How to clean refrigerator coils safely (bottom or back)

Step by step: how to clean refrigerator coils safely

Safety first. Unplug the refrigerator or switch off its breaker before you start: the condenser fan can start without warning and the compressor area carries line voltage. Wear safety glasses and a dust mask. If you pull the fridge out, go slowly so you do not kink or tear the water line to the ice maker, and protect the floor.

1. 1

   Find out where your coils are

   Check the owner’s manual or look behind the base grille at the bottom front of the fridge with a flashlight. If you see a black grid of tubes and wire on the back of the fridge instead, you have back-mounted coils. Some models have no coils you can reach, and some must be cleaned by a technician.

2. 2

   Unplug the refrigerator

   Pull the plug or turn off the breaker. The food will stay cold for the half hour this takes if you keep the doors closed. Lay a towel on the floor under the grille to catch falling dust.

3. 3

   Remove the base grille

   On most fridges with bottom coils, the grille unclips: open the doors if needed, grip both ends and pull it toward you, or push in at the top while pulling out at the bottom. Vacuum the grille and wash it in warm soapy water if it is greasy, then let it dry.

4. 4

   Loosen the dust with a coil brush

   Slide the coil brush between and under the coils and draw it back toward you, a section at a time. Use light strokes along the direction of the fins, not across them. Clumps of dust and pet hair will fall to the front where you can reach them.

5. 5

   Vacuum as you go

   Vacuum the loosened dust with the crevice tool, then go over the front surface of the coils and the open floor area with the soft brush attachment. Repeat brushing and vacuuming until the brush comes out mostly clean. Keep the nozzle off the tubing so you do not dent it.

6. 6

   Clean back-mounted coils from behind

   If the coils are on the back, pull the fridge out far enough to work behind it without stretching the water line. Vacuum the coils from top to bottom with the brush attachment, then sweep and wipe the floor and wall behind the fridge.

7. 7

   Check the condenser fan

   On fridges with bottom coils, the condenser fan sits near the compressor at the back. If you can reach it from the front or the rear access panel, wipe dust off the fan blades with a damp cloth. Do not remove panels that need tools unless your manual says to.

8. 8

   Put it back and plug it in

   Snap the grille back into its clips, push the fridge back leaving a gap at the back for air, and plug it in. You should hear the compressor and fan start within a few minutes. Check the temperature after a few hours.

Why clean refrigerator coils, and how often?

Clean coils let the refrigerator shed heat, so it cools efficiently, holds steady temperatures and runs less. Clean them every 6 to 12 months in a typical home, and every 3 to 6 months if you have pets, a busy kitchen or dust from construction.

Whirlpool’s condenser coil guide says routine cleaning is not typically needed in a normal home, but that households with pets, heavy kitchen traffic or construction dust should inspect and clean every 3 to 6 months. It also notes that some models do not require coil cleaning and others can only be cleaned by a certified technician, so check your Use and Care Guide.

ENERGY STAR lists clean coils (on older models) alongside leaving a few inches between the fridge and the wall and checking the door seals as ways to keep a refrigerator efficient. It adds that coil cleaning brushes are sold at most hardware stores.

Where are the coils on your refrigerator?

On most fridges made in the last couple of decades, the coils are underneath, reached through the grille at the bottom front. Older and some compact fridges have them on the back.

GE Appliances’ condenser coil page lists the same three places: under the fridge behind the base grille, on the back, or on top. It says most GE refrigerators made since 2001 have a NeverClean condenser that does not need cleaning, so check your model before you pull anything apart. For top-mounted coils, GE says to turn off power at the breaker and wear a long-sleeved shirt and gloves, because the condenser fins have sharp edges.

Signs your coils are dirty, and when to call a technician

A fridge that runs almost constantly, feels warm along the sides, or struggles to stay cold may have clogged coils. Clean them first; if nothing changes after a day, the problem is likely elsewhere.

• Call a technician if the fridge is still warm after cleaning, if you hear clicking with no compressor start, or if you see oil around the tubing.
• Call one too if your manual says the coils are technician-only or the access panel needs special tools.
• While the fridge is out or the grille is off, it is a good moment to do the inside; see how to clean a refrigerator.

Mistakes to avoid

• Cleaning with the fridge plugged in, while the fan can start and the compressor area is live.
• Scrubbing across the fins with a stiff brush, which bends them and blocks airflow.
• Yanking the fridge out and kinking or tearing the ice maker water line.
• Using water or spray cleaner on the coils, which turns dust into mud and can reach electrical parts.
• Pushing the fridge flush against the wall afterward, which traps the heat you just helped it release.