Can You Use Regular Charcoal in the Refrigerator?

How It’s Made

• Charcoal is made by burning carbon-rich substances in a low oxygen environment. In most cases, charcoal is made from wood. The low-oxygen environment where the wood is burned removes all the moisture and chemical gasses that are common in wood. After sufficient burn time, the finished charcoal is one-third of the weight of the original wood.

History

• Charcoal is one of the oldest existing substances discovered by man. Archaeologists discovered that ancient people used smoldering charcoal to start fires when they did not have any other fire making tools available. Charcoal has also been used for water filtration and as a remedy for poisoning.

How to Use

• First, clean out the refrigerator and scrub the walls with water and baking soda. Dry the walls and sprinkle charcoal onto the shelves. Close the refrigerator and allow the charcoal to absorb odors for two to three days. For maintenance absorption, place three to five briquettes in a mesh bag and set in the refrigerator. The charcoal will absorb odors into the briquettes.

When to Replace

• Charcoal is an economical choice for deodorizing your refrigerator. While charcoal must be replaced monthly, similar to baking soda, you use much less with a more effective result. Never use charcoal briquettes that contain lighter fluid. The charcoal will not absorb odors and may release toxic fumes into your refrigerator.