This weekend we spent some time helping my daughter Britta move. And even though she only moved about 10 miles north of her previous apartment, it’s still never fun or easy to move your whole life from one place to another. And after you’ve done all the hard work of moving all of your stuff, there’s still the dreaded move-out cleaning left to do! Among all the horrible cleaning tasks involved in the process of moving out, one job in particular stands out to me as being especially unenjoyable – cleaning out the fridge.
It takes forever, involves a lot of awkward reaching and stretching, and is usually pretty gross, too. Some very clever person realized these things, and invented a way to prevent the sticky fridge messes that take forever to clean – fridge liners! Fridge liners can be placed on shelves and in bins, and are meant to serve as a barrier between foods and the fridge itself. So when spills and messes occur, you only need to remove and wash the liner, rather than struggling to wipe out the fridge. But you can pay anywhere from $10 to $25 for a set of fridge liners, which feels like a pretty steep for a few pieces of plastic!
I recently came across an idea for a DIY version of fridge liners that can be made for a couple of dollars. I gave it a try, and now I’m kicking myself that I didn’t know about this sooner! If Britta had had a set of these in her fridge, it definitely wouldn’t have taken as long as it did to clean out this weekend! Oh well, live and learn. :-)
Here’s how you can make a set for your own fridge.
DIY Fridge Liners
You’ll need:
- A set of placemats (dollar store mats work great!)
- A marker
- Scissors
To make liners for your fridge’s drawers, remove the drawer and set it on top of one of your placemats. Use a marker to trace the outline of the bottom of the drawer.
Cut out the shape using your scissors, and place the liner in the bottom of the drawer.
It’s a little tricker to do shelves, since they usually can’t be removed from the fridge, but it’s definitely doable.
Just place a piece of paper onto the shelf, and use your marker to mark the shape of the shelf.
Use the paper as a template on your placemat, cut out the correct shape, and place it onto the shelf.
The liners we made stayed put pretty well, but if you’re worried about them shifting around, I’d recommend sticking them down with a couple of removable Glue Dots.
Not only is the project affordable and practical, but its totally customizable, and looks really nice, too. We also thought it would be fun to color code your fridge using your fridge liners. For example, the cheese goes where the yellow liner is, the veggies go where the green liner is, etc.
Note: We loved the look of the colored liners in the drawers and on the fridge door shelves, but the dark-colored liners on the interior shelves blocked quite a bit of light. If you’re worried about that, another option would be to use clear placemats for the liners of the interior shelves.
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One issue that we would have with liners such as those is that the sole light source in our Samsung is an array of led’s at the very top of the refrigerator compartment, so liners such as those shown would block light from getting to the lower shelves, and actually, as you’d still have to remove whatever is on the shelf to remove and clean a liner, it’s just as easy to remove and wash the shelf itself. Also, many shelves, such as ours, are designed with a spill containment edge, and placing a liner on them would only serve to allow spills to flow over the edge and onto whatever is below.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.You can use clear Fridge Liners: Plast-O-Mat Ribbed Shelf Liner, Clear, 12″ x 25′ https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GUOGGTO/?tag=cb-010236-20&th=1#
This is what I use on my shelves, and I put the PUL Fabric in my drawers.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I only line my vegetable drawers. I use the grip liner that you find in dollar stores. It is easy to cut to size and when your bins get full of onion skins, lettuce leaves or whatever, I just pull them out and rinse them in the sink and let dry before placing them in a freshly wiped bin. Easy peasy and they don’t get any nasty gunk build up. Not a fan of lining all the shelves in a fridge when we pay big bucks for glass shelves in order to just wipe them down and, sorry, but I think it makes the fridge look cluttered.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I am sorry but refrigerator liners are not a good idea. They harbor bacteria underneath which contaminates food. That is why you will never find them in any restaurants or institutional kitchens. It is one of the many rules in kitchen.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Hi! Thanks for the great ideas. I’d like to try out one of mine. Why not use aluminium foil? It is cheap
Please log in or create a free account to comment., disposable and easily adaptable to all size of shelf. Your thoughts ? Thanks again.
Looks so nice! Great idea to put your jars upside down to easily see what is inside! Thanks!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.By the way – you fried rice recipe is the only one we use and it’s a huge hit!
Contact paper can also be used as fridge liner, I’ll try it
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Love it
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Brilliant idea,but then again most of your are!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Are the placemats you used the thick plastic ones? At first they looked like the quilted cloth kind; and I was like; well that makes no sense to me; but then I wondered lol!!!! Thank you in advance for answering what I am sure is a stupid question!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.They are plastic! :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.LOVE the look in the drawers and door shelves! But if you want see-thru liners, you can use plastic wrap or press & seal wrap. Easy to put in, easy to clean. I buy the BIG roll at Costco. Maybe not as earth friendly, but another option.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.This tips look great….will try them.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.These place mats look terrific for refrigerator drawers
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Hello – I love reading you great tips!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Curious. Why do set some of your bottles upside down? Is it to get all of the contents to the top? Genius.
It actually prevents mold!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Great post! Just wondering can we use newspapers as fridge liners?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Hmmm… I think that the newspaper would end up sticking to the fridge shelves when/if anything spilled.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Newspapers do stick and leave inky prints behind. And a newspaper smell. I have been using thick, white, shop paper towels as liners so they can do double duty as a wipe when I clean. Jill’s idea is much prettier and reusable!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.If the food has any seeping juices the newspaper sticks BAD. Plus it stains the glass or plastic shelves.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.They’ll get wet
Please log in or create a free account to comment.You could use those clear plastic liners with ridges, ridges go up, or some PUL Fabric as the liner. Then place newspaper, at least in the drawers, over the line you have. The newspaper will draw the moisture into it and help prolong the life of your veggies!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thanks for your informative post share with us. Really Great Thinking.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Most fridges the door shelves ARE removable (like the ones in the picture above)…you press in on the sides and they pop out. Take what’s in the shelf or first so you don’t have any spills. If you have issues with your liners sliding around..or jars, and things like that, buy the rubbery textured cabinet liner(Dollar Tree carries it, also Wal-Mart) cut it to fit underneath and no more slippage! I love this site-so much wonderful information and a beautiful layout!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Really good ideas learn a lot
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Before I put my placemats on the glass shelves, I line them with cling wrap first. If you have kids who spill stuff & then don’t tell you about it, when you go to change the placemats, they are stuck to the glass & you have a huge mess. Lining the shelves with cling wrap first has saved me hours of cleaning.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.For my fridge bins I use the non-skid shelf liners made for cabinets. Can be cut to fit practically any size or shape. Easy to wash, replace or toss. Economical as well from the dollar store.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I use “press and seal” for this purpose, but I think your way is better because the liners are washable and reusable.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.If you have shelves that do are not removable, you can always insert aluminum foil and crease the edges. This will give you an exact dimension to cut your liners.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I bought a set of liners online and they didn’t last a month!!!! They weren’t even plastic! I LOVE this idea!!! I’ll be hitting the Dollar Tree right away!!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I always put a layer of paper towel in my fruit and veggie drawers. Warm soapy water cleans up the other shelves nicely. The part I don’t like to clean is the back and sides and bottom when something has spilled. I was so glad when they started covering those tubes for the water dispenser. That was a mess to clean! Thanks for all your great ideas.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Those disposable cutting sheets work well too and you get 3 for $1.00 at the Dollar Tree.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.great idea AFTER I clean out my own messy fridge shelves … and I wondered about the upside down jars as well … good to have liners when turning something upside down, I’m sure. love this site.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The jars are upside-down to prevent mold!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.What an awesome ideal!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Such a great idea! Thanks for sharing!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Beautiful! I too, won’t to know why the jars are turned upside down? Would’t this be extra work when (like my husband and son who is always spilling liquids), now having to remove the beautiful liners, clean them and clean under them. I love this beautiful idea, but my guys are pigs. :-((
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The jars are upside down to prevent mold! As for cleaning under the liners, you really don’t have to! Maybe after a BIG spill or during an occasional deep clean, but otherwise, the messes stay on the liners. :-) They’re much easier to clean – and can even be put in the dishwasher!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I’m all for easier clean up. I hate cleaning the fridge. I’ve been contemplating doing this for awhile now. Awhile back when researching a problem I was having with my fridge I read that you should NOT be using placemats and other such liners. Your glass shelves stay cold and help keep the fridge from working as hard, it helps cool room temp items faster, and a few other things that I forgot. It also pointed out that your crisper drawers usually have slight ridges/moisture channels in them (mine does, but I’ve seen some that do not, but have channels running down the side) that are specifically designed that way to help with moisture. I’m not sure how accurate that info. is, but it kind of does seem logical. Might not make the difference on a new fridge, but if you got an old gal that is struggling or live in an ultra humid area and your fridge works O.T. all the time it might be something to consider.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I just use Glad Press n Seal. Easy to change out.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I’m just wondering way are the jars upside down? I know to do this with natural peanut butter but never heard of storing other stuff that way.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.It prevents mold!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The REAL dollar store, Dollar tree has clear cutting mats that are almost transparent … for … $1! I have used these for placemats for the grandgirlies and as template material for quilting.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I wonder if clear (or a more transparent colored) cutting mats would work to help with the light issue. I have seen those around.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I bet those would work perfectly!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I see you have a few jars upside down. I do that to my natural Peanut butter..but your other items???? fill us in :)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I was wondering the sme thing! I would be afraid of leakage!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I used contact shelf liner for the shelves in our fridge. Was wondering about the door shelves and drawers – this sounds like a great idea. Will have to give it a try.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Such a great idea. I have thought about this for awhile, but worried about the light just like you mentioned. I will be on the lookout for some clear mats now. Thanks! Hope your daughter is settling in.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.A wonderful idea and comments… ty.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Glad press and seal works too
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Press and seal plastic wrap.. and it comes in seasonals (for a fun look) that get marked down.. pull off the amount needed for a shelf, stick down and discard when you decide to clean up the fridge… Easy and it doesn’t move around on the shelf..
Please log in or create a free account to comment.What a great idea to use press ‘n seal wrap. I’ve been using plastic placemats for years, I was fortunate to find clear ones and they work great but the throw away plastic wrap is even better.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.What is your reason for placing your jars upside down in the refrigerator?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I must have missed that blog.
It prevents mold!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.YES INDEED………..the shelves in the doors DO COME OUT :-) EASY TOO! Just PUSH THEM UP and OUT!
AND you can CHANGE them to different levels to accommodate bottles of different heights!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Those shelves do come out just give a thump under them and they will be released I do it all the time to wash them, they just slide up and out but I line them with paper towel too ,,,
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Dollar tree has flexible chopping mats in packs of 4.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.That would work great
That’s what I have used & they work well!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I buy vinyl Christmas table cloths when they are 50% off – works great!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.That’s such a great idea!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I’ve used the plastic runners for floors to line the bottom of my bathroom and kitchen cabinets for years. Spills wipe up easily on them. I wonder if the cheaper, thinner runners would work in the refrigerator. You get a lot of plastic for the money. You can buy them at Home Depot or Lowe’s. You can also get clear plastic by the yard at fabric stores. This might work, too. Great idea Jillee! Thanks! Hate cleaning out the fridge.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.For years I’ve used a roll of plastic cabinet shelf liners (No sticky backs. It is just like one long place mat). I don’t have one piece butting against another were a spill can get in. Originally, my shelf liner came from IKEA.
Shelf leaning day is always just before shopping day as the amount of foot is low and I must run my inventory anyway.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Now that you’ve got me thinking, how about the simplicity of plastic wrap?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Outi, I use the press and seal kind.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Great idea,that I hav dine for about 20 yrs. But one warning: through cheaper ($ store) mats can stick and leave some of the backing on your glass shelves. I learned that the hard way!!! I now used either a cloth (sprayed with scotchguard/waterproof) or bamboo mat. You have the same protection of keeping refrig clean, mats are easy to clean up and take out.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thanks for sharing another terrific idea! Love your blog.
I have used the placemat idea for a couple of years, but like someone mentioned did not think of putting one in the drawers. Will have to try this. On the door I use some of the Rubbermaid waffle-looking liner purchased at a dollar store. It is easily removed washed off dried and put back. Enjoy checking out your ideas and wondering “why didn’t I think of that” Thanks for all that you do for us.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My wire shelves in the fridge seemed to get dirtier than the glass shelves I have now. Stuff would drip and get the bottom of the wire shelves dirty. You can put liners or placemats over the wire shelves! I have paper towels in the sections on the doors now and will look for some clear mats I can cut to fit.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Love your idea–i hate cleaning sticky crud from the frig
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Sounds like a great idea, but when I looked in my own frig, I realized I look through the glass shelves to see what is on the shelves below. If all the shelves have liners you can’t see through, it is quite difficult to see what is below, or in back of each shelf. Probably good for the drawers and doors, though. I, personally feel it is just as easy to wipe off the plastic doors and drawers without going through all the trouble of making “liners”. Sorry. Not your best tip. I love your blog, though, and read it regularly. You are welcome to delete my comments if you feel they are detrimental to your job.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.What a good idea! Def need to do thos in ours. Milk bottle always seems to cause most grime and scratches. Dollar store has place flexible cutting mats also -usually 2 per pack those would work for lack of light maybe.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I started using Press N Seal plastic wrap on my shelves but never thought to do the door shelves or bins! Duh! I was wondering why all your jars are upside down? Thank you so much for your advice, I have gotten so many great ideas from you! :)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I also wondered why the jars were upside down.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.It prevents mold!
It makes things last longer, because they aren’t exposed to air and bacteria!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Oh! another good thing I didn’t know! Thank you so much!
Upside down jars don’t get moldy.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.What a terrific idea. I usually use paper towels to line my refrigerator, but this is a wonderful, easy-to-clean idea! Thank you for such a great way to keep the refrigerator clean and looking beautiful!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My frig has wire shelves so I can’t use this, but it sounds good for the door and bins
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Try the liners that are sold for wire shelving in closets. I’ve seen the rolls for sale in Home Depot and Lowe’s, as well as Costco!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Many of the inexpensive plastic placemats that you can buy are made with PVC. These should NOT come in direct contact with food! Especially if you have children! Please only use liners that are PVC-free.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Great idea! Cleaning the frig is the worst! I use the same method on the tops of my kitchen cabinets. I cover them with wax paper so I can just take it off when it’s dirty. No cleaning the grease and dust that gets built up on the tops.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I don’t see the real advantage to this idea. If I’m going to have to remove everything from a shelf to wipe down a plastic placemat, why not just wipe off the shelf? My shelves on the doors are repositionable so in the event I feel I must remove them to wash them, it’s not that big of a deal. I rarely need to do that because a dish cloth works just fine while the shelf remains on the door. Yes, I realize not everyone’s shelves might be that easy. And for those people who like this idea and think it would be a simpler alternative, I hope you’re right and that it works for you.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Amen
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I think this is fantastic. Just last week I used these mats to do the exact same project. I didn’t have plastic wrap but I had place mats purchased from a big box store for another reason, by the way the same Place Mats are less expensive at The Dollar Tree.
The mats I had were opaque/dark so on the first self, I used a mat on one side and a beautiful basket on the other side The next shelf I flip flopped the idea and it works beautifully for visibility and it’s pretty. I did line the baskets with parchment paper for easy clean up. It also helped categorize my sections that made sense for my family.
In my bin area I used cloth placemats to absorb moisture. These were easy to place, stayed in place and will be easy to throw in the wash before heading out on my weekly farmers market run.
I totally missed the boat on the side selves and GREAT idea on the upside down jars!
Thanks for sharing
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thanks Lisa! I love the idea of cloth placemats in the bins!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Wouldn’t this interfere with the cool air flow in the fridge?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.It would if you put the placemats on a wire rack, but if the racks are already solid, then it won’t make a difference!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I am going to use this idea too, but one question……why do you turn your jars upside down?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.To keep the contents fresh longer! The bacteria/molds don’t care which way up they are. Mold normally grows on the top because these things are aerobic (they need oxygen to grow) and that’s where the product meets the air. Some things are packed at low pressure so there isn’t much air in the top of the jar (hence that popping button thing on top) or are pasteurized with the lid partly open then sealed so the air inside contracts as it cools. This is usually in an area that’s more free of bugs than your kitchen is.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.When the bugs inside are exposed to air again, they can start to grow. The low temperature in the fridge slows them down a bit.
When you put the jar back in your fridge, the seal is probably not perfect so some more air can get in. If you turn the jar upside down, the product helps maintain a seal so it’s less likely that air will get in.
It makes things last longer by blocking out air and bacteria! :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I just use parchment paper or wax paper
Please log in or create a free account to comment.That works, too!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.How about using some of those flexible plastic cutting boards at Walmart? They’re a lightweight plastic and available in pastel and translucent colors. If you secured the edges with glue dots I believe that would work too. I believe they wouldn’t cut down on the light very much either.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Sounds good, I will try!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I love this idea, but I do have a problem: even though I have a side by side fridge, my shelves are much bigger than place mats! Any suggestions what to use instead?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Pat, I use Saran Wrap! Sticks perfectly, and I just put two pieces side by side, with one overlapping slightly. When it all starts to peel up, it’s time to replace it with a clean piece. Saves a ton of time compared to scrubbing shelves.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Good Idea!! I will try this!!
Plastic shelf liner is non-porous and very flexible. Easy to cut.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.And comes in clear.
Just cut the placemats to size!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Brilliant idea. I am a private care provider for seniors that have Alzheimers/Dementia and this one simple design would make my job much easier in hoping them maintain their home. Thank you for sharing!
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