VIDEO: How to Clean Refrigerator Coils | DIY Fridge Maintenance to Save Energy

By Matt Schmitz

June 05, 2025

Did you know you’re supposed to clean your refrigerator coils at least every six months? C’mon, you don’t have to lie to me. How could you have known that when you just found out 5 seconds ago that your refrigerator has … coils. Well, now that we cleared that up, what your condenser coils do is cool and condense the refrigerant, releasing heat so your fridge can keep its cool.

When these coils get dirty over time, they can’t do their job as well and become less efficient, reducing your fridge’s effectiveness in preserving perishables while edging up energy costs. Watch the video above to learn how to clean your refrigerator coils to keep your fridge running efficiently and effectively.

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Now, six months is the minimum recommended time between fridge coil cleanings — but you really should do it as often as every three for best results. But don’t sweat it: Once we show you how simple this household maintenance task is, you won’t recoil at the thought of cleaning your coils. Trust us: If we can do it, you can do it.

Follow these six steps:

Step 1: First, You Gotta Find ’Em

Newer fridges’ coils typically are found inside the base of the fridge covered by a panel, while older models’ coils are more commonly exposed on the backside, near the bottom.

Step 2: Move, Fridge! Get Out the Way!

If your coils are in back, you’ll need to pull the fridge away from the wall in order to access them. This’ll be easy if your fridge has wheels, but if not, you may want to lift slightly and place furniture sliders underneath, then gently walk it out of its nook.

Step 3: Pull the Plug

Whenever you’re doing maintenance on an electrical appliance, you should always unplug it. Minor though the risk may be, it’s just not worth getting electrocuted.

Step 4: Suck It Up!

Once you’ve accessed the coils in back of or underneath your fridge, use your vacuum cleaner with a flat-head attachment to suck up all that dirt, dust and debris that’s been building up since the last time you did this — which, let’s face it, is probably since you moved in or purchased the fridge.

Step 5: Scape ’n’ Spray

In all likelihood, your negligence will have resulted in some stubborn spots that won’t come off via suction. Use a stiff toothbrush or paintbrush to scrape the crud off these areas — and maybe use a can of compressed air to spray those tight nooks and crannies you can’t quite reach.

Step 6: Make a Clean Getaway

Before you plug the fridge back in and move it back into place, take the opportunity to vacuum and mop this hard-to-get-to area that we’ve already established you don’t get to as often as … well, at all.

There! Now that you know how to do that, in the future you can remember to clean your condenser coils by just doing it at the same time you usually clean your drip pan. You have been cleaning your drip pan … right?

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