.
• We also recommend that you add a few unused tea bags in the fridge or freezer. These can help absorb any moisture remaining in the air inside the fridge or freezer and help keep them nice and dry in your storage unit.

Tip 4 – Keep it upright

• We recommend that you should, as much as possible, keep your fridge upright in your storage unit.
• Moving your fridge and tipping it too often, can damage the compressor.
• When moving and storing, if you’ve left the fridge on its side, be sure to sit it upright for at least 48 hours before using it again.

Need some more information and tips on self storage and self storage units? Visit our website and also read our blogs!