How to get rid of the smell of fish from the fridge

Not sure what to do to get rid of the smell of fish from the fridge? We give you some tips and advice for removing it from your fridge, kitchen, home and much more.

The smell of fish is one of the most stubborn and unpleasant smells in our home. This truly unpleasant smell can remain for hours or even days.  If the problem persists after deep cleaning the fridge, you can use other types of remedies aimed at smells in the fridge. If neither of these two options work, you can try these tips to tackle the problems of the smell of fish in the kitchen, fridge or food container.

With lemon and cloves

Cut a lemon in half and place both halves on a dish in the middle of the fridge. To make this remedy much more effective, stick several cloves in the sides.  Leave to activate for at least a couple of hours and you will obtain excellent results. The smell of lemon, along with the clove, is a fast solution against bad odours. But if you prefer, you can just use the lemon cut in half, or use a glass of lemon juice.

With coffee

Place a cup with coffee beans, or ground coffee, on each shelf of the fridge. In just a few hours, you’ll notice the smell of fish disappear completely. When you realise it’s taken effect, remove the cups and dispose of the coffee.

With vinegar

As well as being a tool for cleaning and disinfecting the fridge, vinegar can also be used to get rid of odours. You can add a good splash to a jar and leave it to activate so it removes the smell of fish. 

With bicarbonate of soda

Bicarbonate of soda is for preventive use and to prevent the smell from developing in the first place, stopping bad odours from taking root in the future. Place an uncovered bowl of bicarbonate of soda inside the refrigerator. It can be effective for months before you need to change it. Remember to include a label with the date on the bowl so you remember when to change it.

With newspaper and charcoal

Another highly effective remedy to remove fish odours is to use a piece of charcoal wrapped in newspaper. Beforehand, you will need to have emptied and cleaned the entire fridge. The joint action of both of these elements for several hours will help to get rid of the unpleasant smell. 

With essential oils

Not such a well-known solution, but also highly effective in preventing unpleasant smells that persist in the fridge, is to use essential oils. Yes, you read that right! These fragrances that cause so much wellness and that you use in your diffuser. You just need to place a bowl with a few cotton wool balls and soak them in some of your favourite essential oils. Keep a bowl of these balls in the fridge for a day and you’ll notice a difference.

In addition to these tips to prevent odours from persisting, it is worth remembering that keeping the fridge as clean as possible and storing cooked food in airtight containers or wrapped properly in cling film (particularly strong-smelling food) is always recommended. These smells usually ‘contaminate’ the other food in the fridge, and even the containers themselves. For example, cardboard, causing other similar smells that can sometimes be unpleasant.