OK, maybe someone can please explain to me why manufacturers started putting the coils under the frig as opposed to behind them. How are you supposed to clean them??? Empty all the food from frig and flip it on its side? Anyone have any good ideas on how to clean the coils?
Reason may be that it is cheaper, leaves zero clearance behind fridge, and heat may help evaporate drainage water from floor pans? Just guesses. I use a stick with small rag wrapped on in to get way in there, then the upholstery attachment on the vacuum cleaner to get the nearby stuff. This area rarely needs cleaning on my fridge, outside of the floorlevel lint and misthrown dog kibble and dried grapes!
There are special tapered brushes that reach all the way back in there to get dust, dog hair, etc. off of the coils. Probably a few bucks at K-Mart or a hardware store. Not a major effort.
go to home depot and buy a special shaped brush, its called a coil brush for cleaning under the refrigerator... about 2 ft. long with the bristles of the brush about all the way of the 2 ft. and slender so you can get to the who area... works great.. i dont think it cost more than $8.00 ??? just guessing, mines is about 3 yrs. old and looks brand new.
I tie a sheet or 2 if needed around the 4 sides of the fridge and use an electric leaf blower set on LOW vs HIGH velocity and BLOW the dust bunnies out. They are trapped by the sheet around the fridge.
I am lucky to have SLOTS in the cardboard on the back of my Sears side by side. I blow from the back side.
Wetting the sheet and wringing it out before putting around the fridge also works to better trap the dust bunnies.
Home Depot sells a long refrigerator brush that loosens much of the dust. Vacuum the dust up using a crevice attachment to the vacuum. A blow gun will clean it too, but that makes a big mess!
Hi,
Some tips on cleaning the condensor coils....
Appliance Repair Aid
Everyone has told you about the special attachments for your vacuum to clean the coils and I agree..
However one advantage of having the coils on the bottom is that you can do the routine cleaning from the front, by removing the kick plate... Just add a couple extention tubes and you can reach most of the coils from the there.
Steve
I duck tape a sheet around the ref, and I use a air compressor to blow out the dust.
I do this once a year..
Tom
A vacuum attachment wouldn't work very well (if at all) on some (many?) models. Real elbow grease (from a contortionist) with a hand brush is required in many cases.
Not on a lot of models you can't. :(
Dan O.
- Appliance411.com
Rob wrote
Forced air condensers can remove heat more efficiently, are the only design that can be 'built in' and have the added benefit of reducing the size of surrounding enclosure necessary allowing it to be pushed right back against the wall.
There are 'coil brushes' specially made for that job but still may need to be part contortionist to get to it all.
Seen one we had to take a pressure washer to it outdoors!
If you posted the refrigerator brand and model number, maybe some has had some experience with your fridge's design and can offer tips? Without that, it's just a guessing game as to how to go about it on your model. There is no 'one size fits all' approach.
You can find tips for locating the model number tag on your appliances in the repair parts section of my site linked below.
Dan O.
- Appliance411.com
Hi Rob, hope you are having a nice day
On 07-Dec-03 At About 08:02:01, Rob wrote to All Subject: Cleaning refrigerator coils under refrigerator??????
R> From: snipped-for-privacy@nowhere.com (Rob)
R> OK, maybe someone can please explain to me why manufacturers started R> putting the coils under the frig as opposed to behind them. How are R> you supposed to clean them??? Empty all the food from frig and flip R> it on its side? Anyone have any good ideas on how to clean the R> coils?
They do make special brushes for cleaning them. try to locate one at an appliance store or appliance parts supply house.
-=> HvacTech2
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