National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day is observed each year on November 15, prompting homeowners to clean, organize, and sanitize their refrigerators ahead of Thanksgiving and holiday gatherings.
National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day was created in November 1999 by the home appliance company Whirlpool as a consumer public service campaign. Whirlpool's home economists recognized that in mid-November, households across the country face a looming culinary crisis: preparing to store a massive 20-pound Thanksgiving turkey, side dishes, casseroles, and dessert platters in refrigerators already cluttered with expired salad dressings, mysterious leftover containers, and forgotten jars. Observed on November 15, the holiday provides a designated date to unplug, defrost, sanitize glass shelves with warm soapy water and baking soda, check door gaskets, and implement food safety principles such as First-In, First-Out (FIFO) to drastically reduce domestic food waste.
