ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, November 20, 1996 TAG: 9611200015
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 8 EDITION: METRO
FRIDGEAPHOBIA - the fear of cleaning out the refrigerator - leaves many people afraid to take the plunge and see what's behind closed doors. And what are the fridgeaphobics fearing? USOs - unidentified shriveled objects - littering the shelves; unpleasant odors seeping through the door.
How widespread is this chilling problem? A recent survey by Whirlpool Corporation revealed that 18 percent of those surveyed only clean their refrigerator twice a year, 5 percent clean it once a year and believe it or not, another 3.5 percent claim they never clean their refrigerators.
To help fridgeaphobics get beyond their cleaning fears and help everyone clear up space for the anticipated extra holiday goodies we'll soon be storing, today has been declared Whirlpool Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day.
"While cleaning out the refrigerator isn't the most glamorous job, it's probably the most important thing you can do in terms of health and safety issues" says Martha Reek, senior home economist, refrigeration, Whirlpool Corp. "The longer expired, tainted food sits in the refrigerator, or sticky spills remain on the shelf, the higher the risk is for cross-contamination of other foods. In addition, purging out-dated products ensures that favorite holiday recipes won't be tainted with less-than-fresh ingredients.
"Use common sense. Clean up spills immediately and throw away leftovers at least once a week. As a rule of thumb, clean your refrigerator out every two weeks," Reek advised.
Reek, working with Whirlpool HomeLife NetworkSM Services, an information service established to provide consumers with advice on family, home and appliance-related topics, has developed useful tips for cleaning out the refrigerator:
* Take out all removable parts and wash with warm water and mild soap or detergent. Rinse and dry.
* Wash walls with a solution of 2 Tbsp. of baking soda to one quart warm water. Rinse thoroughly and dry.
* Wash gasket and door liner with warm water and mild soap or detergent. Rinse well and dry.
* For refrigerators with removable drain plugs, remove plug and force warm water mixed with baking soda through the drain. A meat basting syringe works fine for this.
* Wipe down jars, bottles and containers before returning to refrigerator.
* The drip pan underneath the refrigerator is out of sight, so special effort must be made to clean it. Remove it and wash thoroughly with warm, soapy water.
*Vacuum condenser coils two to six times a year (more often in homes with pets).
To prevent refrigerator odors, store foods covered or properly wrapped. Label them and dispose of them once they become dated. Following is a conservative estimate of how long some of your favorite holiday goodies will keep. The foods are cooked unless otherwise indicated:
Bread, two to three days
Turkey and other poultry, two days
Ham, three to four days
Stuffing, one to two days
Egg nog, four to five days
Pumpkin pie, two to three days
Cranberry sauce, one week
Mashed potatoes, one to two days
Cold cut trays, three days
Sweet potatoes, one week
Ground beef, one to two days
Fish, one day
Hot dogs, three to five days
Pizza, one to two days
Margarine (stick form) refer to "Use by" date
Spaghetti sauce, up to five days
Ground coffee, three to six months
Fruit cake, No one knows
To remove odors:
* Wash interior walls thoroughly with a solution of 2 Tbsp. of baking soda to one quart warm water.
* Pour a box of baking soda or activated charcoal (usually available at appliance or pet supply stores) into a jelly roll pan and place pan on shelves to absorb odors.
* Place freshly ground coffee in cereal bowls inside the refrigerator for several days. A slight coffee odor may remain but will disappear after washing the inside of the refrigerator.
* Pack each refrigerator shelf with crumpled newspaper. Set a cup of water on the top shelf or sprinkle the newspapers lightly with water. This method takes five to six days, but strong odors will be eliminated.
* If using commercial products, read their labels carefully to determine if a cleaner or deodorizer is safe to use in a refrigerator; then follow instructions for use carefully.
A toll-free number staffed by home economists, registered dietitians and other "refrigerator specialists" will be in service to provide answers to most refrigerator problems until Dec. 1, Monday-Friday between 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Call 1 (888) CLEAN-OUT.
For more cleaning tips, recipes using common leftovers and storage lifetimes, send a self-addressed, business-size envelope to Whirlpool Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day, 43 N. Canal, Chicago, IL 60606. Additional refrigerator information is also available on the Internet at http://www.whirlpool.com.
Finally, here are some suggestions for using up those leftovers, along with a quick and delicious cake to help celebrate.
recipes for:
MOROCCAN VEGETABLE STEW WITH COUS COUS
TURKEY-BROCCOLI DIVAN
LAST-DITCH HAM SALAD
WHITE CASTLE TURKEY STUFFING
EVERYTHING MUST GO PASTA
QUICK CHOCOLATE-CHERRY CAKE
MEAT AND POTATO LOAF
LENGTH: Long : 112 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: Moroccan vegetable stew with cous cous is a great way toby CNBdeal with a pile of refrigerator tidbits. color. Graphic. color.