Have you heard of this trend? We’ll explain how it works and let you decide if it’s worth trying out for yourself.
Social media is an amazing thing. It lets us communicate with people all over the globe, spreading idealistic goals, offering support and encouraging each other to put toilet paper in our refrigerators.
That’s right. Recently, people on social media are advising you to replace that box of baking soda in the back of your fridge with a roll of toilet paper.
Does this weird trick work? We asked kitchen and appliance experts to see what the pros had to say!
Why Put Toilet Paper in the Fridge?
Ruiz Asri, editor of Honest Food Talks, says toilet paper’s absorbency is behind this hack. “Moisture in the refrigerator often contributes to mildew and unpleasant odor,” Asri says. The toilet paper absorbs excess moisture, along with foul smells, Asri says.
References to toilet paper in the fridge can be found as far back as 2015. But the dedicated use of it as an odor absorber seems to be more recent, primarily in the last year or so, with videos appearing on TikTok and Facebook.
Does It Work?
Yes — to a point. While it will absorb odors, other options are more efficient, take up less space and generate fewer odd looks from house guests.
We spoke to one person who’s tried the TP technique. Amy from the eponymously named AmyandRose.com, had some fishy smells in the fridge, and her daughter suggested that she try the toilet paper hack. So did it work?
“In my experience, somewhat,” she says. But here’s the catch: it’s just a temporary fix.
Alternative Fridge Odor Busters
So if you want something longer-lasting that takes up less space, here are some alternate odor fighting strategies:
Baking soda
Baking soda is the go-to solution for most U.S. households. It caught on in the 1970s, when manufacturer Arm & Hammer promoted it as an environmentally friendly alternative to chemical cleaning. By 1994, the Los Angeles Times reported “more refrigerators are likely to have baking soda than working light bulbs.”
Baking soda is a base material, which means it neutralizes acids. Because most odors are acidic, it can cut off the smell at the source. (Side note: After deodorizing a fridge with baking soda, don’t use the contents of that box for baking. Cooking can reactivate those acids and contaminate your cake.)
As the baking soda interacts with more acids, it becomes less effective. Most people will need to replace it every three months.