I plan to store refrigerator in my residence unplugged. I cleaned it well with all soap, 409 and disinfectant, and left doors open to dry out for few days.
They recommend to keep Doors Open for long term refrigerator storage. This prevents mold and mildew growth when unplugged. Question is, I want to keep doors closed when guests come for aesthetic purpose (instead of having piece of cardboard/stopper sticking out).
Is it okay, to leave doors open at night before sleep, (8 hours a day). Would this strategy be sufficient and if correct, how many days, should many days per weeks? Everyday? 3-4 times? Currently live in part of US where temperature is moderate 50-80, low humidity etc, Just want to be sure,
https://www.kentstorage.com.au/how-to-store-a-refrigerator-in-storage
Best Answer
I wouldn't. You could potentially have mold growth within hours.
However, the door doesn't have to be open very wide. I would stoutly tape a block there that holds the door open 1 inch.
You really have to do something like that, because humans have been trained since age 3 to treat an open refrigerator door as an emergency that demands immediate closing. The people at the lodge make me bat crazy; every time they re-close refrigerator doors left open because the fridge is off. Once it becomes obvious to the human that someone has affixed a block that prevents the door from closing, they will usually leave it alone.
After a couple months, the fridge will dry out and you can let the door be closed. Though it helps to throw a desiccant pack in there.
I know where your mind is going to go, though. You're going to say "Well shoot, I'll just throw a desiccant pack in there on day one and never leave it open at all!" And I say "good luck with that". Refrigerators can hold a LOT of moisture, enough to overwhelm any desiccant pack. I would not do that for the first week.
After the first week, if you're diligent about resetting desiccant packs then that's fine, but you need to not forget.