Refrigerator Coil Cleaning

[darrent]

This morning while working in the kitchen the refrigerator started to sound like it was taking a very long bathroom break on the kitchen floor (thankfully the drip pan was not leaking). So I decided today was the day I vacuumed underneath the refrigerator. Afterwards I thought it wise to vacuum the vents in the back of the refrigerator. And since I had already pulled the refrigerator from the wall, I decided to vacuum the interior area where the condenser is located.

I noticed the coils were dusty and vacuumed as well as I could but remembered this thread

A/C Spring Cleaning Thoughts?

I clean/maintenance my A/C system every year (in spring) by pretty much following this guide: Here’s the cleaner I use and after 20 years it still looks like this: [04] [53] [40] Question 1: Is the “A/C Safe” cleaner really any different from a typical foaming bathroom cleaner like: Question 2: The FamilyHandyMan guide suggests applying some oil to the fan motor if it has lubrication points. How do I know if my motor has lubrication points via visual inspection? @TBJK @kbraby

and figured I’d ask if there is something different / better that I should do (or maybe things I should definitely not do).

My particular condenser (wish I would have taken a photo) looks a lot like this photo I found on the internets …

Thoughts? Preferred cleaning methods?

[kbraby]

Unless it has accumulated grease or oil that is binding things on there, indoor coils like refrigerators usually do fairly well with vacuum and canned air cleaning. Detergent cleaners may leave behind a sticky residue if not sufficiently rinsed, and those coils are usually far from easy to rinse.

[jrkriehn]

Early in my home ownership history, my refrigerator quit working. I called in a repair guy. He diagnosed dog hair heavily “insulating” the coils. (I had a springer spaniel who shed a lot of long fluffy hair). He just schlepped in a small air compressor and blew away all the hair. Which I was then able to sweep up and dispose of.

[rlisbona]

I vacuum and use a brush like this and also the long flat wand every 6ish months to clean under fridge and washer and dryer. I have used my air compressor but it is hard to keep the dust contained. Towels around the perimeter of the base kinda help.

L304433062 Frigidaire Coil Brush

https://www.ebay.com/i/171473993933?chn=ps