So, you’ve got water collecting in the bottom of your fridge and vegetable drawers. Your salad is getting soggy and there’s a bit of a funky smell wafting through.

Fear not! This is quite a common problem. There are a few simple things to check and fix before you go out and buy a new fridge.

In this post, I’ll explain what the most common causes are of water in your fridge and how to fix them. I’ll also share some tips you might not know.

Let’s fix that fridge!

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Why Is There Water Collecting In My Fridge?

Don’t worry, your fridge is most likely not broken. There are several reasons why water may be collecting in your fridge.

Here are the most common reasons – and how to fix them. No handyman needed.

Blocked Drainage Hole

Water can build up in your fridge when the drainage hole gets blocked. This can be down to food, mould or general gunk building up over time and blocking water from draining away correctly.

The drainage hole is where any condensation built up in your fridge filters out. This is then collected into a small dish underneath the fridge next to the compressor, where it evaporates away.

When you find water in the bottom of your fridge, you want to look at the drainage hole first. Look in the back of your fridge, usually around the bottom centre part of the wall.

How To Fix It: Clean it with a fridge freezer drain hole plunger or something like a pipe cleaner or cotton bud, making sure any blockages are removed so water can flow away freely.

Ice Build-Up

Not as common, but from time to time, ice can build up on the back wall of your fridge, which can stop water from draining out. This can sometimes happen if you’ve set your fridge temperature too low. If the ice gets into the drainage hole or tube, it will block water from coming through. The tube itself can also get frozen, causing issues with draining.

How To Fix It: You will need to de-ice the fridge by turning it off and letting the ice melt. Then check to make sure water is draining out and the hole isn’t blocked. You can pour a small about of hot/boiling water down the drain to melt away any last bits of ice.

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Condensation

You’ve problem seen condensation in your fridge before. It’s completely normal, but too much can cause problems.

Your fridge is obviously (but hopefully!) much colder than your kitchen. When warm(er) air from your kitchen enters your fridge, water droplets form on the back or ceiling.

How To Fix It: Keep your fridge condensation levels down every day by 1) never putting hot food in the fridge and 2) not leaving the fridge door open longer than needed. You should also clean your fridge regularly, ensure it closes and seals properly, and set the fridge temperature between 1 and 5 degrees Celsius.

Top Tip: Not sure if your door seals properly? Grab a piece of paper and close the door on it. If you can’t get the paper out easily, your fridge is good to go.

The Fridge Isn’t Level

If your fridge isn’t level or is leaning forward, water won’t flow down the drain hole correctly and could overflow down into the bottom of the fridge.

A quick and easy one to check. Get a small spirit level out and place it on one of the shelves inside to check the level of your fridge from side to side and front to back.

How To Fix It: Your fridge should have some adjustable screws/feet underneath at the front. Raise or lower these by a couple of turns to change the level of your fridge and get it set up spot on!

Veg (Humidity) Drawers Not Used Correctly

What are Humidity Drawers?

Many modern fridges now come with humidity drawers at the bottom for veg and salad. These are the drawers that have a vent or opening that can be adjusted open or closed. This adjustment allows or restricts airflow between the drawer and the rest of the fridge.

How To Use The Right Humidity Setting

There are basically two settings. Wet and Dry.

The wet setting (high humidity) is when the vent is closed to restrict airflow from the fridge getting into the drawer. This retains air and moisture in the drawer.

This setting is ideal for leafy green vegetables where you don’t want them to lose their moisture. It helps fruits and vegetables stored inside to remain crisp, moist and fresh for a longer time.

The dry setting (low humidity) is when the vent is open to help facilitate airflow between the fridge and inside the drawer. This helps to prevent excess moisture from building up and spoiling the fruit and veg.

The dry setting should be used if the drawer is really full or the food stored doesn’t need to have moisture retained.

So, if there’s water in the bottom of your fridge under the vegetable drawers, this could be the culprit.

How To Fix It: If you are storing lots of fruit and veg in the drawer with the wet setting selected you may be causing excessive moisture and water to build up and collect at the bottom of your drawer and fridge. If you have them, make sure you are using the humidity drawers correctly.

Top tip: Some fruit and veg should never be stored in the fridge as they prefer slightly warmer conditions.
Fruits: Pineapples, bananas, avocados, oranges, mangoes and watermelons
Vegetables: Cucumbers, eggplants, green beans, tomatoes and potatoes

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Final Thoughts…

There you have it! The most common causes of water in your fridge and how to fix them.

I hope one of these was the culprit and you’re all fixed up as good as new. No service call-out or new fridge required!

Just remember that you may need to keep an eye on these and give your fridge a good clean from time to time to avoid water collecting again.

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