How to Wipe Away Black Mold Between Refrigerator Door Gaskets

Moisture in the Folds Invites Mold

Refrigerator door gaskets are where the cold interior meets warm outside air, so condensation forms easily. Their deep folds also make them hard to clean, and when food crumbs get trapped, black mold can grow. If you wipe only the surface, mold roots remain inside the folds and can return within days.

Supplies

• 10 cotton swabs and 1 old toothbrush
• A solution made by dissolving 1 tablespoon of sodium percarbonate in 200ml of lukewarm water
• A dry towel and a few sheets of kitchen paper

4 Cleaning Steps

1. Step 1: Turn off the refrigerator or leave the door wide open, then first wipe moisture and crumbs from the gasket surface with dry kitchen paper.
2. Step 2: Soak a cotton swab in the sodium percarbonate solution and wipe along each fold one section at a time. If the gaps are narrow, apply the solution to a toothbrush and scrub briefly in the direction of the grain.
3. Step 3: For heavily moldy areas, cut kitchen paper soaked in the solution into 1cm-wide strips, tuck them into the folds, let them sit for 5 minutes, then scrape away the mold with a cotton swab.
4. Step 4: Wipe once more with a cotton swab dampened with clean water to remove any cleaner, then use a dry towel to remove moisture completely, including inside the folds.

Drying is just as important as cleaning. If moisture is left behind at the end, the mold will come back and undo your work. Simply getting into the habit of wiping the gasket with a dry towel once a week can prevent most black marks from forming.