Person in gloves cleaning the inside of a commercial glass door fridge

October 10, 2026

How to Clean a Commercial Fridge: Step-by-Step Guide and Cleaning Schedule

A clean commercial fridge keeps food safe, stops smells and runs more efficiently. Most of the work is quick daily and weekly habits, plus a deeper clean once a month. This guide covers a simple cleaning schedule, a step-by-step deep clean, how to clean the condenser and door seals, how to get rid of smells, and the cleaning mistakes that can damage a fridge.

Commercial fridge cleaning schedule

How often	What to do
Every day	Wipe up spills, wipe the door handles, check the temperature with a thermometer, and remove anything out of date or past its best.
Every week	Wipe the shelves and walls, clean the door seals, clean the glass inside and out, and wipe the outside of the cabinet.
Every month	Do a full deep clean (below), clean the condenser, and do the paper test on the door seals.

Busy kitchens, bakeries and anywhere with grease, flour or dust in the air will need the condenser cleaned more often. Your food safety program may also set its own cleaning schedule, so follow that too.

What you'll need

Warm water and a mild detergent
Soft cloths or microfibre cloths, and a non-scratch sponge
A soft brush (an old toothbrush works for seal folds)
A food-safe sanitiser, used as the label directs
Bicarb soda for stubborn marks and smells
A vacuum with a brush attachment, or a soft condenser brush
Gloves

How to deep clean a commercial fridge, step by step

Move the stock somewhere cold. Use another fridge, a coolroom or an esky with ice, so food stays at 5°C or colder while you clean.
Turn the fridge off at the wall for a full clean. It's safer, and stops the fridge running flat out with the door open.
Take out the shelves and wash them in warm, soapy water. Let cold glass shelves warm up first, because hot water on cold glass can crack it.
Wash the inside (walls, floor, ceiling and the inside of the door) with warm water and mild detergent. Get into the corners, where spills collect.
Sanitise the food-contact surfaces with a food-safe sanitiser, following the label, including any rinse and contact time.
Clean the door seals with warm, soapy water and a soft brush in the folds, then dry them. Look for tears, splits and flat spots while you're there.
Dry everything with a clean cloth. Water left in corners turns into mould, smells or ice.
Turn it back on and wait. Let the fridge get back down to temperature before you restock it, and check with a thermometer.

How to clean the condenser

The condenser gets rid of the heat the fridge pulls out of the cabinet. It's usually a grille-covered coil at the bottom or top of the cabinet. When it's clogged with dust or grease, the fridge runs longer, struggles in hot weather and costs more to run. Some manufacturers require regular condenser cleaning as a condition of the warranty, and NovaChill, for example, asks for it monthly.

Turn the fridge off at the wall.
Remove the front grille if your manual shows it's designed to come off.
Brush or vacuum along the fins (not across them) to lift the dust off. Don't bend the fins.
Don't use water or spray cleaners on the condenser or the electrical parts around it.
Refit the grille and turn the fridge back on.

If the condenser is caked in grease or you can't get to it easily, have a licensed refrigeration technician clean it properly.

Door seals: clean them and test them

Seals are easy to forget, but a dirty or torn seal lets warm air in all day. Clean seals weekly with warm soapy water, not harsh chemicals, which can make them crack. Once a month, close the door on a sheet of paper at a few points around the door. If the paper slides out easily, the seal isn't gripping there. A seal that's torn, flattened or no longer grips needs replacing.

Glass doors and stainless steel

Glass: a glass cleaner or warm soapy water and a lint-free cloth, inside and out. Clean glass makes stock look better and helps staff check it without opening the door.
Stainless steel: mild detergent or a stainless steel cleaner, wiping with the grain. Avoid scourers and steel wool, which scratch, and chlorine bleach, which can mark and pit stainless steel.
Handles: wipe them every day. They're touched more than anything else on the fridge.

Getting rid of smells

Fridge smells nearly always come from something inside: a spill under a shelf, food past its use-by, or uncovered food. To fix them:

Find the source and remove it, then clean and dry the area.
Wash the shelves and the floor of the cabinet, and clean the door seals, which can hold spills and mould.
Leave an open container of bicarb soda in the fridge to absorb lingering smells.
Keep food covered or wrapped, and store strong-smelling food in sealed containers.
Don't use air fresheners or scented products in a food fridge, as food can pick up the smell.

If a smell keeps coming back after a thorough clean, or water is pooling where you can't reach, the drain may be blocked. That's a job for a technician.

Cleaning mistakes that damage fridges

Hosing or pressure-washing the cabinet. Water gets into electrical parts and insulation.
Chipping ice with a knife or scraper. One slip can puncture a refrigerant line. Let ice melt, or have the defrost checked if ice keeps building up.
Using abrasive pads or harsh chemicals on stainless steel, plastic liners or seals.
Taking off internal panels or fan covers to clean behind them. Leave that to a technician.
Restocking before the fridge is back to temperature.

Cleaning FAQs

How often should a commercial fridge be cleaned?

Wipe up spills every day, clean the shelves and seals weekly, and deep clean once a month. Clean the condenser monthly in kitchens and bakeries, and at least every three months elsewhere, unless your manual says otherwise.

Can I use bleach to clean a commercial fridge?

It's best not to on stainless steel or door seals. Use warm water and mild detergent to clean, and a food-safe sanitiser on food-contact surfaces, following the label.

Do I need to turn the fridge off to clean it?

For a quick wipe-down, no. For a deep clean or cleaning the condenser, turn it off at the wall first.

Why does my fridge still smell after cleaning?

Check the door seals and under the shelves, and look for spills in the corners. If the smell persists, the defrost drain may be blocked. Have a licensed refrigeration technician check it.