Best way to clean refridgerator compressor cooling coils?

[Steve]

I'm just wondering what others do to clean all the dust and crud buildup on the compressor cooling coils located at the bottom of the fridge?? There is almost no room to get a vacuum hose or attachment near the coils except near the front. Do they make any kind of long handled brush for this purpose? It says in the manual to keep these coils clean but how do you get at the coils near the back? or do you need to pull the fridge away from where its sitting and go from the back somehow? Steve

[fftt]

I use one of these in conjunction with a shop vac. The shop vac sets up suction to carry away dust bunnies that are dislodged by using the brush.

If I'm feeling energetic, I'll roll the fridge away from the wall and poke the brush in from the back side. One some fridges you have to remove a flimsy "cardboard" panel on the back of the machine to get good access to the coils.

cheers Bob

[Phil Again]

Steve:

Back on Feb 14, we had a very long thread on this same subject in this NG. Thread started by Nate Nagel. Bottom line... Special brushes at some BORGS, or *Real* hardware stores for not that much money will clean most of the dust and pet hair. I haven't found the brushes at my local BORGs, but my searching hasn't been all that intense.

BTW, that previous thread was some good reading for the most part.

[Jon Danniken]

If it's an old fridge (or even a new one) be gentle - I killed a fridge by being a little to aggressive with the cleaning. Took about a week, then kaputt.

Jon

[norminn]

My original method was to use a tube sock on a yard-stick. I turned the sock inside-out, so the rougher side would catch more dirt; it worked pretty well. There are special brushes, made for the purpose, but I've never used those. Try pulling out the fridge, use a bottle brush duct-taped to a flat stick, brush off coils. Push fridge back, clean floor. If you have time on your hands, take a rag and dip in varnish. Let it get tacky, then wrap on a flat stick and use it like tack cloth for wood finishing.

[Stormin Mormon]

Go to Lowes or HD. Look for refrigerators, and ask for a "condensor brush". About two and a half feet long, tapered, wooden handle, about seven dollars. Use that in one hand. Vacuum cleaner hose in the other hand. Flashlight in your third hand.

[Stormin Mormon]

Please be sure to replace the flimsy cardboard. it does serve a purpose.

[Steve]

Sorry, I should have done a search on the subject first....... But thanks, I'll check out that thread. Steve

[Steve]

I was wondering about that.... I was considering leaving that cardboard panel off. I figured it was just to keep someone's fingers from going in there that didn't belong.. I thought it would help with better air flow through the compressor unit.

Can you elaborate? Thanks, Steve

[Jerry]

For the fridge in the garage I just fired up the compressor and blew the cr@p out of them - this is obviously not a good alternative for a fridge located in your kitchen.

Jerry

[SteveB]

I pull mine away from the wall. I pull the front cover and the back cover. I take out the drain tray if there is one. Then I clean it with a compressed air nozzle. Works for me.

Steve

[Stormin Mormon]

The desired air flow is to suck air in the front (across the coils) and blow it out across the condensate pan.

With the cardboard off, the air blows in a small circle, out the back of the fridge, and then into the fan, again.

[Stormin Mormon]

What he said.... before I wrote what I said.