I dropped the kids off at school. Check! Took a fairly quick trip through the grocery store. Check! Next on the list? Eat breakfast. Check! Put away the groceries. No check, sadly.

All things came to a halt when I began to clear space on the bottom shelf of the the fridge. It was filthy! Bread crumbs and vegetable particles congealed into every crack and crevice. And what was that reddish brownish syrupy substance streaked along one side of the wall? No, I’m not showing any photos. I do want you to read this post, after all.

Time for latex gloves, cleaning solution and a chunk of time. As I wiped that bottom shelf, I extended the area to the front face of the fridge, the part just above the front ventilation grill, which skirts just above the floor. At one point, the grill slipped off. And then I saw it: dust, dust, dust. At least 10 years of dust accumulated in grease-coated clumps.

It’s a timely discovery: Keeping the refrigerator machinery free of dust gives your fridge an easier time cooling off, according to the Environmental Protection Agency’s EnergyStar program. That means your hardworking fridge sucks up less energy. You save money! That’s good news now that the cold weather is upon us and I’m firing up the furnace.

Here’s some other ways you can help your fridge use less energy:

Set the appropriate temperature.
Keep your refrigerator at 35 to 38 degrees Fahrenheit.
Place your fridge in a cool place.
Position your refrigerator away from a heat source such as an oven, a dishwasher, or direct sunlight from a window.
Allow air circulation behind the fridge.
Leave a few inches between the wall and the refrigerator, and keep the condenser coils clean if you have an older model. Read the user’s manual to learn how to safely clean coils. Coil cleaning brushes can be purchased at most hardware stores.
Check the door seals.
Make sure the refrigerator seals around the door are airtight. If not, replace them.
Keep the door closed.
Minimize the amount of time the refrigerator door is open.

https://www.energystar.gov/products/appliances/refrigerators/best_practices