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Mum ridiculed after sharing $6 Kmart fridge organisation hack because of one ‘glaring’ problem
There's nothing worse than a bad-smelling, disorganised fridge - especially when you're hungry and looking for snacks. This is why many of us religiously clean our refrigerators on a regular basis.
However, most of us don't have a lot of time to give our refrigerators the TLC they deserve. On top of that, no matter how hard you try to keep your fridge clean and organised, there seems to always be something that ends up making a mess again in no time, like spilt condiments on the shelves.
So one Aussie mum was thrilled to share a hack for keeping your fridge clean without having to tidy it every three days, and it's taking the internet by storm.
However, it set tongues wagging for all the wrong reasons when people took issue with an obvious organisational flaw.
Over the weekend, the woman took to Facebook to show off her $6 fridge hack, which involved laying $1 Kmart tea towels beneath items on each shelf.
However, most of us don't have a lot of time to give our refrigerators the TLC they deserve. On top of that, no matter how hard you try to keep your fridge clean and organised, there seems to always be something that ends up making a mess again in no time, like spilt condiments on the shelves.
So one Aussie mum was thrilled to share a hack for keeping your fridge clean without having to tidy it every three days, and it's taking the internet by storm.
However, it set tongues wagging for all the wrong reasons when people took issue with an obvious organisational flaw.
Over the weekend, the woman took to Facebook to show off her $6 fridge hack, which involved laying $1 Kmart tea towels beneath items on each shelf.
This mum has received backlash from hundreds after
showing off her Kmart hack. Credits: Facebook
Her spirits were quickly dampened when her fellow Kmart shoppers pointed out a major flaw in the way she had organised her food.
Several plastic packages containing fresh meat had been placed on the top shelf, shocking more than 200 people, who rushed to inform her of the offence.
Their reasoning being that storing meat on top of the fridge puts lower fridge items at risk of being contaminated with blood and bacteria if the meat packages leak.
“Raw meat should always be on the bottom shelf,” one commenter said.
“Doesn’t matter if the shelf is glass, plastic, or even wooden. Bacteria can easily seep/leak down and contaminate other food items,” according to another.
“Is it normal to not put meat on the bottom shelf? I’ve always done that in case it leaks blood everywhere,” someone else wrote.
Others argued against the presumption it was unsafe to place raw meat on higher shelves.
“When you have glass shelves, there is no risk of a leak. But I’ve always put meat on the bottom just because,” one wrote.
Tea towel hackSeveral plastic packages containing fresh meat had been placed on the top shelf, shocking more than 200 people, who rushed to inform her of the offence.
Their reasoning being that storing meat on top of the fridge puts lower fridge items at risk of being contaminated with blood and bacteria if the meat packages leak.
“Raw meat should always be on the bottom shelf,” one commenter said.
“Doesn’t matter if the shelf is glass, plastic, or even wooden. Bacteria can easily seep/leak down and contaminate other food items,” according to another.
“Is it normal to not put meat on the bottom shelf? I’ve always done that in case it leaks blood everywhere,” someone else wrote.
Others argued against the presumption it was unsafe to place raw meat on higher shelves.
“When you have glass shelves, there is no risk of a leak. But I’ve always put meat on the bottom just because,” one wrote.
While dozens of social media users got swept up in the raw meat debate, others were annoyed that it diverted attention away from the mother's tea towel hack.
Other users said the mum shouldn't have gotten such harsh criticism and
were impressed by her well-organised fridge and simple Kmart DIY hack.
Credits: Facebook
“Seriously, ladies, it’s about the beautiful tea towels she is using. All these Gordon Ramsays lecturing her on where her meat and eggs should go is bloody ridiculous,” one commented.
She added that people could organise their fridges however they pleased.
“Yeah, I’m over all the commenters making judgments in Facebook groups thinking they should ‘educate’ people. Like really, who do they think they are?” another comment read.
Those who were impressed by the mum's tea towel hack said it's also practical because it can catch drips and spills, and it's so much easier to chuck them in the washing than having to scrub the shelves all the time.'
Others shared similar hacks they used to keep their fridges clean.
“I use rubber mats and cut them to size. When you clean your fridge, you just rinse them off, and they’re as good as new,” said one person.
“Clear placemats work too - does the job but still lets the light through the shelves, so it’s easier to see,” said another.
Mouldy problem
However, not everyone was as enamoured with the simple hack. Some argue that the purpose of glass shelves in refrigerators is to help with lighting so you can see what’s inside and that this hack would ruin that feature. Others claimed that tea towels are a perfect breeding ground for bacteria and mould and that the condensation would cause them to become mouldy very quickly.
However, others claimed that tea towels are a perfect breeding ground
for bacteria and mould Credits: Facebook
‘While this looks lovely,’ said one woman, ‘the reason fridges have shiny flat non-porous surfaces is to reduce fungal and bacterial growth.’
“Your tea towels will get mouldy so quick from all the condensation - and it will spread and ruin all of the food in an instant. Not worth the pretty photo,” said one person.
If you want to try this hack but are concerned about the mould and bacteria that the mats may produce, there are fridge mats made specifically for fridges. Woolworths sells refrigerator mats for $5.50 to help you keep your fruits and vegetables fresher for longer. They are specifically designed to promote air circulation under the vegetables and fruits to prevent mould and absorb excess liquid.
Coles also sells a $6.30 non-slip liner, ideal for lining cupboards and slippery surfaces. It's easy to cut and can be hand-washed if soiled.
What do you think of this simple fridge hack, members? Would you give it a shot? Or are you going to pass? Let us know in the comments section below.
“Your tea towels will get mouldy so quick from all the condensation - and it will spread and ruin all of the food in an instant. Not worth the pretty photo,” said one person.
If you want to try this hack but are concerned about the mould and bacteria that the mats may produce, there are fridge mats made specifically for fridges. Woolworths sells refrigerator mats for $5.50 to help you keep your fruits and vegetables fresher for longer. They are specifically designed to promote air circulation under the vegetables and fruits to prevent mould and absorb excess liquid.
Coles also sells a $6.30 non-slip liner, ideal for lining cupboards and slippery surfaces. It's easy to cut and can be hand-washed if soiled.
What do you think of this simple fridge hack, members? Would you give it a shot? Or are you going to pass? Let us know in the comments section below.
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