How to Clean Refrigerator Condenser Coils

If you’ve noticed your refrigerator hasn’t been cooling as well as usual, the culprit might just be the condenser coils. These coils help your refrigerator maintain its interior temperature, and if they get dirty your fridge will struggle to stay cool. Luckily, cleaning the coils is a simple and straightforward process—read our guide to find out what to do!

What Are Condenser Coils?

Condenser coils are part of your refrigerator’s cooling system. They’re tubes filled with refrigerant that release the heat from the refrigerator’s interior allowing it to dissipate into the surrounding area. Properly functioning coils allow for efficient heat dissipation, but dirty coils are not able to release heat as efficiently. This forces your refrigerator to work harder and can lead to decreased performance and increased electricity usage. 

How Do Condenser Coils Get Dirty?

Condenser coils accumulate dust, debris, pet hair, and other household dirt. If your refrigerator is located in your kitchen next to your oven, the coils can also become coated in grease from the cooking process. The coils are also prone to getting dirty due to the heating process—the cooling and heating means that there is more airflow around the coils, stirring up dust which then sticks to them. 

How Often Should You Clean Condenser Coils?

We recommend that you clean your condenser coils every six months to ensure your fridge is cooling optimally. This timeframe can vary depending on the inhabitants of your home and your usage patterns, however. For example, a house with many pets may need its condenser coils cleaned every three months, while a single-occupant house may be able to get away with longer stretches between cleans. 

If you’ve never cleaned your condenser coils, don’t panic! It’s never too late, and you might even notice a marked increase in your refrigerator’s performance after you clean them. Let’s get started!

Cleaning the Coils – A Step-by-Step Guide

1. Move your refrigerator away from the wall

First of all, you’ll need to move your refrigerator away from the wall to access the coils and to properly clean the surrounding area. Use a furniture dolly or get someone to help you to ensure you don’t injure yourself. Make sure the fridge is completely moved away from where it currently sits, as you’ll need to deep-clean the area to prevent the dust from immediately sticking to the coils again. 

2. Locate the coils

If you’re unsure where the condenser coils are located on your refrigerator, consult your manual. In most cases, the coils are located at the bottom front of your refrigerator, behind a grille or kickplate. In some older models, the coils might be found at the rear of the fridge instead. You might need to remove some screws from the grille or kickplate to gain access to the coils. Again, we recommend consulting your refrigerator manual if you get stuck. 

3. Vacuum the coils

The most efficient way to clean the refrigerator coils is with a vacuum cleaner, preferably with a brush or crevice attachment. Work gently so as not to damage the coils, and thoroughly vacuum all visible dust from the coils. If your coils are only lightly dirty, this may be all you need to do to get your coils perfectly clean. If you can still see some dirt and debris in the crevices, however, move on to the next step in our guide. 

4 Use a coil brush to remove stubborn dust

If you can still see some dust and debris trapped between the coils, then we recommend investing in a coil brush. These can be purchased for just a few dollars from your local hardware store. They’re designed to be flexible and soft and can fit between the coils without causing any damage to the metal. The brush is also able to loosen tougher grime and residue caused by kitchen grease. After cleaning, make sure you use your vacuum to suck up any dust that has become dislodged.

5. Use compressed air if necessary

If there are further areas that you can’t reach even with a flexible coil cleaning brush, you can try using a can of compressed air to blast away the debris. You can purchase this from your local hardware store or online. When using compressed air, we recommend using a dust mask to avoid breathing in harmful particles. 

6. Vacuum the surrounding area

Once you’ve completed cleaning the coils, thoroughly clean the surrounding area too. If you leave the dust on the floor, it will immediately be attracted to the clean coils due to the airflow from the heating and cooling, undoing all your hard work. Make sure you also clean the wall behind your refrigerator as well as the baseboards, as these are common places for dust to build up. 

Maintaining Your Coils Going Forward

Once your coils are clean, try to maintain a coil-cleaning regime to ensure your refrigerator operates as efficiently as possible. 

• Regularly clean the area around your refrigerator to reduce the dust in the area. 
• If possible, prevent pets from going into the kitchen, as their hair is a major source of coil debris. 
• If possible, do not place your fridge next to your oven, as this can increase the likelihood of cooking grease affecting the coils. 
• Make sure your fridge has adequate ventilation around it so it can properly function. It should have at least 2.5 inches at the back and two inches at the sides. 
• Try to vacuum the coils every six months, or more frequently if you have a lot of pets. 
• Keep an eye on your refrigerator’s performance. If you notice it is using more electricity than usual or if it is louder than usual, check to see if the coils need cleaning.