Why do people put baking soda in their refrigerator? The simple reason behind the household trick

You may have noticed an open box or small container of baking soda sitting inside someone's refrigerator. It might look like an unusual place to keep a baking ingredient, but there is a simple reason people have been using baking soda this way for years.

Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate, is commonly used as an odour absorber. Refrigerators can develop unpleasant smells as food is stored for days or weeks, particularly when strong-smelling ingredients, leftovers or spoiled food are involved. Baking soda can help reduce some of those smells by interacting with odour-causing compounds.

The trick is particularly popular because it requires almost no effort. People simply place an open container of baking soda inside the refrigerator and leave it there. The powder is then exposed to the air circulating inside the appliance, allowing it to interact with some of the compounds responsible for unwanted odours.


However, baking soda does not actually clean the refrigerator or eliminate the source of a bad smell. If something has spilled, leaked or spoiled inside the fridge, putting baking soda nearby won't solve the underlying problem. The refrigerator still needs to be cleaned and the offending food removed.

The effectiveness of baking soda also depends on how much air comes into contact with it and how strong the odours are. A small open container has a limited capacity, so it eventually needs to be replaced. Many people change it periodically rather than leaving the same container in the refrigerator indefinitely.

There is also a reason baking soda is preferred over simply adding another fragrance to the refrigerator. Air fresheners can mask smells, while baking soda can help neutralise certain odour-causing compounds instead of merely covering them up.

The household trick isn't limited to refrigerators either. Baking soda is commonly used in other places where unpleasant smells can build up, including rubbish bins, cupboards, shoes and some enclosed storage areas.

One important distinction is that baking soda and baking powder are not the same thing. Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate, while baking powder contains sodium bicarbonate along with other ingredients. The familiar refrigerator odour trick relies specifically on baking soda.

So, if you see a box of baking soda sitting inside a refrigerator, it isn't necessarily being forgotten there. It's being used for a surprisingly practical purpose: helping keep unwanted food smells under control.

And while it won't replace cleaning or proper food storage, it's one of the simplest low-cost tricks people use to keep their refrigerator smelling fresher.