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REFRIGERATION

Troubleshooting

Bad smell inside the refrigerator

Smells in a commercial refrigerator usually come from food or from water that is not draining away. In Indian kitchens strong ingredients such as fish, onion, garlic, cut fruit and spiced gravies make it worse, because odours migrate into other foods, especially dairy, butter, desserts and bakery items. A persistent smell is also a hygiene signal: it often means spills under shelves, slime in the drain or mould in the gasket folds, all of which an FSSAI inspector or customer would notice. A burning or sharp electrical smell is different and needs the unit switched off.

First, check these

  1. If you smell burning, hot plastic or a sharp electrical odour, switch off and isolate power immediately and call a technician.
  2. Empty the cabinet section by section and check for spoiled, leaking or uncovered food, especially at the back and under shelves.
  3. Look at the gasket folds and corners for black or green mould.
  4. Check the internal drain hole and the evaporation tray for standing water or slime.
  5. Check whether strong-smelling foods are stored uncovered next to dairy or desserts.

Likely causes

  1. 1. Spoiled or spilled food

    You can check this

    Signs: Sour or rotten smell; sticky residue under shelves or in drawer runners; forgotten containers at the back.

    Fix: Remove and discard spoiled items, take out shelves and wash them with warm water and detergent, wipe the interior, then sanitise with a food-safe sanitiser at its label dilution. Rinse if the label asks, dry and reload.

  2. 2. Uncovered strong-smelling food

    You can check this

    Signs: Smell of fish, onion or spices; butter, milk or desserts pick up the odour.

    Fix: Store everything covered or in lidded containers. Keep fish and strongly flavoured foods in sealed containers on lower shelves, away from dairy and bakery items.

  3. 3. Mould in gasket folds

    You can check this

    Signs: Dark spots in the gasket creases, musty smell near the door.

    Fix: Clean the gasket folds with warm soapy water and a soft brush, then sanitise and dry. Replace the gasket if staining will not clear.

  4. 4. Blocked drain or stagnant evaporation tray

    You can check this

    Signs: Musty or sewage-like smell, worse after defrost; slime at the drain hole or water standing in the tray.

    Fix: Isolate power, clear the drain opening, flush with warm water, and clean and dry the tray if it is reachable without tools.

  5. 5. Odour absorbed into old or damaged liner

    You can check this

    Signs: Smell persists after deep cleaning, especially in older units with scratched or cracked liners.

    Fix: Leave an open container of baking soda inside for a few days after cleaning. Cracked liners trap food and moisture and should be assessed for repair.

  6. 6. Electrical overheating

    Technician job

    Signs: Burning, hot plastic or fishy-electrical smell from the machine compartment or controller area.

    Fix: Isolate power and keep it off. A technician must find and replace the overheating component.

When to call a technician

Call a technician immediately for any burning or electrical smell, or if the drain keeps blocking, the evaporation tray cannot be reached, or the smell returns quickly after a thorough clean. Build a weekly deep-clean into your hygiene schedule so smells never get a foothold.

Isolate power before cleaning inside the cabinet, near drains or around the machine compartment. Do not spray water into fans, lights or controllers. Avoid mixing cleaning chemicals. Any refrigeration repair on hydrocarbon (R290 or R600a) units is for trained technicians only.

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