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Posted on Nov 23, 2007

Chemical smell from refridgerator

For the last 3 weeks i have notice a strong chemical smell from my Smeg fridge/freezer. I have cleaned it out twice and still the smell remains. Could there be some sort of leak or am i bonkers?

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  • Anonymous Dec 19, 2007

    Just after thanksgiving our refridgerator began to emit a terrible chemical odor -- like melted plastic; very unappetizing. After a day or so, the ice began to taste like this also. I've cleaned the fridge and freezer multiple times, dumped all the ice and cleaned the ice bin, still no resolution. It is not a rotten food smell; and we don't have and never have spoiled food in our fridge. Its a CHEMICAL smell. Help!! p.s. it really smells like something inside the guts of the fridge is leaking.

  • rosiefreg Dec 29, 2007

    Mine isn't a side by side model. I had this problem like 5 months after I bought it. We cleaned it 4 or 5 times throughly had 3 repair men out.. nothing helpped. The food and ice all took on this flavor of chemicals. It was like maybe acitone? like Nail polish remover. After a long fight, angry letters, calls to anyone and everyone at Frigidaire they replaced the fridge. Now.. past warranty and it is happening again. I'm pulling it out from the wall and turning it off and cleaning everything I can and if it does not fix it I will have to get a new one.. and it will not be a Frigidaire! My whole kitchen is filled with their products and I grew up with them. It's sad really. 

  • Lorri Smiley Mar 14, 2008

    I have a Jenn-Air JCB2389 and I have the same problem too. The chemical smell is odd and all food takes on this taste. Everything in the refrigerator needs to be trashed. It is cooling properly. There is no spoiled food producing this smell. I was told that it is oil from a compressor and that it means that the sealed system has failed. Then, another repairman negated that and said if it's cooling properly that can't be. I spent alot of money on this refrigerator and it's only 6 years old. Any suggestions?

  • sophie3 Aug 25, 2008

    I have a 6 year old Amana freezer on the bottom and I have the same chemical odor. No food has spilled and the refrigerator and freezer are cooling. Has anyone discovered what causes this odor?

  • Anonymous Mar 25, 2014

    freezer thaw smells chemical

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  • Posted on Dec 16, 2008
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  • Anonymous Dec 16, 2008

    This could be a faulty heater or the heater could be melting the plastic where it is positioned. Un plug the refrigerator and remove the back panel inside the cabinet. Look for any signs of burning. If there are no signs of burning then it could be the insulation within the panel work rotting. Try sealing all the edges with sealant. Also, check that the drainage hole inside the cabinet is clean and clear. If you pull the refrigerator out and look at the back, usually at the bottom is the compressor (black motor). On top of the compressor is a plastic tray which collects the water from inside the cabinet, make sure that is clean. Be carefull as the compressor will more than likley be HOT. DO NOT pour lots of water down the drainage hole as the plastic tray can only hold so much. If you over fill this tray the water can spill over the electrics for the compressor. I am a breakdown engineer and have never come across this problem, but if i was to have this problem then these are the steps i would take. ALWAYS UNPLUG THE REFRIGERATOR BEFORE DOING ANY WORK!

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  • Posted on Nov 24, 2007
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Most refrigerator use R22 freon and this stuf does not smell very much. Maybe there is some milk or blood comming from a leakink pack, that entered between interior panel joints. Try placing an opened Harm & Hammer soda box; this could catch the odors. If after a week or so, this did not resolved this issue, I one had to replace some mineral wool (insulation) that as been contaminated with rotten food.

  • emberlou Jan 23, 2011

    With chemical odors in the refrigerator, check for rotten citrus, especially oranges. They tend to emit a chemical-like odor.

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  • Posted on Mar 14, 2013
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We had a chemical smell in our refrigerator. Repair person couldn't find anything wrong. It did NOT smell like anything food! We cleaned and cleaned and the smell persisted. While waiting for a new refrigerator to be delivered we transfered the food to an ice chest and the smell left the refrigerator and stayed with the food. We believe it has something to do with the packaging something was in. We tossed EVERYTHING and started over. No smell in either refrigerator now.

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