Need some refrigerator tips? Home appliances like the refrigerator are oh-so-essential — and they’re often overlooked as essential parts of an apartment. Though the refrigerator is probably not a deciding factor when it comes to renting an apartment, its importance is undeniable. To get the most out of your apartment refrigerator, check out our tips below.
Keep Your Apartment Refrigerator at the Right Temperature
Most people expect refrigerators to just do what they’re supposed to and keep foods at the right temperature. But the thing is, refrigerators aren’t always set up to do this correctly or efficiently. It’s likely that your apartment refrigerator could be set to keep food too cold, thus resulting in wasted energy and partially-frozen foods, or not cold enough, which could cause your food to spoil quickly, or, worse, make you sick.
So the priority, of course, is keeping food at a safe temperature. The FDA says that 41°F or less is the temperature at which refrigerators should stay. Keeping food at or below this temperature slows the growth of most bacteria — while it won’t kill bacteria, it will keep them from multiplying. As for the freezer, the FDA says to freeze at 0°F or less. They also recommend checking the temperature once per week.
Green Refrigerator Tips
Setting your fridge (and freezer) to the right temperature is one way to go green and not waste energy. The Green Guide suggests more ways you can save energy and save on your electric bill:
- Keep the top of your refrigerator clutter-free, as it can hamper the compressor’s proper air circulation
- Avoid evaporation by covering food and drink in the fridge
- Avoid frost build-ups of more than a quarter-inch, and defrost the freezer regularly
A Broken Apartment Refrigerator is Totally Uncool
Not all apartment refrigerators are perfect! The renters before you may not have taken the best care of it, or it could just be very old. Either way, if there’s a problem, be sure and put in a maintenance request at your apartment manager’s office. A broken refrigerator can leak, ruin food, be noisy or cause other headaches.
A Message Center
If you have a roommate, consider turning the fridge into a message center. If your refrigerator has a magnetic front or side, keep a few magnets and some paper on there, and it can be your designated place to leave each other important notes and reminders.
Move-Out Reminder
When you eventually move out of your apartment, don’t forget to clean out the fridge! While you may have spent your last day there vacuuming, dusting and disinfecting every inch of space in order to try to get your deposit back, renters often forget about the refrigerator. Don’t leave anything in there and be sure to wipe it clean and leave it tidy.
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