Category Archives: Cleaning & Organization Tips

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What Does and Doesn’t Belong in the Fridge

When you go to the grocery store and glance down the refrigerated aisle, you’ll see meats, cheeses, yogurts and much more. People know these foods need to be refrigerated, but there are quite a few items that people debate over. While everyone has their preference, these do’s and do not’s for refrigeration will come in handy the next time you’re putting away the groceries.  

Does

  • Eggs- You need to refrigerate eggs due to threat of salmonella bacteria. Some other countries in the world like the UK don’t need to refrigerate eggs because they use a different processing process.
  • Cheese- Most soft cheeses like ricotta should ALWAYS be refrigerated. You can get away with not refrigerating Parmesan or Romano, but make sure you always check the instructions.
  • Soy Milk- This popular healthy form of milk needs to be refrigerated after opening. It can last for about a year in storage, but once it is opened, it won’t last more than a few hours without the refrigerator.

Doesn’t

  • Tomatoes- Keeping tomatoes in the fridge is pointless and it actually has a negative effect on their taste. The colder temperatures make them ripen slower and this actually gives them that mealy taste. That is why you should only buy tomatoes when you know you’re going to use them.
  • Onions- Onions will soften if they are kept in the fridge and that will eventually lead to them becoming moldy. Store them in a bin or container in a shaded part of your kitchen for the best taste.
  • Bread- If you don’t plan to eat bread within a week of purchase, wrap it up and store it in the freezer. The fridge won’t prolong it’s life long enough to cancel out the negative effects it has on the taste of the loaf. Nobody likes dry bread!

At Speedy Refrigerator Service, it is our job to make sure your refrigerator is working order. We provide one hour emergency service to the NYC, Long Island and Queens areas 365 days a year. We know refrigerator malfunctions don’t work around your schedule, but we do!

To schedule service, call 866-782-9376 or click around on our website.  

Ice Cube Tray Recipes

With a little creativity, your ice tray can become the catalyst for so many cool recipes. You don’t need to be a great chef or mixologist, these recipes are easy and sure to impress at your next party!

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Berry Fizzers
Is your cocktail missing some flare? If so, these fizzers are sure to brighten it up a little and impress all who are paying attention. All you have to do is put some berries in the ice cube tray and add some seltzer. Once they are frozen, remove your cool looking ice cubes and pop them into your favorite drink!

Smoothie Squares
This recipe is sure to have all the workout junkies jumping for joy. Post workout shakes are boring and unappetizing, but these delicious treats are the complete opposite. Fill your silicon ice tray with flavored yogurt, protein powder, frozen fruit and your choice of milk. After they freeze together, pop them out and pop them straight in your mouth!

Peanut Butter Cups
These treats take a little bit of cooking savvy, but not enough to scare you away. Melt three bars of chocolate on your stove top and mix together a bowl of peanut butter, honey and granola. Once the mix comes to a preferred consistency, add the chocolate and pour it into a silicon ice tray. In about a half hour you might find yourself devouring the entire tray.

**Sharing is optional**

Seedless Lemon Water
Lemon water seems to be the popular choice in the workplace and at home, but those seeds are so annoying. No need to fret, just pour some lemon or lime juice into the ice tray and let it freeze. After that, add the cubes to your water for a refreshing, seed-free treat!

You can’t enjoy these delicious treats if your freezer isn’t in working order! Let the experts at Speedy Refrigerator Service give you a hand so you can get started. Call 866-782-9376 to schedule your next appointment with one of our licensed technicians!

The Most Dangerous Place in Your Fridge

The purpose of a refrigerator is to keep your food cold and safe. But without proper maintenance and cleaning, the fridge can actually become a very dangerous place. So, what part of your fridge is the most dangerous? The answer is the salad drawer, and it isn’t even close.

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The Problem
Bacteria growth in salad drawers is substantially greater than the rest of the fridge. A study done in the UK found some startling results about the severity of this problem. “Tests from 30 different salad drawers found a startling number of bacteria, with an average of 7,850 bacteria colony-forming units per square centimetre (cfu/cm2). In some cases, it found 129,000 bacteria per cfu/cm2,” researchers said. 

This can be linked to a series of factors, but one is more glaring than the others. Salad drawers are often left uncleaned! When you remove food from your fridge for a cleaning, make sure you remember to remove your salad drawer and clean it separately. The moisture that the salad needs to stay fresh is also providing drinking water for harmful bacterium. It might be a good idea to clean your salad drawer more frequently than the rest of your fridge.

The Solution
If you are a frequent salad eater, you might want to keep reading. This clever little trick will help keep your salad drawer safe and bacteria-free.

  1. Wash down your salad leaves in a clean sink.
  2. Once you are satisfied with the wash, place the leaves in a salad spinner and let them dry.
  3. Take a kitchen towel and line the bottom and sides of your salad drawer with it. Then, take the leaves from your salad spinner and place them on top of the towel in your drawer.
  4. Lastly, place a paper towel on top of your salad to remove any excess moisture.
  5. Enjoy your fresh, clean and crisp salad!

Storing your salad this way not only makes it taste better, but it is cleaner too. You have to change out your leaves once a week, so bacteria will never have a chance to grow!

If you run into any problems with a salad drawer, or anything in your refrigerator, the experts at Speedy Refrigerator Service are just a phone call away. We offer 24/7 service to Long Island and New York City, so call us any time at 866-782-9376.

Tips For an Energy Efficient Refrigerator

In this day and age, everyone is trying to save money and reduce their carbon footprint. The first step to achieving that goal is reducing the amount of energy we use in our daily lives. Your refrigerator and freezer use about 15-20% of the energy in your home, so why not be smart about it? Check out the following tips for making your refrigerator as energy efficient as possible.

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Pack it in
When you open and close your refrigerator door, you probably feel the cold air rush onto your body. While it might feel nice in the summer heat, it is actually killing your energy efficiency. By keeping your fridge ⅔ full, you can reduce the loss of cold air and give your energy bill a break.

Clean your condenser coils
The condenser coils are located in the back or underneath most refrigerator models. The coils are the ‘powerhouse’ of your fridge; they keep it cool and running. These coils can build up dust rather quickly, so it is important to clean them twice a year. Doing this simple task can save you as much as 15% on yearly energy costs.

Defrost
Your freezer is supposed to be frozen, but it should not develop frost. This might seem contradicting, but it will help reduce the amount of energy your freezer is using on a daily basis. If the frost grows past a ¼” inch in thickness, turn off your freezer for 90 minutes and let that frost melt. Wipe down the freezer thoroughly and then place your food back inside.

Avoid Uncovered Liquids
This will cause moisture to buildup in your fridge and force your compressor to exert more energy. This could also lead to the aforementioned frost, which can increase the wear-and-tear on your compressor.

Is your refrigerator causing your energy bill to spike? Help is just a phone call away with Speedy Refrigerator Service. We offer same-day refrigerator repairs and maintenance services to Long Island and New York City. Give us a call at 866-782-9376 today.

 

Best Way to Pack your Beach Cooler

Saving space in the freezer is important, but what about your portable freezer? Taking your family to the beach is always fun, and packing the perfect cooler can make it that much better. Fit your lunch, drinks, snacks and everything in between with these helpful tips. Oh, and don’t forget your sunscreen!

Blue cooler box on the beach

Sizing Your Cooler
The first step in packing your cooler is actually picking a cooler. A good rule of thumb is to lay out enough space for everyone in your family to have a sandwich and two drinks. Don’t be cheap and buy the fold able coolers, they tend to leak easily and gather sand that will track into your car and home. Thick-walled plastic coolers are the cleanest and most effective option.

Icing Your Cooler
Ice can make or break your cooler experience. Not enough ice and you are left with a pool in your cooler, too much and you have no room for your food. Using frozen water bottles as ice packs can help conserve space and kill two birds with one stone. If you want to be really efficient, cover them in salt, it will take longer for them to melt.

Packing Your Cooler
When packing a cooler, place the things you are going to use first at the top. Items in Tupperware should be on the bottom because they can’t be crushed. Don’t throw chips and pretzels on top and think you are saving space. This takes up too much room and actually makes your cooler warmer. You want to have an organized cooler so that you can keep it open for the least amount of time possible – the less times the lid is open, the colder your cooler stays.

Cooling Your Cooler
Your job isn’t done once you get to the beach. Keeping your cooler cold and out of the sun is vital for maximizing your family fun. Burying the cooler in the sand will help circulate cold air from the bottom up and aid in the cooling process. Placing the cooler under an umbrella or throwing a towel over it are also effective methods.

We hope these tips will help keep your family happy on your next day at the beach. Share your favorites with us on Facebook!

Speedy Refrigerator Service is a New York-based refrigerator repair company. We have more than 75 years of experience fixing refrigerators and freezers across Long Island and New York City. Call us at 866-782-9376 to schedule your same-day appointment with one of our licensed technicians.