Refrigerators - Odors are caused by hidden food particles. Make sure to clean under the rubber gasket, but first, use the foaming bath cleaner on the walls, wiping them down with a baking soda, vinegar and water combination. Use about a quarter cup of vinegar and one or two tablespoons of baking soda for each quart of water, though you don't have to be too precise. The combination fizzles, but it should zap the smell. The smell lingers? Check for Freon leaks.

Dishwashers - Remove the spindles and drawers, clean under them and under the gaskets to get rid of odors. Fill one dispenser with Tang instant drink mix and the other with automatic dish soap and run the dishwasher empty through just the wash cycle. This combination cleans and deodorizes the inside. I'm not sure how the Tang works, it just does.      [BACK TO TIPS PAGE]