Today’s Tip: Refresh One Refrigerator Crisper Drawer

Refrigerator crisper drawers can collect loose leaves, crumbs, small spills, and moisture beneath produce bags. Today’s focused reset tackles one drawer at a time so food is not left out longer than necessary.

Your step-by-step crisper-drawer reset

1. Read the refrigerator’s care instructions and identify how the drawer, humidity control, and removable parts are designed to move. Prepare a clean cooler or another approved cold holding area for food that must remain refrigerated.
2. Wash your hands, remove the contents of one drawer, and inspect each item. Discard spoiled food according to local guidance, separate anything leaking, and keep usable food cold while you clean.
3. Remove loose leaves and crumbs with a clean paper towel or soft brush. If the drawer is designed to come out, support it with both hands and lift or slide it only as instructed; do not force clips, rails, or humidity controls.
4. Let a cold glass or plastic drawer warm gradually if the manufacturer requires it before washing. Clean it with the approved mild solution and a soft cloth or sponge, paying attention to corners, grooves, handles, and the underside without using sharp scrapers.
5. Wipe the empty drawer cavity, rails, and reachable shelf edges with a separate lightly dampened cloth and a refrigerator-safe product. Apply cleaner to the cloth instead of spraying toward vents, lights, controls, or openings.
6. Rinse or wipe away residue as directed, then dry the drawer, rails, cavity, and controls completely. Reinstall the drawer securely, restore its humidity setting, and return only sound, dry food promptly.

Keep the crisper easier to manage

Check the drawer before grocery day, remove loose produce debris promptly, and avoid packing it so tightly that spills stay hidden. Cleaning one drawer at a time keeps the job manageable and reduces the time chilled food spends outside the refrigerator.

Safety note

Keep perishable food at safe temperatures and follow current food-safety guidance for anything left out too long, leaking, moldy, or questionable; cleaning the drawer does not make unsafe food safe. Never mix cleaning chemicals, use an unlabeled product, or apply a cleaner that is not approved for food-storage areas. Avoid sudden temperature changes that could crack cold glass or brittle plastic. Do not remove fixed shelves, covers, or electrical parts, and keep moisture away from lights, vents, sensors, and controls. Replace a cracked or sharp-edged drawer according to the manufacturer’s guidance.