hgernhardtjr
Parkersburg, WV USA
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Joined: 01/22/2003
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Years ago and a similar situation ... after trying tons of suggestions finally solved the smell problem several months later: replaced the fridge. Expensive, but I think you'll find it to be the only successful fix!
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philrush
Virginia
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Joined: 05/14/2004
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LMAO at hgernhardtjr
I can tell you are a real MAN
Thats EXACTLY what I wold do... heck with all that work, just spend $1500 or so and go NEW..
We must be related 
seriously.. there have been a lot of suggestions offered that I would never have thought of, but am sure will come in handy for me one day.
I can actually see myself leaving meat in the refer during storage..
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dmartin@newarts.com
Ames, IA
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Joined: 02/13/2004
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I think you've got to destroy the organic matter that's causing the odor.
Some of the other suggestions cover up the odor rather than destroy it.
Charcoal will absorb the stinky gas; it'd help to have a small fan in there with charcoal spread out on cookie sheets to increase the surface area of the charcoal.
To destroy the odor I'd think of washing the walls with drugstore Hydrogen Peroxide.
Leaving an open container of peroxide in there might do a lot of good as well because hydrogen peroxide evaporates rapidly from an open container. (actually try the open container of peroxide first. Open a bottle, put it in the fridge, close the door & wait a day.)
For the above schemes the fridge should be off; the chemical reactions will go faster when the fridge is warm.
Another scheme would be to put an ultraviolet lamp inside the fridge. The UV radiation would probably destroy stinky organics, mold, etc.
Good luck, Dave
PS please tell us what works when you finally get rid of the smell.
1980 Born Free 22' Class C (minus) - 1985 Honda Scooter
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Dave in VA
Chesapeake, VA
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Joined: 04/28/2003
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I second the motion on unused dry coffee grounds in an open container. Coffee is used in hospicals to get rid of some really bad odors. Also agree that all of the odor causing stuff has to be completely removed.
Dave & Linda + Molly the mutt(died Dec 09 of cancer age 9) now have Sandy
93 Allegro Bay 34 DP
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sharrlan
chino,ca
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Joined: 05/07/2004
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I found a product at Sam's Club that I swear by - ODOBAN. I even used it on my car when I hit a skunk.
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Lesia
AL, USA
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Joined: 07/12/2004
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all the "organic stuff" is gone, that was the first thing. THe smell is embedded inside, probably in the plastic. I have lots of things to try now, thanks.
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mjswan2003
Kelowna, BC, Canada
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Joined: 11/03/2003
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This happened to us last year. We used baking soda, vinegar and various cleansers. We got some dessicant from a home restoration company (for smoke damaged homes). We let that sit in the closed fridge and freezer (put some in each) for a couple of weeks. After we did this I noticed some fatty like deposits on the bottome of the freezer. Another round of cleansers, baking soda and vinegar. We propped open both the fridge and freezer door and left them that way all winter. Now when our fridge is cold it is okay, no odor. When it is warm there is still a very slight residual odor.
Murray, Lorri, & Clara
1989 Roadtrek, 190, Popular
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oldham
Cameron, NC
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Joined: 06/23/2004
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My wife uses a small bowl of bleach to freshen the air from cooking oders in the kitchen and it works. It might work for this too.
Jack & Marie
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hotrod4x5
Southern Calif
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Joined: 07/19/2003
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Have you heard of this air purifier? Living Air I have heard so many endorsements for this thing, it must do something. I have heard that it will absorb any odors, the radio ad always mentions a 30 day trial with money back.
Rodney 2005 Laredo 29GS 2002 F250 V-10 Hughesnet Satellite Internet
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hgernhardtjr
Parkersburg, WV USA
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Joined: 01/22/2003
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Perhaps so, Phil ... LYAO as much as you want but one will often whiff the odor months later since it has most likely permiated the plastic lining.
You can ALMOST eliminate the smell (just like Murray above implied), then perhaps mask it, but all-in-all I know of no chemicals that will pull ALL the stink out ... except, perhaps, using epoxy paint to seal the rotton odor out (and now you'll probably smell the paint); if it has permiated the insulation or edges, even that won't work. Remember, the liner is not perfectly sealed around things like connections, pipe pass-throughs, etc.
While potentially expensive, if you can't live with the occasional whiff of dead stuff, you just might consider replacing the fridge.
Henry & Debbie Gernhardt 45+ years of camping and still counting,
one daughter still at home and 6 grandkids
Trail-Lite Bantam B-21, Ford 4.6L E-150 Conversion Van, Tekonsha Prodigy
Yamaha EF3000iseb Tri-Fuel neighbor-friendly, super-quiet generator
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