National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day

The National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day is held every year on November 15. It’s a friendly annual reminder to empty, scrub, and reorganize the fridge — discarding expired items, wiping down shelves, and starting fresh.

History of National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day

The day was reportedly created around 1999 by the appliance company Whirlpool in a bid to encourage homeowners to clean out their refrigerators ahead of busy holiday seasons.
Though the exact origin is a bit unclear, food-safety experts and extension services note the timing is practical: just before the major holiday gatherings when the fridge is about to be taxed and old items may be lurking unseen.

Why is National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day important?

A clean, well-organized refrigerator plays an important role in food safety and household efficiency. When food items go unchecked, they may spoil, cross-contaminate, or simply take up space that could be used for fresh items.
In addition, the day gives us license to pause and take a simple but meaningful home-care action. It’s not glamorous, but the result is less waste, fewer odors, greater freshness, and a small bit of domestic order.

• It reduces the risk of spoiled or unsafe food in your refrigerator.
• It frees up space for fresh groceries and holiday-preparation items.
• It helps you identify what you already have and avoid duplicate purchases.
• It promotes better hygiene by wiping away spills, bacteria, and forgotten messes.
• It can save money by preventing food waste and discarded leftovers.

How to Observe National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day

Pick a time on November 15 (or the weekend nearest) to tackle your fridge in one session: remove items, check expiry dates, wipe out shelves and drawers, and return the essentials in a neat order. Make it into a mini-project rather than a rushed glance.
If you’d rather make it a shared activity, invite someone to join you — it can be fun to compare what gets tossed, what gets kept, and share the clean-out time with music or a favorite podcast. The goal is a cleaner, more orderly fridge and a calmer kitchen.

• Remove all items from the refrigerator, and place perishables in a cooler if needed.
• Discard any food past its “use by” or “best before” date and items that show spoilage.
• Take out removable shelves/drawers and wash them with warm soapy water.
• Return items in containers; use clear bins or labels to group similar items and maintain the order.
• Wipe down the interior walls, door seal and exterior handle.

National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day Dates Table