How to Clean Pet Hair From Beneath the Refrigerator

Dog hair seems to get into pretty much everything. That means on your furniture, clothes and food. It even collects under the refrigerator. Don't be scared off by the huge hairy, dirty dust bunnies under there. You can conquer them with a vacuum, soapy water and some rubber gloves.

Items You'll Need:
• Flashlight
• Refrigerator coil brush
• Vacuum with attachments
• Rubber gloves
• Long-sleeved shirt
• Bucket
• Washcloth
• Water
• Mild soap
• Cardboard or drop cloth

Step #1 - Unplug the fridge. Grab a flashlight, remove the bottom base grill plate and position yourself so you can see under the fridge.

Step #2 - Use a long refrigerator coil brush to sweep up the big chunks of dog hair and dirt from under the unit. Most hardware stores carry these brushes.

Step #3 - Grab your vacuum and suck up the bigger gunk that you just swept out. Then, attach the long, flat hose attachment to your vacuum hose and use it to get the finer gunk from under the fridge and in the coils. The bottom coils are behind a kick plate. Pull the plate off to get to them. The plate may be held in place with some spring mounts, so giving it a good tug should do the trick.

Step #4 - Clean the coils with warm, soapy water and a washcloth. Make sure you wear rubber gloves and long sleeves, as there may be sharp parts underneath the unit that could cut you.

Step #5 - Move the entire fridge forward to clean behind the unit. If your refrigerator does not have rollers on the bottom, protect your floor by placing some flattened cardboard or a heavy-duty drop cloth where you're pulling the fridge out. Sweep and vacuum behind there once every three to six months. When you push the unit back in, watch the cord and tubes so you don't run them over.

Step #6 - Plug the refrigerator back in.

By Susan Revermann

References
GE Appliances: Refrigerator -- How to Clean the Condenser Coils
Home Envy: Cleaning Fridge Coils
Refrigerator Efficiency: Efficiency Matters

About the Author
Susan Revermann is a professional writer with educational and professional experience in psychology, research and teaching. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Washington in psychology, focused on research, motivational behavior and statistics. Revermann also has a background in art, crafts, green living, outdoor activities and overall fitness, balance and well-being.