Two Easy Ways to Fix a Leaking Refrigerator Door
When you close the refrigerator door, does it form a suction cup-like seal, or does it barely stay closed? If the rubber seal around the refrigerator or freezer door, also known as the gasket, is not making contact or connecting to the inside of the refrigerator, it means cold air is likely escaping. It may not seem like a big deal, but your refrigerator or freezer will have to work harder to keep the food inside cool, which means you’ll have to pay more for your energy bills.
But this doesn’t necessarily mean you need to buy a new gasket. If there are no visible cracks, tears, or holes, you may be able to repair the refrigerator seal instead of replacing it. Here are two simple methods worth trying.
How to fix a refrigerator seal
Once you discover that your refrigerator or freezer isn’t sealing properly (perhaps after this one-minute test ), there are two simple steps to take that can eventually get your gasket back in working order: cleaning it and applying silicone lubricant .
Clean the refrigerator seal
One of the most common causes of air leaks from a refrigerator or freezer is dirt. When dirt, crumbs, and mystery liquids form a film on the gasket, it can prevent a reliable suction seal. It doesn’t look like this area should be covered in stains and stains from food, but you’d be surprised what ends up around that rubber strip.
Here, for example, is the seal of my refrigerator:
And from above:
There was a space in this corner of the print:
It looked a lot worse before I cleaned it a few months ago, but since then it’s gotten a little dirty.
You don’t need any special products to clean the refrigerator gasket. Start by filling a bucket with warm water and adding a few drops of liquid dish soap. Next, dip a rag or sponge into the solution and wipe away stains, spills, and other dirt from the rubber gasket, its folds, and the areas inside the refrigerator that it comes into contact with when the door is closed. For more stubborn stains, use a toothbrush or other small brush. Dry any areas you cleaned and try closing and then opening the refrigerator door.
Here’s my post-cleanup:
Even though my refrigerator’s seal wasn’t very dirty at first, after wiping it down the seal became noticeably stronger.
New refrigerators worth paying attention to:
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LG – 26.5 cubic meters. ft. Smart French Door Refrigerator with Depth ($1,899.99)
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GE – 27.0 Cu. ft. French Door Refrigerator ($1,599.99)
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GE – 25.3 Cu. ft. Side-by-Side Refrigerator ($1,619.99)
Rehydration of the seal
Refrigerator and freezer gaskets are usually made of rubber or synthetic material. Over time, they can begin to dry out, preventing a tight seal from forming. So, if you’ve already cleaned the gasket but it still doesn’t seal properly, apply some silicone lubricant, also known as plumber’s grease, to the rubber and then buff it with a clean cloth. I used Harvey Plumber’s Faucet and Valve Lubricant ($5.68 for a one-ounce tube).
If any corners or edges of the gasket are loose, use a cotton swab to apply some silicone lubricant under the rubber, then push it into place inside the groove.
Once again from above:
Some people suggest using petroleum jelly instead of silicone lubricant to wet the refrigerator gasket, but avoid this if possible. Vaseline breaks down rubber and, unlike silicone lubricant, is not waterproof.