Not bleach, not vinegar: the fridge-seal cleaning paste hotel staff quietly rely on

The breakfast room was closed, chairs stacked, coffee machines humming quietly to themselves. In the corridor behind, a housekeeper knelt in front of a minibar fridge, rubber gloves on, a tiny tub of opaque white paste open beside her. She ran a soft brush along the door seal, worked the paste into the folds, then wiped it away in one smooth sweep. No harsh chemical smell, no stinging bleach haze – just a faint, clean, almost bakery-like scent.

If you’ve ever opened your own fridge and caught a whiff of “something off” with no obvious culprit, the seal is often to blame. Crumbs, juice drips and condensation get trapped in those rubber folds, and that’s where the mould quietly sets up shop. Most of us reach for whatever is under the sink: bleach spray, a splash of vinegar, maybe a generic “anti-mould” product. Hotel staff, who clean dozens of fridges a week without destroying them, usually don’t.

Behind the scenes, many rely on something simpler: a mild, alkaline cleaning paste that looks boringly harmless and quietly does the job. No fumes, no ruined rubber, no lingering scent that makes tomorrow’s yoghurt taste like a swimming pool.

Why fridge seals get grim so quickly

The seal around your fridge door is meant to be flexible and airtight. That flexibility comes from soft rubber or PVC, pressed and folded into grooves that are brilliant at trapping cold air – and everything else. Every time milk sloshes, jam drips, or salad water runs down the door, a little finds its way into those creases.

Warm room air hits cold plastic, condensation forms, and suddenly you’ve built the perfect microclimate for mould and bacteria. You might only see a thin grey line at first. Give it a month, and it turns into the black, speckled strip you try very hard not to look at when you open the door.

Bleach and vinegar feel like obvious answers. They smell like “proper cleaning”, they promise to kill mould, and they work brilliantly on hard, non-porous tiles. On soft seals, it’s a different story. Bleach can dry and weaken rubber over time, making it crack or lose its grip. Straight vinegar is acidic enough to slowly roughen surfaces and corrode nearby metal trims. The fridge still stands, but the seal starts failing long before the motor does.

The quiet hero: a simple alkaline cleaning paste

The paste hotel staff lean on is usually not some secret industrial formula. It’s either:

• a homemade mix of bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) with a little washing-up liquid and water, stirred into a thick cream, or
  
• a shop-bought, non-bleach cream cleaner used sparingly, then rinsed well.

Both options rely on the same trio of effects. The mild alkali breaks down greasy residue from food. The ultra-fine grit in the powder gives just enough abrasion to lift dirt without scratching. And bicarbonate naturally neutralises odours, which is half the battle with an older fridge.

Crucially, this kind of paste is gentle on seals. It doesn’t burn, pit, or harden the rubber when you wipe it off properly. It’s also low-fume, so staff can clean several rooms in a row without stepping outside for fresh air. In a food environment, “barely noticeable scent” is a feature, not a flaw.

Think of it as an exfoliator for your fridge seal: something you use with a soft touch, then rinse and dry, rather than a chemical peel you blast on and hope for the best.

How hotel staff actually use it, step by step

You don’t need a trolley or a uniform to copy the method. Just a calm ten minutes and the right tools.

1. Power and prep
   Switch the fridge off if you can, or at least turn the temperature down for a short while. Empty the door shelves so the seal is fully exposed. Have to hand:

   • a small bowl of paste
     
   • a soft toothbrush or detailing brush
     
   • a damp microfiber cloth
     
   • a dry cloth or towel

2. Apply the paste, don’t smear it everywhere
   Dip the brush lightly into the paste. Starting at the top corner, gently pull the seal back with your other hand so you can see into the folds. Work the paste along the groove in short sections, using small, controlled strokes rather than scrubbing hard.

3. Focus on joins and corners
   The dirtiest parts are usually the corners and the point where the seal meets the plastic door. Go slowly here. If you hit a patch of stubborn black mould, let a little paste sit on it for two or three minutes instead of instantly scrubbing harder.

4. Wipe, rinse, and wipe again
   Use the damp microfiber cloth to remove the paste, folding it frequently so you’re not just moving grime around. Rinse the cloth in clean water once or twice if the seal was particularly bad.

5. Dry thoroughly
   Run a dry cloth along the seal, pressing gently into the folds. Leaving moisture tucked away in there is an open invitation for mould to return. Many hotel staff prop the door slightly ajar for ten minutes afterwards to let any hidden damp evaporate.

Most households don’t need to do this weekly. Once every month or two, plus a quick wipe if you spill something obvious, is enough to keep the seal looking and smelling hotel-fresh.

What to avoid on fridge seals

Housekeepers learn quickly what shortens a fridge’s life, because they see the same mistakes across entire floors. On seals, their “absolutely not” list is surprisingly simple:

• Neat bleach or thick bleach gel
  Can fade, dry and crack the rubber, and rust nearby hinges if it seeps underneath.

• Straight vinegar or strong acidic descalers
  Fine for kettles, unkind to soft plastic and metal trims when used repeatedly.

• Scouring pads, wire wool, or gritty powders used dry
  Scratch the surface, making it easier for dirt and mould to cling next time.

• Steam cleaners held too close
  High heat can warp the seal or loosen the glue that holds it in place.

If you do use a shop-bought cream cleaner, pick one clearly labelled as non-bleach, test it on a small section first, and always rinse it off thoroughly.

Quick comparison at a glance

Method	Effect on seal	Best use case
Bleach sprays / gels	Disinfects but can dry, fade and crack rubber over time.	Emergency mould clean on hard tiles, not regular seal care.
Neat vinegar	Kills some mould, may roughen plastic and corrode metal nearby.	Limescale on shelves or trays removed from the fridge.
Bicarbonate cleaning paste	Lifts grime gently, neutralises odours, kind to seals when rinsed well.	Routine seal cleaning every 4–8 weeks.

Keeping your fridge seal clean with less effort

The real hotel trick isn’t just the paste; it’s cutting down how often you need a deep clean in the first place. Small habits do most of the work.

• Catch spills early
  If juice runs down the door, wipe the seal the same day with a damp cloth. Fresh sugar is easy; dried syrup is not.

• Do a 30-second weekly wipe
  When you clean the worktop, run a barely damp cloth along the visible part of the seal. You’re not deep-cleaning, just evicting crumbs before they bed in.

• Avoid slamming and overloading
  A door packed with bottles strains the hinges and the seal. Over time, that strain creates tiny gaps where warm air – and moisture – slip in.

• Let hot food cool first
  Putting steaming pans in the fridge boosts condensation, which ends up in the folds of the seal as well as on the walls.

One head housekeeper summed it up neatly as she snapped her tub of paste shut:

“The seal’s the bit you never look at, until it’s the only thing you can smell.”

FAQ:

• What exactly should I put in a homemade cleaning paste? Mix 2–3 tablespoons of bicarbonate of soda with a few drops of washing-up liquid and enough warm water to form a thick, spreadable paste. You want it creamy, not runny, so it clings to the brush and the seal.
  
• Is bicarbonate of soda safe to use inside a fridge? Yes, it’s food-safe and often used to absorb odours in fridges. Just make sure you wipe away any visible residue so it doesn’t feel gritty to the touch.
  
• Can I just use a non-bleach cream cleaner instead? You can, provided it’s labelled non-bleach and suitable for plastics. Use a tiny amount, avoid coloured abrasive creams if possible, and rinse thoroughly with a damp cloth afterwards.
  
• How do I deal with really stubborn black mould on the seal? Start with the bicarbonate paste and patience. If staining remains but the surface feels smooth and clean, it may be permanent discolouration rather than active mould. If the rubber is cracked or crumbling, it’s safer to replace the seal.
  
• When should I replace the fridge seal instead of cleaning it? If the door no longer closes snugly, you can see visible gaps, or the rubber feels hard, split or warped, cleaning won’t fix the problem. A new seal improves hygiene and helps your fridge run more efficiently.