# what's under and behind your refrig?



## jmon (Nov 5, 2012)

I use a long flexible stiff brush to do my cleaning of wh, dryer, and fridge.
All kinds and types of them. Depends what works best for you.

https://www.amazon.com/ProTool-Flexible-Dryer-Refrigerator-Brush/dp/B0046OEAHK


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

I was going to clean the coils etc. on ours a few days ago and even went as far as pulling the back panel and that's when the idea came to a screeching halt. Sometime between the manufacturer of our old and this newer fridge a whirlpool fellow decided they needed to make them so coil cleaning is nearly impossible. So I re-installed the back panel, broomed cob webs, vacuumed the floor and pushed er back into its respective place and that's where she will be until she dies.
If I had realized it was like that when new I would have cut and rigged a eletrostatic filter strip both front and rear to be changed on a regular schedule.


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## NitrNate (May 27, 2010)

i pull mine out once a year to clean the coils so it doesn't get that bad. honestly, there is really no way to get to all the coils unless you turn the fridge on its side. the best way i've found is to take the cardboard piece off the back, the plastic cover off the front bottom and just blow the heck out of them with a compressor. spraying them with a degreaser or something similar will help unstick some of the crap that forced air can't remove. in the end, get them back to 70% cleaned or so and do it again the next year.

the force air method is messy, but it works. prepare to vacuum the kitchen afterwards


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

NitroNate said:


> the force air method is messy, but it works. prepare to vacuum the kitchen afterwards


Man you got that right. Did that very thing several years ago and she insisted I vacuum and dust the whole house for the next year IIR.:vs_laugh:Well, I possibly exaggerated some but she was pissed. To do the compressed air bit it would go outdoors and I'm too old to handle that big ole thing.


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## tstex (Nov 14, 2014)

Thanks guys - it is a major PITA to remove the front grill..it's the worst design ever. Everytime if re-install the grill, it pushes on the filter eject button and pushes out the filter along w water ejection spills. Our refrig space is SO TIGHT of a space I have to move it 1/2-1" at a time back and forth to get out....I'll look into the wire flex-brushes and see if I can find some ones that work. Removing the cardboard in the lower back is also an exercise in futility bc of some many screws, panel clips, water lines, etc...I do have to admit it feels so much cleaner in the whole kitchen w just that cleansing of grime and dust. We also have a golden retriever w longer hair and she likes to lay in front of the refrig so I know where the majority of the junk originates.


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## Bud9051 (Nov 11, 2015)

If you do the compressed air bit use a shop vac to catch a lot of that dust. We used to clean office equipment and could not leave a mess behind.

My frig stopped freezing so something needed to be done. Pulled it out and similar to the ops description. Cleaned it up but noticed the fan down there was not turning. More cleaning and a squirt of lub on each end of the shaft and it started spinning like mad. Been working great over a year now.

Bud


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

I modified the handle on a bottle brush a long time ago to find I like the drill power sometimes. This one is about 3" dia. and handy for many cleaning duties. Real handy on the spine fin condenser coils when I want to do a real good job prior to back flushing. Made a wood handle to screw on the twisted wire when push and pull is required rather than rotary.


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## tstex (Nov 14, 2014)

my compressor is huge and I keep it in the country [60 miles away]...and I do not have a shop vac but that is something I need to get...I think blowing that dust around the kitchen will be more damage than good bc my wife and daughters have the allergy gene...


that's quite an invention senior...I think something w a longer shaft and just a bit smaller brush is in order...thanks to both of you.


BTW, that fridge has not been moved in 10 yrs, so I do believe moving & cleaning 2 times a decade is in order  I will have to know when my wife wants it done so I can plan an out of trip that weekend


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## mathmonger (Dec 27, 2012)

This is a handy kit for cleaning dryer vents, clearing downspouts, fishing wires, and brushing coils. 

https://m.lowes.com/pd/LintEater-Dryer-Vent-Lint-Removal-Kit-White-Black/3465404

Tape a furnace filter on the back of a box fan when you use the compressor. It'll get 70% of the dust. 

You can lift a fridge pretty easily by yourself with an air shim. Just be careful where you put it. 

https://m.lowes.com/pd/AirShim-Infl...aqnUMRyIu1NaONbTxwnKd9iogUIIN1_oaAsjCEALw_wcB

Sent from my SM-J337P using Tapatalk


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## Allielump (Jul 16, 2018)

My fridge broke down for the same reason. Its a nasty surprise when you pull the fridge out, but a pleasant one when the fridge works again after a proper vacuuming


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## COLDIRON (Mar 15, 2009)

#1 Do not install any filter material near any vents. The compressor will run hot. Plus you might forget to change them. 

#2 Unplug

#3 Use a soft flexible brush along with a vac cleaner at the same time. Go easy and careful, Don't want to damage coils or wires. 

#4 After step three. Take a wet towel and drape over the area the dust will blow out. Take an air compressor or canned air and blow it through the coil to get out all the little pieces of dust you can't get to.

#5 Most of the dust will stick to the towel and not go all over the Kitchen. Remove wet towel and clean up any dirt or dust. 

#6 Plug back in.

NOTE: This is the procedure used in Deli's, Bar's , Restaurant' s and corner stores. Can't be blowing dirt and dust all over the Business. I Know.

NOTE 2: Blow out dirt and dust the opposite way it was pulled in the coils.


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## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

SeniorSitizen said:


> Man you got that right. Did that very thing several years ago and she insisted I vacuum and dust the whole house for the next year IIR.:vs_laugh:Well, I possibly exaggerated some but she was pissed. To do the compressed air bit it would go outdoors and I'm too old to handle that big ole thing.


Isn't a vacuum the same thing only reverse air flow? That way the dirt, dust & cobwebs will be contained. :wink2:


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

Nik333 said:


> Isn't a vacuum the same thing only reverse air flow? That way the dirt, dust & cobwebs will be contained. :wink2:


Correct, but one would be hard pressed to get a vacuum attachment where it needs to be for effective cleaning. In fact, the way ours is constructed it would be difficult to determine where to blow compressed air and that's why I pusher er back in and said to self, " to hell with it ".


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## NitrNate (May 27, 2010)

the air flow out of a compressor is FAR more powerful than the suction of even the best vacuum. anyone who has tried to clean the condenser coils on a fridge knows that a vacuum with a brush attachment does about nothing except clean the front and back coils a bit.


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## tstex (Nov 14, 2014)

I certainly agree that a vacuum can only get to the first row and maybe the sides of the next but that's about it


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## mathmonger (Dec 27, 2012)

Nik333 said:


> Isn't a vacuum the same thing only reverse air flow? That way the dirt, dust & cobwebs will be contained. :wink2:


Sort of. But a vacuum is generally high volume, low pressure. Compressed air is low volume, high pressure. A 5 CFM air compressor is a respectable machine. But how long would it take to vacuum your living room if it took a full minute to move 5 cubic feet of air?

For blasting dust and dirt off, you want the high pressure.


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## mathmonger (Dec 27, 2012)

I think you can aim a stream of air better too. The fast moving air coming out of the compressor is all moving in the same direction and it will have momentum and basically stay together and hit in the same spot. You can't aim a vacuum at stuff. It will suck stuff in from all directions.


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## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

mathmonger said:


> Sort of. But a vacuum is generally high volume, low pressure. Compressed air is low volume, high pressure. A 5 CFM air compressor is a respectable machine. But how long would it take to vacuum your living room if it took a full minute to move 5 cubic feet of air?
> 
> For blasting dust and dirt off, you want the high pressure.


But, why would you want to blast dirt all over the place in your home? A little more time (elbow grease) & it's contained. 

Since you're a math master - what's the pressure difference? With a small aperture vacuum.:smile:

I moved in a house where there was an inch high solid mass of dog pee, under the refrigerator the size of the refrigerator bottom. It smelled so bad. The refrigerator was leaking & combined with the pee to make a gel.


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## mathmonger (Dec 27, 2012)

Nik333 said:


> But, why would you want to blast dirt all over the place in your home? A little more time (elbow grease) & it's contained.
> 
> Since you're a math master - what's the pressure difference?
> 
> I moved in a house where there was an inch high solid mass of dog pee, under the refrigerator the size of the refrigerator bottom. It smelled so bad. The refrigerator was leaking & combined with the pee to make a gel.


Why would I want to blast dirt all over the place? Same reason I drive a stick shift. I like to feel the power. 

My shop vac can make 60 PSI if you plug it. Hmmm. More than I expected. Bigger issue, though, is the size of the hose. Try hooking up the little tiny blower nozzle orifice and try to vacuum through it. That will have different problems. So the actual PSI is going to be much lower. I dunno. Question for fluiddynamicsmonger. Honestly, I've had this name for a long time from back when I was smart. Nowadays, I struggle to calculate a tip.


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## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

mathmonger said:


> Why would I want to blast dirt all over the place? Same reason I drive a stick shift. I like to feel the power.
> 
> My shop vac can make 60 PSI if you plug it. Hmmm. More than I expected. Bigger issue, though, is the size of the
> 
> hose. Try hooking up the little tiny blower nozzle orifice and try to vacuum through it. That will have different problems. So the actual PSI is going to be much lower. I dunno. Question for fluiddynamicsmonger. Honestly, I've had this name for a long time from back when I was smart. Nowadays, I struggle to calculate a tip.


Most honest statement I've read in a long time.:biggrin2:


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## NitrNate (May 27, 2010)

Nik333 said:


> But, why would you want to blast dirt all over the place in your home? A little more time (elbow grease) & it's contained.
> 
> Since you're a math master - what's the pressure difference? With a small aperture vacuum.:smile:
> 
> I moved in a house where there was an inch high solid mass of dog pee, under the refrigerator the size of the refrigerator bottom. It smelled so bad. The refrigerator was leaking & combined with the pee to make a gel.


nobody WANTS to, the point is that a vacuum will never work. have you ever actually done this job, because if you had you would know that you can't REACH the coils which is the problem. some of the ideas of a long brush may work for some, but many coils are so tightly placed together that getting through them to the middle coils would be way more work than its worth. easier to blow out and vacuum afterwards.

theoretically, if you really wanted to do this with a vacuum, you would need a TON of elbow grease. you would need to either jack up the fridge or lay it down to gain access to the inner coils which are impossible to get to with the fridge upright.


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## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

NitroNate said:


> nobody WANTS to, the point is that a vacuum will never work. have you ever actually done this job, because if you had you would know that you can't REACH the coils which is the problem. some of the ideas of a long brush may work for some, but many coils are so tightly placed together that getting through them to the middle coils would be way more work than its worth. easier to blow out and vacuum afterwards.
> 
> theoretically, if you really wanted to do this with a vacuum, you would need a TON of elbow grease. you would need to either jack up the fridge or lay it down to gain access to the inner coils which are impossible to get to with the fridge upright.


Yes, I've done it many times. When I was young I worked as a housekeeper. But, I understand the new refrigerators have coils closer together.

Part of the answer is probably doing it more frequently, so it's less work. The stuff that could be on the coils boggles the mind. Dirt you track in from outside, spill residue, bugs, dried droppings, bacteria from poultry, meat, fungi from moisture, etc.:surprise:: :wink2:


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## tstex (Nov 14, 2014)

It sounds like a can of Lysol needs to be sprayed underneath, then forget about it !


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## COLDIRON (Mar 15, 2009)

I love it when people put a question up and guys that are certified or have years of experience explain how to fix it or solve the problem . The the post just goes on endlessly with people just running their mouths and have no idea what their talking about. The answers have already been given. Like I said I love to read the answers. 90 percent of the calls I went on over the years the customers called me then tried to tell me how to fix it. Guess what I discovered? People don't mind paying the bill when I said you were right it needed whatever you said. The ones that just steered me to the problem and gave a general idea what was wrong always made out better bill wise. Oh, and left me alone and not bugged me. You guys want to know how to clean a dirty refrigerator read post #12. Don't be putting brushes on drills you'll end up putting a hole in something or winding up wires under there. Then you have to call me anyway$$$$. Over 50 years certified many trades. Go ahead tear me up. Lots of people are in the Cemetery for not listening to their Doctor. Knock off the hair brain schemes. You do get credit for at least trying to clean your condensers. Ready GO.


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## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

COLDIRON said:


> I love it when people put a question up and guys that are certified or have years of experience explain how to fix it or solve the problem . The the post just goes on endlessly with people just running their mouths and have no idea what their talking about. The answers have already been given. Like I said I love to read the answers. 90 percent of the calls I went on over the years the customers called me then tried to tell me how to fix it. Guess what I discovered? People don't mind paying the bill when I said you were right it needed whatever you said. The ones that just steered me to the problem and gave a general idea what was wrong always made out better bill wise. Oh, and left me alone and not bugged me. You guys want to know how to clean a dirty refrigerator read post #12. Don't be putting brushes on drills you'll end up putting a hole in something or winding up wires under there. Then you have to call me anyway$$$$. Over 50 years certified many trades. Go ahead tear me up. Lots of people are in the Cemetery for not listening to their Doctor. Knock off the hair brain schemes. You do get credit for at least trying to clean your condensers. Ready GO.


Serious, non-confrontational question. Why do you think all the refrigerator manufacturers & repair sites recommend vacuuming every three months rather than an air compressor?


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## COLDIRON (Mar 15, 2009)

Nik333 said:


> Serious, non-confrontational question. Why do you think all the refrigerator manufacturers & repair sites recommend vacuuming every three months rather than an air compressor?


Serious answer, because if they clean it every 3 months the vacuum is strong enough (with soft brush) to suck and clean all the dirt out. Even from the back rows of coils. Even though they know that people rarely clean the coils. Out of site out of mind. That's why other tactics are used to clean them out properly. 
Thank you for the question I hope I got it right.


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## Mystriss (Dec 26, 2018)

Aww man, you guys got me worried now.

My fridge has the vent thingy at the top which I clean out fairly regularly with the porta-compressor, but there's no coils up there just motors... I think I just realized you guys might be talking about the back bottom of the fridge (from the comment about cardboard in the OP pictures) and went to look and OMG there's a removable grill and I think coily things under there! >.<

Can I just pull a hose in from the huge compressor and blow the heck out of the underneath because there is absolutely no way my husband is going to pull this monster out every few months...


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## COLDIRON (Mar 15, 2009)

Find the owners manual, look up maintenance section and follow their directions. By the way that monster is probably on wheels. and it probably has leveling legs on the front . you might have to bring the legs up a touch off the floor and just pull if need be. Then clean as directed. If you decide or need to roll it watch out for the ice machine water line.


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## tstex (Nov 14, 2014)

The water lines are usually taped to the back so as said, be careful pulling out/ there should also be a cutoff valve under the sink which is usually where the water line for the refridge originates..good luck


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## Mystriss (Dec 26, 2018)

COLDIRON said:


> Find the owners manual, look up maintenance section and follow their directions. By the way that monster is probably on wheels. and it probably has leveling legs on the front . you might have to bring the legs up a touch off the floor and just pull if need be. Then clean as directed. If you decide or need to roll it watch out for the ice machine water line.





tstex said:


> The water lines are usually taped to the back so as said, be careful pulling out/ there should also be a cutoff valve under the sink which is usually where the water line for the refridge originates..good luck


Manual is not so helpful...









It does look to have at least front wheels underneath, but... if the coils are on the underneath, can't I just blow them off? 


Ugh, maybe with the wheels it wouldn't be as hard as I think to pull out, I'll write it down on my husband's to do list and see how loud he curses when he reads it tonight :vs_laugh:


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