How does one "shut down" a refrigerator?

[danmantn]

<font class="Apple-style-span" face="'Sans Serif'">I recently upgraded my refrigerator.  I now have the old model--which is less than 10 years old and still in perfect working order.  I want to store it for future use by someone.  However, I was wondering what the proper way to prep for storage?  </font>
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<font class="Apple-style-span" face="'Sans Serif'">Simply turning off would leave a lot of moisture in the system one would think.  It has an ice maker.  Should I leave the doors open for a few days to "air it out".  Should I leave the doors ajar for air circulation once it is in storage?  Sounds like such a simple thing, but I've never stored a fridge before...usually just replacing non-working ones.</font>
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<font class="Apple-style-span" face="'Sans Serif'">Any tips would be appreciated.  The fridge is locked in a basement so no danger of anyone getting into it (safety reasons, etc).</font>

 

[qsd-dan]

When my grandfather upgraded to a GM Frigidaire side by side refer in the early 70's, the 50's Coldspot was reassigned to the garage for occasional overflow use, usually for parties or holiday get togethers. He left an open box of baking soda inside and kept the door slightly ajar at all times. Worked great for several decades until Grandma got rid of it a couple of years after he passed in 2001

 

[ronhic]

You're on the right track to be honest.

My folks kept my grans fridge in the garage for years without using it after she passed away and before moving it to the coast. Additionally, they used to defrost the coast fridges every time we went down just before coming home - for years they did this....

Soooooo.....and assuming this is a 'french door' model

Knowing that, I would do the following....

- defrost completely
- ensure that the inside is as dry as you can get it
- you might be able to drain the water out of the icemaker via the inlet pipe/chilled water tap....though I have never done this (others may know)
- when you think that it is dry, keep the doors open for a couple of days to make double sure....
- place a small empty bottle in between the crisper bins/door and the freezer drawers/door at the bottom near the leading edge of the doors - handle side....the doors should not close but be open an inch or so
- tie the handles together with some string so the doors don't open....

Voila!

The fridge should stay mould free assuming you have a dry storage area...

 

[goatfarmer]

The baking soda idea is a good one.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Congratulations on your refrigerator upgrade!

Additionally:
Turn off the water to the ice maker and then trigger it to it unmold its last batch of cubes. When you pull the box out and disconnect the water line from the fill valve, you will probably need to pull the line off the other end of the valve to ensure that it drains. I don't think it will drain through a de-energized valve, although if you plugged in the box with the doors closed, the system on and the ice maker was empty, it would call for water and maybe the energized (open) valve would allow the water to drain down so have a bowl and towel ready.

The best thing you can do for odor control in a refrigerator, whether operating or stored, is use ground coffee to absorb the odors. For a closed refrigerator, after a thorough cleaning of every nook and cranny and a couple of days of drying out, open a container of ground coffee (it does not have to be expensive for this). Pour the ground coffee into two large squares of a couple of layers of cheesecloth. Use a larger amount for the fresh food section and a smaller amount for the freezer section. Tie both up loosely and place on racks in each compartment where air can circulate around them. Ground coffee has a huge surface area to better absorb odors and the coffee aroma does not permeate the interior surfaces like stinky food odors. Unless you are storing the box in a very clean place, it will stay cleaner with the doors closed and be less likely to be invaded by unwanted wildlife. If you do keep the doors ajar, cover the box with a sheet and tie or tape the sheet closed under the doors to keep dust and critters out. Keep it in a dry place.

 

[danmantn]

Awesome suggestions, thanks as always for all the great knowledge!