What happens if you never clean your fridge coils? An expert’s 20-year experiment says it all

Do you often see videos and tutorials urging you to clean your refrigerator coils? The internet is full of warnings; for instance, dusty coils can make your fridge overheat, consume more power, and reduce its lifespan. But before you grab a vacuum and squeeze behind your appliance, here’s what a refrigerator expert recently revealed, and it might just change how you think about coil cleaning.

Marco Amiel, a fridge expert in New York, says, “l haven't cleaned a single condenser in 20 years”. His experience, backed by decades in appliance repair, reveals that modern refrigerator design has made this once-crucial maintenance task largely unnecessary.

The myth that refuses to die

In older models, dust and lint would quickly settle on the fan and the condenser coils, blocking the critical airflow needed to cool the appliance. Over time, this buildup forced the unit to work harder, shortening its lifespan. However, Amiel explains that for the past two decades, refrigerators have been redesigned to fully shield these essential components, as reported by Wirecutter.

These components are now sealed or tucked away behind protective panels, meaning you don’t have to worry about cleaning them. So, if your fridge was built recently, it's already protecting itself from dust buildup.

The only two cases where you need to clean the coils

Luxury built-ins: High-end models from companies like Sub-Zero or Viking are often built directly into cabinetry. These models still rely on external airflow for cooling and should be cleaned at least once a year.
Older appliances: If your refrigerator is 15 to 20 years old or more, it likely features the older design and needs cleaning to maintain efficiency.

If you own one of these and have no plan of upgrading anytime soon, its a good idea to clean the coils. Here’s how you can do it.

The 2 steps for refrigerator coil maintenance

The total time needed can range from a quick 15 minutes (for built-ins with easy-access grills) to a couple of hours if you have to move the fridge and unscrew back panels.

Step 1: Before doing anything, always turn off the power to the refrigerator, either at the wall plug or the electrical panel. Put on work gloves to protect your hands from dust and sharp metal edges. Consult your owner's manual to find the coils, as they could be behind a top grill, a bottom plate, or on the back.

Step 2: Vacuum the dust: If you need to access the coils, pull the fridge straight out from the wall. You may need a screwdriver to remove any covering panels. Use a vacuum cleaner fitted with a soft brush attachment to remove all visible dust. Vacuum along the grain of the coils to avoid bending them. For older models, you can use a specialised, flexible refrigerator coil cleaning brush to gently dislodge stubborn lint around the coils and fan blades before vacuuming again. When finished, securely reattach any panels before restoring the power.

If your fridge manual does not mention coil cleaning as a maintenance task, you can safely move on to the next chore. Do not attempt to move a large, heavy refrigerator by yourself.

Ultimately, you can stop worrying about that dusty, time-consuming chore because for most modern appliances, skipping the coil cleaning is no longer a risk.