Frequently Asked Questions About Domestic Refrigerator Repair:
Smell of lighter fluid
We just moved into our new house. We have a terrible, irritating smell coming from our refrigerator. We want to know if its dangerous and if the smell can be eliminated. We have a 2.5 year old toddler and a 4 month old infant.
Brand/Make Kelvinator 12 years old
Double door Freezer on left and Fridge on right. Refrigerator is in a space below cabinets with the back of the unit against the wall. Even after pulling the unit out from the wall a little the smell persisted. Smell of lighter fluid in freezer and refrigerator. Could this be Freon? Other chemicals? Other things that could cause this smell? Is it dangerous?
Is there any way to fix the problem/get rid of the smell or do we need to get a new refrigerator. Thanks for your assistance.
Please read the article back on my web site about the development of Freon. It will set your mind at rest for sure about toxicological consequences from the refrigerant used in these systems.
As far as the smell, lighter fluid? I’ve talked to a lot of folks about odors but have never come across this one before. Perhaps the previous owner stored his lighter fluid in the freezer section and it spilled? I find sometimes people do strange things. So, you should take the floor of the freezer out in this case and then do the following odor removing procedure............
Make a mixture (50-50) of Vanilla Extract (not artificial) and rubbing alcohol. Put into a spray bottle, unplug the fridge and SOAK down the inside of the unit, paying special attention to places where pieces come together, leaving a crevice. Really soak these places heavily. After the entire unit is saturated, stuff with rolled up newspapers, close door and let sit for 24 to 48 hours.
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