How To Store A Mini Fridge | Explained in Easy 6 Steps

Are you going home for spring or summer break? But get puzzled up – what to do with your mini fridge. If you do not know how to store a mini fridge properly, you will damage your fridge indirectly and make it unusable. Also, you will have a stinky odor and bacterial contamination in your fridge when you come back. 

Storing a mini fridge is not a difficult task. But you should follow the essential steps and precautions to avoid bacterial growth and contamination. 

I will share my easy tricks and tips to take some additional care while keeping your mini refrigerator for short or long-term storage.

Popular Mini Fridge Sizes

In recent times, you will find different sizes of mini fridges on the market. Here are some popular mini fridge sizes mentioned below.

Mini (Smaller Than 15 inches) – If you want a mini fridge with a mini size for one person, you can choose this one. They are compact refrigerators and the best choice for personal use. You can easily use the mini-size mini fridge in your dorm room.

Small (15 inches to 30 inches) – The small-sized mini fridge is a good choice for your bedroom or office. It has enough space to keep your favorite snacks or beverages.

Medium (31 inches to 40 inches) – A medium-sized mini fridge is a common electronic appliance for small offices or apartments. 

Large (41 inches or above) – A large-sized mini fridge is a good addition to a kitchen as it provides extra storage for stocking foods, snacks, and beverages.

Different Freezer Types

There are thousands of mini fridge models with different facilities and features that you can easily find in the store. Some popular names are – Kealive Mini Fridge, Miller Lite Compact Fridge, AstroAI Mini Fridge, Retro Mini Fridge, etc.

Let’s find out some different types of freezers.

1. No Freezer

If you look for maximum space to store your favorite drinks or snacks, then a freezerless mini fridge can be a great choice. It has only one door to open it up from one side.

2. Internal Freezer

These types of fridges with freezers include a small internal compartment and a primary door. They are small in size with limited storage space.

3. Top Freezer

They include two compartments. The top unit is used for freezing and the bottom unit is used for refrigeration.

4. Side Door Freezer

The side door freezers include two separate and side-by-side compartments. One compartment is used for refrigeration and another one is for freezing.

5. Drawer Freezer

This freezer type provides a large storage space compared to the types. They are designed to pull out like a drawer.

Where Can You Keep Your Mini Fridge – Best Space to Store Mini Fridge

A mini fridge is a common home appliance in a studio apartment or in a dorm room. Nowadays, it has become popular because of its easy and convenient use. However, when storing the fridge, never store it outside. 

Keeping the mini refrigerator at a freezing temperature or direct in the sun heat can cause serious internal damage such as cracking pipes, valves, discoloration, etc. Store your home appliance in a dry environment with a proper self-storage facility.

Important Factors To Remember While Storing Mini Fridge

While storing the mini fridge, you should consider a few important factors. Let’s know them all.

• Choose the Right Storage Facility

You should select a storage space with a proper self-storage-built facility and climate-controlled storage unit. While at the time of moving or dropping the fridge, if you do not select the proper storage facility – your fridge can get damaged permanently.

Storage units with the correct temperature and climate control facilities are the best option for storing the fridge. As fluctuations in humidity can cause mold or mildew. While talking about the unit sizes, you will require at least a 5×10 self-storage unit for long-term storage.

• Defrost and Clean

If you do not clean and defrost the fridge properly before storing it, you will damage your home appliance directly.

Defrost – To defrost your regular refrigerator, turn off the appliance and remove all the food. You need to open the fridge doors at the time of defrosting. It will help moisture to come out from inside.

Use a towel to absorb the dripping water. The fridge needs to dry completely. It is better to defrost it for a week before storing it.

Clean – It is another important factor to keep in the mind. Once the defrosting is over, it is time to clean it inside and outside. 

Keep in mind – while cleaning the inside part, you should use baking soda and water. For outside of the units, adjustable shelves – you can use mild soapy water.

• Moving Your Refrigerator

Pay extra attention while moving the refrigerator. Otherwise, it can cause internal damage. 

How to Store a Mini Fridge in Easy 6 Steps

As you already know how to use a mini fridge for storage, it is also very essential to know how to store a mini fridge appropriately. If you want to keep your mini fridge safe and protected from any damage, you should know how to store a mini fridge.

Things You Will Need

• Mild soapy water
• Warm water
• A mixture of baking soda and water
• A dry cloth or vacuum cleaner
• Protective moving blanket

Let’s follow the steps to learn how to store your mini fridge properly:

Step – 1: Unplug your mini refrigerator the night before you store it

Do not forget to switch off your mini refrigerator the night before you make up your mind to store it. You should not skip this step. 

If your fridge and the freezer compartment are not completely defrosted, you may not be able to move or store them.

So, switch off your mini fridge and let the freezer space completely defrost. Also, it helps to protect your fridge from any sort of damage during transit.

Step – 2: Clean and disinfect every space

After you turn off your fridge, now it is time to clean and disinfect it. You should remove all the foods and removable shelves or compartments. Once you remove all these items, then start to clean and disinfect every corner properly. 

You can use mild soapy water to remove the food particles. Use warm water and never use hot water as it can cause cracking. 

To clean the compartment, you can use a mixture of water and baking soda. Never use chlorine bleach or ammonia as they can damage and discolor the stainless steel. After cleaning, use a dry cloth or vacuum cleaner to dry the fridge completely.

But remember you should not wait for too long while cleaning it. You should perform this cleaning and defrosting step very carefully. 

The easiest way to clean every space is to start from the top down. Always bear in mind that a small portion of food particles can create mold and spread quickly to spoil the other belongings.

Step – 3: Your mini refrigerator needs to dry completely 

Never try to skip this step. It is absolutely a vital step while learning how to store a mini fridge. After cleaning your mini fridge, ensure your fridge is completely dry. 

A small drop of water can cause a devastating effect. So, no one wants to find their mini fridge filled with mold after coming back. 

Step –  4: Now it is time to move the mini fridge very carefully

If you want to keep your floor protected and avoid scratching floors, you can use a moving blanket. While storing the mini fridge, I prefer to wrap it up with a protective moving blanket. 

So, it will prevent the fridge from sliding and slipping. You can also use a sheet. Please take someone’s help if needed.

Step – 5: Remain your mini fridge upright always

You should always upright your mini fridge while moving it. Otherwise, the internal mechanism can be damaged and make it unusable. 

Step – 6: Store the mini fridge properly 

After cleaning, defrosting, and drying the fridge completely, now it is time to store your fridge. You should store your mini fridge in a neat, clean, and dry environment. 

Never keep your fridge in a humid space. Storing it in a humid space can easily collect moisture. Also, it is not suggested to store it in a dirty place.

The best storage space to store the mini fridge is in a purpose-built storage facility. You should choose the right storage facility with dust, pest-protected, humidity, and moisture-controlled facilities.

Following these 6 easy steps will help you store your fridge properly and protect it from contamination and bad odor.

Expert Tips!

• To prevent infestation, clean your fridge properly before storing
• Use coffee or citrus peel with salt to trap the bad odors
• Heat can damage any home appliance. The best way to store your fridge in indoor areas
• Never lay down the mini fridge horizontally while moving the mini fridge. Because it can damage the cooling ability 

Frequently Asked Questions

How to Properly Turn Off Your Mini Fridge Before Break?

You can turn off the mini fridge, and leave the door open. Leave it for one night to defrost. Wait until the ice in the freezer has not melted completely.

How to Take Care of Your Mini Fridge?

To take care of your mini fridge, you can apply the following actions

• Keep your mini fridge away from heat sources such as sunlight, heater, or furnaces.
• Turn the temperature to medium cold
• Never crowd your fridge
• Clean your fridge regularly on a monthly basis with baking soda and warm water. Baking soda helps to absorb bad odor
• Always clean the storage compartments, removable shelves
• Clean the coils and vents by unplugging the mini fridge
• Incorrect temperature and humidity levels can damage your fridge. the ideal temperature is between 37 to 40 degrees F

How to Maintain Your Mini Fridge: Keep It Clean and Smelling Fresh?

If you want to keep your mini fridge clean and smelling fresh, you can follow these steps:

• The first step for keeping your mini fridge clean and fresh is to clean out properly and regularly with warm water and mild soapy water.
• After cleaning, it is time to wipe the inside and outside of your mini fridge with a washcloth.
• To get rid of the stinky odor, try to use a deodorizer. You can choose the natural ones such as white vinegar, and baking soda.
• Takeout containers can leave a bad odor in your fridge. So, try to use airtight containers instead of using cardboard containers.
• To maintain a fresh and lovely scent, you can keep any of your favorite citrus fruit peel. Keep the peel in a small bowl with a few tablespoons of salt and leave it. The salt will absorb all the bad smell and citrus will leave a fresh scent.

How to Defrost Your Mini Fridge: Defrost Every Break?

When you plan to move out in the winter or spring break and want to store your mini fridge – you should defrost the fridge before storing it. Try to defrost it at least 24 hours before going.

Follow these easy steps to defrost your mini fridge 

Step – 1. Remove all the interior elements.

Step – 2. Turn off the refrigerator. Absorb the moisture by using a towel or clean cloth. Keep it for one night.

Step – 3. The next morning, if you see any excess moisture, clean it using a dry towel. Do not use any aggressive, harmful detergents. 

Try to use warm soapy water. You should dry the inside of the fridge completely. Otherwise, mold and bacteria can grow.

Conclusion Words

Mini fridges are a great addition for small apartment owners, studio room owners, or college students to keep their meals and beverages.

They are safe to keep in the bedroom or dorm room and easy to transit. Without proper maintenance, care, and storing – you can damage this essential home appliance. 

I try to share all the basic ins and outs through this article to make your storing process easy. By now, hopefully, you know how to store a mini fridge. 

So, follow these steps and tips to have a fresh mini fridge without any mold or smell when you come back.

Enjoy your vacation without any tension!