I have soft fir flooring in my kitchen with marks from moving the fridge so I don't recommend moving it for fun. But, I was expecting to replace my fridge soon based on the groans and growls emitted regularly from the depths of that corner

I decided to clean the underneath and back completely. I was surprised - and happy - to find that when I put it back in place, the strange noises from some vibrating pieces seem to have disappeared. It now looks like I don't have to replace my fridge just yet.

I bought my house this past May - and moved the fridge and stove out when doing a general cleaing.... OMG! the sellers, who had lived there 8 years NEVER cleaned behind either. I tend to do it 1x a year for each - spring cleaning time. :)

One of our grandsons brought a lizard into the kitchen to be "admired" by the gathered family. Of course, the frightened lizard wriggled out of his grasp and dashed under the 'frig'. After 5 minutes of chasing and scrambling, I suggested we just sit down and enjoy our meal. Sometime between the soup and the salad, "Mr Lizard" sauntered across the floor, trailing a foot long dust bunny. Now, I clean with one of those long dryer brushes, occasionally.

Every time I get a new one. That's two in 15 years. The dirt I can't see can't hurt me!

That reminds me...I need to vacuum out the coils etc. I always do the floor but I forget to do the area where the compressor etc is.

I love white kitchen appliances. Bought a white fridge and had it for 3 years before I had to remove and clean the filter thingy that's on the bottom front of the fridge. It sat there for 5 years before it was moved -- when it was pulled out, nothing was under there but a little dust. I never cleaned under or behind it in 5 years. I tend to move every 5-7 years, so it's my pattern to clean the space before I set my fridge, then it doesn't get done again till I move. I never clean my filter front more than once every couple years. I wipe my walls and ceilings down well before I move in a place, and I vacuum often, so dust isn't too much of an issue.

I have to clean behind and under our fridge/stove about once a month. We are in the (wooded) country in an old ranch home and, although we've spent about a million dollars on caulk and repairs, we still get mice. And if we have mice, we might get snakes (and yes, I tiptoed into the kitchen for a midnight snack once and saw a little snake). If I keep it clean, mice stay away! And if mice stay away, snakes stay away!

Oh...our fridge has back wheels. But if your fridge doesn't, the next time you pull it out, put a piece if leftover laminate under it... As deep and wide as your fridge. Then you should be able to slide it out. We do this with our couches but use carpet remnants (upside down) to protect our wood floors.

Lara, try leaving some cotton balls soaked in peppermint oil where the mice like to play.

Probably twice a year when I must remove the bottom trim kit to vaccuum under it.

I clean the condenser coil behind the refrigerator every four to six weeks to get the pet fur off.

Um, when I move house? :)

I move the fridge once a week or once every two weeks, and my stackable washer and dryer once every couple of months. I have porcelain tiles in my kitchen and laundry room so no scratches there, and my fridge has wheels, and the washing machine is on a special trolly with wheels so not too hard to moved both.

I have a jennair so i need service every so often. That's when i clean.

Yes, BRUSHES. The big box and handiman stores have appliance brushes with long skinny handle and long length bristle section that comes to a pointed end. It's great for getting up under even if it's not one of the times you take the grill off the front. The coils get filthy with dog hair and dust. These brushes reach where not even my vacuum attachment will go. It's amazing how quickly it needs attention or maybe it's just that time flies when I'm having this much fun. PS. I've been through having my house burn down. I don't want neglect to be the reason.

I clean behind my fridge and stove every two weeks. I have a german shepherd that even though I use a deshedding tool on her. She still sheds. I also vacuum my coils. It will make your fridge run better and last longer. My old fridge was 24 years old when we sold the house and the electric company came about a year before to do a in home consultation to save money and when they tested it to the guys dismay he said for as old as it was it was that bad compared to a new fridge. Cleaning it he said was the key.

This is embarassing, but I just cleaned mine for the first time in several years (because we are moving). I will never, ever go more than a year again! It was disgusting, and I'm amazed it was still working, there was so much dust on the coils. Yuck! It was out of sight, out of mind, I guess....but no more!

I had hoped when I posted this that I'd be all motivated and inspired to go home and do this after reading all the answers from people who are SO MUCH more on top of this than I am.

I am mortified to say that I STILL have not done it. Really, really need to.

Emily!, Young Lady, you get in there and clean under that fridge, freezer and stove or YOU WILL BE GROUNDED FOR THE WEEKEND!!! Do you hear me, young lady???

Hahahahaha!!

I wrote some time ago, that i do it every change of season, 4 times a year, maybe you could start next season and build up to 2,3 or maybe even 4 times a year. If you have never done it before , you will be in for one hell of a shock lol and then you will want to do it more often, work on it, girl, when its said and done NOONE is going to do it for you lol (reality) and if you dont, I support #bsellaers1394 comment and double it haha And last of all Its not the end of the world if you dont

(Unless your house burns down with loved ones in it)

Turning it back to brighter note, you could end up with a new fridge after all when this one stops working from neglect. What the heck, you're kinda wanting a white one now anyway, right?

And while you are at it, get under the dryer and clean out lint from dryer exhaust. That does cause lots of house fires.

I have a dog, it has to be cleaned. Just bought a new one and the manual recommends cleaning under the refrigerator every 2-3 months.

Some of the pitch is that ohhhh these new ones are "front breathers" and you don't have to...yadda yadda...NO, they still get dirty. They suck air from the floor to function and circulate air, of course they are going to get dirty (filthy in my case, in this house) Emily, hire it done if you have to! Silly girl : )

I now do it yearly....pulled out fridge one year to paint...opened the bottom grill and could see dust but could not get to it through the front so took off the back cardboard motor and was amazed how much dog hair (golden retriever) was in there around the motor...we're talking enough hair for another dog...amazed the motor did not over heat...

Libbmom, yep, it's the dog hair, isn't it?...especially in the Spring, when they blow their coats. Furnace filters too.

You should clean under the fridge but do not pull it out. Open the grill and vacuum as much as you can gently.
When you pull the fridge out you can cause damage to your floors, mess up the legs level or even break the waterline. We consider the positioning of the fridge part of the installation.

SoCal...good to know from am installer as I had heard that, but wasn't sure. Thanks.

I clean under and around my refrigerator by making a big mess. I get my electric leaf blower and blow the dust bunnies out. Unfortunately that means there is dust in the kitchen that needs to be taken care of which is easier and cheaper than damaging the wood floor. Note the word ELECTRIC, not gas since you are inside.

I also periodically use it in the lint trap of the dryer. Amazing what comes out of the outside vent!

are you serious spiecesilky? :)) a leaf blower? isn't is soooo much easier to use a vacuum cleaner hose to suck the dirt out instead of blowing it to who knows where around the kitchen?

We have a Subzero which you can only clean the vents and motorthat are above the unit. We do this usually about 2-3 times a year.

I do mine every 6 months--when i see dust on the vent in the front i know it is time

Keep the coils and vents clean or it will not work efficiently. Sometimes they will quit altogether. My husband has worked on a few that just needed cleaning. He didn't charge the owners, but they were embarrassed.

We put a piece of cardboard under the front legs of our refrigerator and then just pull it out enough to vacuum behind it......saves our laminate flooring that way. Do I do it often..... no, but know how to do it without scratching the floor.

never. I have a woman come in and she does it about once a month.

hahahaha....clean where???

Only when the moots...the dust bunnies big gross cousins...start sticking their heads out. And, then the poor vacuum cleaner almost chokes on them...poor thing.

Now that I have a smaller fridge, I can move it and clean behind it about every 2 or 3 months. The stove is unremovable and I fear moving washer out b/c of the connections coming apart (the back is essentially impossible to get to-hard to explain). Here is a helpful little thing for getting out those mounds of clumped hair/dust, etc.. (with the fridge, efficiency is main concern). I got a few different size skinny dowels and then on one the ends, have about an inch of velcro. The end of the dowel is in the middle with the sticky sides of the velcro holding it on. About 1/3 of the velcro is past the end of the dowel. I then just "sweep" the dowel under the appliance and the velcro catches more stuff than you would ever believe. If you have pets, this really helps. It doesn't get the very fine particles or anything gooed down, but it sure gets alot. Can get way further back than a vacuum attachment.

when the fridge dies is soon enough. i do the grill at the bottom all the time tho.

I clean once a year because it's so difficult to move & it's actually not bad.

I'll have to ask my husband. He does it. :) :)

I pull off the grate on the front an vacuum every three months or do. Dust on the compressor can limit cooling and cause failure. I forgot to do the wine cooler and it failed to cool. That grate requires a screw driver. Had to go through a reset procedure yo get it working again.

Please someone help me with my bedroom update!

Ayeshas, can you post a link here?

chookchook2 - I don't think this person is serious. They have posted this same question over many dilemmas. Nothing on their Houzz page. Spammer?

Oh, thanks for the heads up. Of course I would never do anything silly like that. Lol ;)

On top of the fridges once a week, behind the fridges, I use a duster but every so often we move it out to clean both the fridge and wall behind, I usually leave enough space to reach it.

Once a month, at least! Mine rolls out easily on tile floor.