Hey Fridge, It’s Vacation Time!

It’s the time of the year when most people migrate to their favorite vacation destinations. While most of us take some food with us, mainly for the road, the refrigerator stays at home. Should we turn it off if we will be absent for a longer time or not?

What should you do with the fridge when you are away from home during the holidays? Should you unplug it, turn it off, or just leave it as it is? If you’re the type of person that takes care of everything to have peace of mind, then these tips from our experts will come in handy. Also make sure there is nothing blocking the air intake and outlet – this is especially important for the freezer part – as it could prevent the device from functioning properly.

The main thing to remember is to leave the refrigerator empty, dry, and clean if you don’t intend to use it for a couple of weeks. If it is months we’re talking about, then, by all means, empty it, thoroughly clean, and disconnect.

Consume all perishable foods

No one wants to return home after an extremely relaxing and memorable vacation and find food gone bad in the fridge. Therefore, it is recommended that you consume any food that may perish before you return. At the same time, it may be helpful to buy fewer fresh foods in the week before you go on vacation.

Clean it before you leave it (on)

It is always a good idea to clean the refrigerator before leaving on vacation. Since the fridge will probably already be almost empty in this case, this presents a great opportunity to clean it. Remove all the shelves and drawers and wipe them with a mild solution of water and baking soda, thus also cleaning the inside of the refrigerator. Make sure the interior walls and removable parts are completely dry before putting them back in the refrigerator. If you are in a hurry, stick with dry cleaning: wipe all surfaces with a soft towel.

While this may seem like an awkward task before going on vacation, but when you return, a dazzlingly clean and pleasantly scented refrigerator will surely bring a smile to your face. Just consider the alternative … Even the smallest jar of forgotten yogurt can cause problems.

Turn on the holiday mode function

Most modern refrigerators already feature a function called “holiday mode”. It is designed to keep the energy consumption low while still maintaining some cooling capacity. This way, leaving for more than two days will save energy that would otherwise be used to keep the temperature in the fridge low. Note, however, that the refrigerator should be (almost) empty when this function is switched on, as the temperature is not suitable for safe food storage.

Most manufacturers, Gorenje included, will keep the inside temperature in the economy mode from + 10 ° С to + 15 ° С (with some models user can choose the desired energy-saving temperature). This so-called vacation mode has its advantages over disconnecting the fridge from the main socket, as it helps prevent fungus growth and bad smell. Some fridges and cold stores also have an antibacterial seal for added protection. Just keep in mind that holiday mode should only be used after removing all products from the fridge or leaving a minimum of non-perishable items.

Depending on the model of the fridge, the economy mode will consume up to 50 % less power.

What about the ice maker?

If your refrigerator has a built-in ice-making machine, make sure you put it in the so-called cleaning mode. In this mode, the remaining water flows down, preventing mold and fungus from developing. After putting the ice maker through cleaning mode, disconnect the fridge from the electrical socket and turn off the water supply tap (if connected to the water supply).

Turning off the refrigerator

If your refrigerator does not have the holiday mode function or you will be away for more than a month, empty it completely, turn it off and thoroughly clean it. This will be especially easy if you have an appliance with the NoFrost function, for example, a refrigerator with a Gorenje Side-by-side freezer.

Lastly, make sure the door is open to prevent mold and odors. Our experts have one last tip: never use foreign objects to fix the door as this can lead to the deformation of the seal. If possible, simply adjust the refrigerator feet so that the appliance is tilted forward.

Enjoy your worry-free vacation!