What should be the temperature in the refrigerator?

There are several signs that the temperature in your refrigerator is not set correctly:

Food in the refrigerator freezes or is partially frozen;
Food just removed from the camera feels warm to you;
Products deteriorate quickly;
Condensation forms on the walls of the refrigerator chamber;
Ice melts in the freezer.

If you notice any of these signs, then the first thing you need to do is check if the temperature setting is correct and, if necessary, use a thermometer to check if the device really supports the specified settings..

Basic principles

What temperature should be in the refrigerator and freezer?

Ideal overall refrigerator temperature should be between +3 and + 5 ° C.
The freezer must maintain a temperature of -18 ° C or below..
In the freshness zone (if any) set the temperature around 0-1 ° C.

After setting the thermostat, the desired climate will be established in 6-8 hours

These standards are suitable for storing most food, but still not for all – some supplies need to be stored at zero temperature, and others at 5-10 degrees of heat. Moreover, in different zones of the chamber, the cold is distributed differently, despite the given general regime. Somewhere the climate is warmer, but somewhere it is noticeably colder..

So it turns out that even by correctly adjusting the thermostat, we can find milk with pieces of ice, unexpectedly rotten eggs or lettuce leaves in the refrigerator, which for some reason turned into a jelly-like slurry.

Of course, the average consumer does not need to know the intricacies of storage conditions for all types of products, but there are some recommendations that are not difficult to remember and apply in life. Our small guide in the next section of the article will help you with this..

See also the material: How to properly and quickly defrost the refrigerator in 8 steps

How to properly store food in the refrigerator?

So, the refrigerator compartment can be conditionally divided into warm and cold zones..

Cold zones are for storing perishable food, while warm zones are for vegetables, fruits and everything else..

And now in more detail.

Warm zones

The door is one of the warmest places in the chamber, with a temperature of 10 ° C on the upper shelves and 5 ° C on the lower ones..

What to store: sauces, mayonnaise, ketchup, soft or processed cheeses, butter, drinks (food remains a little soft and ready to eat).

What is undesirable to store: perishable food, such as milk and eggs (despite the fact that manufacturers set aside doors for their storage).

Top and middle shelves (excluding those under the freezer) – it is always slightly warmer here (about 7 ° C) than on the lower shelves, as heat tends to rise up.

What to store: honey, sausages, pastries, pastries, soft or processed cheeses, butter, fruits, vegetables.

What is undesirable to store: eggs, meat, fish, poultry, milk, ripe fruits and vegetables.

Fruit and vegetable area – this compartment with a temperature of 8 ° C is found in almost all modern refrigerators.

What to store: Most fruits and vegetables (except those shown in the infographic below).

Cold zones

The freshness zone is the coldest part of the refrigerator (about 0-1 ° C), which is provided in many modern refrigerators.
Back – after the freshness zone, the back of the refrigerator is the coldest, as it is closest to the cooling elements.
Lower shelves – since warm air tends to rise up, this area of the refrigerating chamber is also one of the coldest (2 ° C).

What to store: meat and meat products, fish, milk, cheese, kefir, light cottage cheese and sour cream, vegetables and herbs. Also this zone can be used for quick cooling of drinks).

What is undesirable to store: fruits, salads, butter, soft and processed cheese (here they will become hard as stone).

This infographic will help you better remember tips for storing food in the refrigerator..

Also materials on the topic:

How to store vegetables and herbs properly
How to store fruit at home – general principles, memo and photo ideas
8 questions and answers about honey storage

How to check the temperature?

Some refrigerators and freezers have an external or internal sensor that accurately displays the temperature in the compartments. However, many devices do not have such a sensor, and in this case, the temperature must be measured independently with a refrigerator thermometer. Here’s how you can do it:

In the refrigerator: Place the thermometer in a glass of water and leave it on the middle shelf for at least 8 hours or a night. The door must remain closed at all times..
In the freezer: place the thermometer between two bags of food and also leave for 8 hours.

Refrigerator thermometer

And some more useful information

To keep the refrigerator and freezer effective, they should always be at least half full. If your supplies are not enough or not at all (for example, when you are on vacation), then you need to put bottles of water in the cameras.
Keep your fridge / freezer shelves tidy and try to stack food so that there is some space around it for air circulation.
Never put hot or warm food in the refrigerator. This can lead, firstly, to the formation of condensation and ice, and secondly, to overheating and engine breakdown. Agree, it’s better to spoil the soup than expensive equipment. However, hot foods are not scary for refrigerators with the No frost system, but still keep in mind that they will increase the power consumption and the load on the appliance’s motor..
If you find that the refrigerator is cooling the chamber unevenly or not well enough, then listen to the sound that the compressor makes: a working appliance should hum quietly. If you do not hear this sound, it is time to call the technician to repair the compressor..
If frost or frost has formed in your refrigerator / freezer, then the device must be completely defrosted, the chambers must be wiped dry, and then connected as usual..