How to Clean Your Refrigerator’s Condenser Coils

Cleaning your refrigerator condenser coil is a great way to save electricity and avoid expensive refrigerator breakdowns. Very dirty coils will make your refrigerator run inefficiently and can even stop it from being able to keep the freezer and refrigerator cold. But don’t worry, you can usually clean them yourself in a few minutes if you have a wrench/screwdriver and are able to move your fridge. Here’s how you do it for most household refrigerators.

1. Pull It Out

First, unplug your refrigerator and slide it out. If you have floors that scratch easily you may want to put cardboard down for the refrigerator to roll on.

2. Remove the Back Cover

If your refrigerator is typical, there will be a cardboard or metal cover at the bottom of the refrigerator in the back. It’s typically secured with ¼” hex head screws. Take these off with a socket, screwdriver, or wrench. Take note of how the cover is sitting before you take it off so you can put it back on the same way after you are done.

3. Locate the Condenser Coil

Once you remove the cover you will see the compressor, condenser fan, and condenser coils. Condenser coils are in many shapes and consist of small tubes with wires joining them to diffuse heat. The compressor pumps hot refrigerant through these coils while the condenser fan blows room air over them to transfer this heat into the room. It may be a flat, zig zagging style underneath the refrigerator, a cylindrical shape near the back, or a square box shape also near the back.

4. Clean the Condenser Coil from the Back

Now that you have an idea what you are looking at and what the parts do, let’s get to work. Use a brush and vacuum cleaner to clean off the coil as good as you can. (See suggested product below if you don’t have a brush and vacuum cleaner tip extension.) After you vacuum it, using something to blow it off will help get it even cleaner if you don’t mind getting some dust in the air. Some vacuum cleaners have a port you can plug the hose into so you can use the vacuum cleaner as a blower. Often, due to the shape or location of the coils you won’t be able to get all the dust off. That’s OK. Your refrigerator will work fine with a little dust back there. The goal is to not have a thick mat of dust and hair completely blocking heat transfer.

5. Clean Under the Refrigerator from the Front

Now that you have done what you can from the back of the refrigerator, look under the front to see if there’s any dust accumulating here. Typically, there’s a removeable toe kick. It may be secured by screws, clips, or other means. Often the door needs to be opened to be able to remove it. If it isn’t obvious how it comes off, look in your user manual or do an internet search for instructions before breaking it. Assuming you have succeeded in this step, look underneath your refrigerator from the front and see if there’s any dust. Just like you did in the back, brush and vacuum what you can get to. A thin, flat vacuum tip can be very helpful in reaching underneath here.

You Did It!

Congratulations! You just made your refrigerator more efficient, extended its life, and helped it keep your food cold! Just install the toe kick and cover the way it was before, plug the refrigerator in, push it back to its spot, and you’re done.

This is a great thing to do every 6 months. You can combine it with changing your smoke alarm batteries and put a reminder on your calendar to help you remember it. You may need to do it more often if the refrigerator is in a dirty environment or you have pets that shed hair.

These tools may help clean your refrigerator’s condenser coils

Condenser Coil Brush and Vacuum Tip Extension
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07M97YZNV?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_1BEH4YPT3KFFK08RTZYS